Dorchester passed up the chance of another big pay day against Weymouth when they failed to beat 10-man Eastleigh in their Dr Martens Cup fourth round tie at a rain-lashed Avenue Stadium last night.

The ambitious Eastern Division side scored twice in three minutes midway through the first half before having ex-Saint Nicky Banger sent off just before the break.

After that it was like the Alamo with the Magpies, who rested player-coach Matty Holmes, camped in Eastleigh's half for long spells. But they were denied until the last minute by a superb display from the visitors' giant goalkeeper Colin Matthews, who capped everything with a diving save from a Matt Hann penalty.

Matthews, who cost Eastleigh £15,000 when he moved from Newport IoW last season, laid down his marker after only a minute when he confidently scooped up a fierce low drive from Matt Groves after a good ball in from the left by Michael Walker.

At the other end Mark Ormerod looked less comfortable facing another gale and needed two attempts to collect Christer Warren's wind-assisted 40-yard free-kick.

But it was Matthews who produced another top-drawer stop to keep his side on terms after 18 minute. Hann whipped a free-kick in to Groves' feet eight yards out and his solid, first-time clip was heading just in under the bar when Matthews conjured it over the top with a breathtaking reaction save.

It really was a tale of two goalkeepers as Ormerod's dismal season continued two minutes later. Ex-Terra Ryan Ashford hammered a 40-yard free-kick into the goalmouth, the greasy ball dipped to bounce just in front of the keeper and rebounded off his chest to leave a quick reacting Warren with a simple chance to give his side a 22nd-minute lead from a couple of yards.

The goalkeeper's hesitancy nearly let in Banger as Dorchester struggled to clear their lines - but their relief was short-lived.

A couple of neat passes saw Paul Sales clip the ball through a square back four for Banger to run unchallenged into the area and slot past a helpless Ormerod.

With the Magpies battling to clear their lines against the wind and rain, Warren spurned a chance by shooting wide from 10 yards and Ormerod went full length to turn Tyronne Bowers' free- kick behind for a corner.

Dorchester's threat came almost exclusively from the in-form Groves and he gave them the opportunity to get back into the game in the 40th minute.

Clipped from behind by Ashford as he surged into the area, he almost went down before struggling to stay on his feet and sending a tame shot straight at Matthews.

But referee Malone from Salisbury decided Ashford's challenge was a foul and pointed to the spot. Banger's protests landed him with his second yellow of the night and as he trudged off for an early bath, Ashford also went into the book for abusing the assistant official.

When the furore had died down the diminutive Hann was entrusted with the spot-kick in the absence of the injured Justin Keeler. But Matthews came off best in the David v Goliath contest when he dived to his left to hold Hann's low kick.

With the pitch cutting up badly as the rain continued to pour down, the Magpies soon had Eastleigh under the cosh after the restart.

Groves prodded Walker's left-wing cross meekly at Matthews from six yards, Jamie Brown thumped a shot over the top from 30 yards and Hann was thwarted by the combined challenge of Matthews and Ashford as he ran on to the midfielder's delightful through ball.

The Magpies poured forward as the visitors pulled everyone back to help out in defence and when Alex Browne was hacked down just outside the area, they totally wasted the free kick.

Mark Rawlinson's idea to take it quickly was sound enough, but his execution was terrible and his shot sailed wide of an open goal as Eastleigh were caught completely off guard.

Eastleigh boss Paul Doswell called up reinforcements in the shape of ex-Magpie Taffy Richardson as the siege continued, but it was Matthews to the rescue again with a superb double save in the 65th minute.

First he blocked Hann in a one-on-one before getting up to stick out a foot and deflect Groves's follow-up effort at point blank range.

There were frequently 20 players in and around Eastleigh's area as Dorchester's efforts became more desperate. Substitute Stuart Cooper saw Matthews save again with an outstretched boot when he belted goalwards from a Groves pass across the six-yard box and a defender then threw himself into the path of Walker's goalbound drive to deflect the ball for a corner.

A sliding Groves failed by a whisker to touch in a low centre from Cooper which skimmed unmolested across the face of the goal and there was less than a minute left when Dorchester finally broke through.

Walker headed Cooper's cross against the woodwork and O'Hagan was on the spot to finish from a couple of yards.

There was just time for Brown to crash another long range effort over the top in stoppage time.