Magpies chalk up first draw (From Dorset Echo)

Magpies chalk up first draw

8:32am Tuesday 8th November 2011 in Match Reports By Ky Capel

CHELMSFORD 0

Dorchester TOWN 0

AFTER watching his Magpies record their first draw of the season, temporary boss Phil Simkin admits he was a tad disappointed not to return home with all three points.

Having survived an early onslaught from high-flying Chelmsford City, Dorchester Town grew in stature and almost chalked up their fourth straight win in all competitions.

However, the Magpies’ maiden stalemate – no fewer than 18 games into the Blue Square Bet South campaign – maintained their unbeaten record under the guidance of Simkin while the Clarets have now gone 14 competitive matches without defeat.

Simkin, who has surely enhanced his chances of taking charge on a permanent basis, said: “We probably should have won it.

“We had the chances to win the game and although I’m absolutely elated to get a point, there’s a slight tinge of disappointment that we didn’t get all three.

“That’s down to expectations though, as we are now four unbeaten.

“Chelmsford absolutely pummeled us in the first 20 minutes or so but we defended it, we kept our shape, we didn’t panic and we slowly made inroads.

“We went on to create several half-decent chances but even then I said to the lads that it would be hard at the beginning of the second half.

“We defended well again, we got back into their half and we took the game to them. And we would have won it had their keeper not made an incredible save from Ben Dickenson.

“Beggars can’t be choosers and we have never got anything at Chelmsford before so to get a draw on a Monday night, after putting so much effort into the win against Basingstoke on Saturday, I’m tremendously proud of the lads.

“It was a terrific away performance – almost perfect – and hopefully we can make it five games unbeaten this Saturday.”

With leading scorer Ryan Moss shaking off the flu, Simkin was able to name an unchanged line-up for the trip to Melbourne Park.

There were though, two alterations on the bench with Gary Bowles and Rico Wilson drafted in at the expense of Lewis Tallack and keeper Simon Evans.

Having performed so well against Basingstoke on Saturday, the Magpies’ backline had to be at its best once more as the hosts forced the issue early on.

Aiden Palmer was first to test Magpies’ keeper Alan Walker-Harris but his left-foot strike from distance was well parried by the latter.

City looked the more threatening side during the first quarter of the game but in the second half of the first period, the county town side began to find their feet going forward and four minutes before the interval Nathan Walker headed wide at the far post.

It remained goalless going into the break but as soon as play resumed, the Clarets were back on the offensive and only a timely block prevented Michael Bakare gaining a clear run on goal.

Dorchester continued to hold their own and with 18 minutes remaining Ryan Moss crashed a shot into the side-netting before strike partner Ben Dickenson forced a fine save from home stopper Stuart Searle in the closing stages.

And that proved to be the final action of the night as the Magpies, who had lost in each of their last three visits to Chelmsford, climbed to 10th spot in the table.

Clarets: Searle, Nunn, Palmer, Tann, Clark, Whitely (Benjamin 63), Modeste, Corcoran, Bakare, Cornhill (Rainford 63), Akurang. Subs not used: Brown, Haines, Miller.

Magpies: Walker-Harris, Critchell (Devlin 89), Smeeton, Jermyn, Walker, Gleeson, Crittenden, Nicholls, Moss, Dickenson, Martin. Subs not used: Symes, Dovell, Wilson, Bowles.

Bookings: Clarets – Modeste (foul, 71)

Magpies – Smeeton (foul, 86).

Attendance: 813