DORCHESTER TOWN RES 4 BEMERTON HEATH RES 1

DORCHESTER ended a run of three defeats in the Wyvern League Premier Division with a 4-1 victory over bottom club Bemerton Heath at the Avenue.

Jason Brookes, Frankie White, Craig Michie and Alex Godfrey netted for the home side, while Kyran Pyke scored Bemerton’s only goal.

The Magpies moved back up to fourth in the table following the triumph, 10 points behind Team Solent in third but with five games in hand on the Southampton side.

A stunning Brookes free-kick opened the scoring around 15 minutes into the contest.

The midfielder found the top corner from all of 25 yards after Godfrey had been fouled.

Lewis Rutledge and Callum Hodge went close for the visitors before Luke Woodland was brought down by a Bemerton defender when he seemed to be clean through on goal.

Fortunately for the visiting player, he escaped with only a yellow card rather than a red.

Brookes then almost grabbed a second from virtually the same position as his first.

It was almost a carbon copy of his opening goal, only this time his shot hit the underside of the crossbar.

Not long into the second half and another free-kick did find the target, though this time it was Dorchester keeper Taylor Hibbs that had to fish the ball out of his net.

Pyke got Bemerton on level terms from the edge of the box.

The hosts went on the attack almost instantly and were unlucky not to retake the lead when a deflected effort from Kieran Parrett struck the bar.

There was another close call for the Magpies as Luke Woodland fired just wide following some good build up play by David Jerrard.

Sam Old and Frankie White then replaced Jerrard and Woodland for the hosts, and White made an immediate impact.

Bemerton failed to clear Ryan Murray’s cross and the substitute pounced to make it 2-1.

Replacement Sam Pashen, on in place of Scott Walters, set up the third for Michie, who swooped at a corner for his second goal in as many games.

And the win was sealed late on when Godfrey produced a superb strike from long range to beat Lewis Gunstone-Gray in the Bemerton goal.

Dorchester’s victory was their seventh in 12 league outings this term, while for their opponents it was a 10th loss from 11 games.

Magpies: Hibbs, Williams, Michie, Walters (Pashen), Giles, Brookes, Murray, Godfrey, Woodland (White), Jerrard (Old), Parrett, Bush. Sub not used: Neate