CIRENCESTER TOWN 4

DORCHESTER TOWN 1

IT WAS a night to forget for Dorchester Town as Cirencester Town put four past the Magpies in a 4-1 defeat at the Corinium Stadium.

First-half goals from Aiden Bennett and Jamie Chamberlain gave the Centurions a good cushion despite the visitors having the better of the play.

Debutant Will Hancox tapped in after the Magpies failed to clear their lines before Chamberlain converted a penalty in the 63rd minute to put the game to bed.

Ollie Bassett did score a late goal to carry on his good run of form but, that was scant consolation for a disappointing Dorchester.

Mark Jermyn said in the build-up to the game that he was unlikely to make too many changes to the side that beat Chesham United 3-2 on the weekend and he was as good as his word with the only difference coming at the back. Dory Yates came into the side for Chris Dillon.

Joe Lea, who picked up an injury on Saturday, was missing from the bench, Nick Crittenden returned after his own injury problems.

The hosts named two debutants as part of their starting XI. Will Hancox – on loan from Torquay United – came into the side as did Luke Ballinger, who is England futsal’s leading appearance maker, was a late signing from Chippenham Town and went straight in at the back.

Ollie Bassett was the match winner against the Generals with his late goal and had the first chance of the game here. He found space inside the box but, his shot could only find Raajan Gill’s hands.

Bassett and Franklyn Clarke had linked very well on Saturday at they were at it again against the Centurions. The Yeovil player used his pace to skip past a couple of defenders to pick out the former York City midfielder however, he was unable to supply the finish. Encouraging signs for the visitors.

But, it was the hosts who took the lead in the 13th minute. Bennett found some space on the edge of the D, produced a succulent turn before squeezing his shot past Murphy to open the scoring. Jermyn had called the home side Dorchester’s bogey side before the game and that warning was living up to its name.

The away side have showed their attacking intent in recent weeks and Tom Blair went very close to levelling. His powerful shot skimmed the post before Dorchester couldn’t make the most of a succession of corners.

Even though Dorchester were on top, Cirencester, who lost 6-0 to Biggleswade Town on the weekend, showed their cutting edge to double their lead in the 28th minute. Chamberlain picked the ball up after a Matt Oldring clearance and unleashed a volley that found the top corner giving Murphy no hope in the Magpies’ goal. The away side could be forgiven for feeling a little hard done by to be 2-0 down.

With their two-goal cushion, Cirencester were able to sit back and contain the away side. A frustrated Dorchester were unable to create anything of note as they interval came and went.

The away side needed some inspiration to get back into the game but, it was the hosts who nearly found the net again only for Murphy to pull off a fantastic save to keep his side in it.

And they then found the all-important third in the 58th minute. After some good interplay from the hosts, Hancox was on hand to tap-in on his Centurions debut and all but seal the game.

It went from bad to worse soon after for the Magpies as they conceded their second penalty in successive games. Chamberlain stepped up and converted from the spot to double his tally, compounding the visitors’ misery.

With 15 minutes to go, Magpies’ midfielder Bassett, who had been a livewire in the first half, cut in and netted from the edge of the area to give his side a glimmer of hope.

Jason Brookes was brought on with less than 10 minutes to play to give the Magpies some attacking intent however, it was the usual partnership of Clarke and Bassett who nearly added a second for the away side. The former couldn’t quite connect with the latter’s free-kick.

Cirencester: Gill, Ballinger, Diaz-Benitez, Liddiard, Brown, Spalding, Mortimer-Jones, Connolly, Bennett, Chamberlain, Hancox

Subs not used: James, Youngsam, Lloyd, Langworthy, Griffin

Magpies: Murphy, Yates (Brookes 82), Smeeton, Martin, Oldring, Jermyn, Clarke, Morgan (Jerrard 60), Walker, Bassett, Blair

Subs not used: Wood, Mitchell, Crittenden

Referee: Ollie Williams