DORCHESTER TOWN 1

Watson 74

FROME TOWN 1

Haldane 85

LEWIS Haldane struck late on to deny Dorchester a win over Frome this afternoon.

The striker’s 85th-minute goal cancelled out Ben Watson’s second-half header in what was a disappointing contest at the Avenue.

Ashley Nicholls was back in the black and white of the Magpies after joining on a dual registration with Maidenhead United.

A stiff breeze, combined with a firm playing surface, made conditions difficult for both sides from the outset, and it was a largely scrappy opening to the contest.

The visitors’ Ben Thompson had the first chance of the afternoon when he fired just wide from the edge of the area with a well-struck shot.

And Frome’s Rhys Baggeridge then went into referee Michael Taylor’s notebook on 18 minutes following a foul on Nicholls.

Other than those two incidents, the opening quarter of the match was one to forget.

The wind did cause the hosts a few problems at set-pieces but Magpies’ keeper Alan Walker-Harris, and Frome stopper Darren Chitty, didn’t have much to do.

Chitty had a bit of work to do on the half-hour mark, gathering a Bradley Tarbuck flick that Watson looked to get on the end of.

Frome keeper Chitty, also his side’s captain, led by example in the 38th minute with a brilliant fingertip save to deny Watson.

The striker controlled the ball 10 yards out and found space for a shot but Chitty tipped the former’s effort on to the crossbar and out for a corner.

Unfortunately, that was the only real highlight of a terrible first half.

The second period began with Haldane blasting a shot just over Walker-Harris’ goal, before a pre-planned free-kick routine nearly resulted in an opener for the Magpies.

Dan Smith played the ball to Watson, he in turn fed Tarbuck, but the youngster’s shot lacked the power to trouble Chitty.

A John Vance free-kick at the other end of the pitch was kept out by Walker-Harris, while Mark Jermyn needed to head clear an Ollie Taylor effort.

Up to this point, other than the Tarbuck attempt, there had been a real lack of creativity in Dorchester’s attacking play in the second half.

The effort, as usual, was present but scoring was another thing.

However, with 16 minutes to go, that changed, and the home side’s goal owed a lot to the hunger and desire of both Tarbuck and Watson.

Tarbuck, not at his best for most of the game, refused to give up on a ball that could have been heading for a goal-kick.

And when he stood up a cross to the far post Watson leapt above his marker to nod home.

Frome were not going to lie down and accept defeat.

They made a couple of substitutions after the goal and came close to equalising when Jermyn blocked a Baggeridge shot.

But second later, and with five minutes remaining, Haldane levelled.

The striker’s first goalbound effort from Mark Cooper’s centre was saved by Walker-Harris but Haldane’s second attempt just crossed the line, despite Jake Smeeton’s desperate clearance.

Magpies: Walker-Harris, Oldring, Smeeton, Nicholls, Jermyn, Dillon, Tarbuck (Lanahan 81), Gleeson, Watson (Brookes 90), Morgan, Smith. Subs not used: Irvine, Murray, Horsburgh.

Frome: Chitty, Cooper, Bonella, Baggeridge, Vallis, McGrath, Vance (Munday 72), Smith, Haldane, Taylor (Morgan-Williams 83), Thompson (Miller 81). Subs not used: Walker.

Bookings: Magpies – Oldring (foul, 73)

Frome – Baggeridge (foul, 18), Cooper (Foul, 75)

Referee: Michael Taylor (Alton)

Attendance: 425