Magpies: Ben Seymour stars as Dorchester held

DORCHESTER Town were held to a 1-1 draw at Yate Town, despite Ben Seymour enjoying a fine start and a debut goal for Dorchester on his first appearance in the FA Trophy first qualifying round.

Seymour’s 75th minute effort, after he had been heavily involved in the Magpies’ attacking play for the entire match, sent the Magpies into jubilation.

However, Yate were quick to bounce back and five minutes later had an equaliser through Ben Brooks who headed in to secure the replay for the home side.

Dorchester were able to welcome back Kingsley Latham between the sticks, while Seymour, who signed on Friday on loan from Exeter City made his first start for the club.

The Magpies enjoyed a superb start to the first half, as they dominated the early attacking play.

Seymour made a good early impression, as after three minutes he broke down the left, and put in a cross towards Cameron Murray, who headed towards in but Yate Town goalkeeper Lewis Thomas saved.

From the rebound, Billy Lowes struck in towards goal but hit the post.

Luke Winsper then took aim from some distance out and went close, with his shot rattling off the crossbar.

The Magpies were enjoying a fine start as yet another early chance came, when Winsper played in Seymour who saw his shot blocked and the chance fizzled away.

A mistake from the Yate defence then allowed Seymour to get through but the striker created space before hitting his shot wide with 21 minutes on the clock.

The Bluebells then had a decent chance when they got forward and pulled a teasing ball across the Magpies’ box but their striker could not get a good touch on the ball to take it past Latham in the Dorchester goal.

However, the half fizzled out and neither side could muster a clear chance on goal after the 30th minute.

Despite the good start from Dorchester the two sides went in level at the break, with all to play for in the second half.

Dorchester started the second half in the same vein as the first, as Seymour made space and slotted in Diaz, who saw his shot saved by Thomas.

The Magpies again reprised the early attacking dominance of the first half and nearly found reward through Seymour.

Seymour was enjoying an action-packed debut and nearly found the net after 53 minutes, when he ran onto a ball over the top but Thomas was able to make the save for Yate Town.

After 69 minutes, Dorchester boss Steve Thompson made the first change, as he replaced Diaz with Aaron Rodriguez who did not need long to settle.

Rodriguez, a minute after coming on saw himself past two defenders before creating a chance to shoot, but he saw his shot go agonisingly wide of the Yate Town post.

Neil Martin was then forced into a last-ditch tackle to prevent Yate from having a clear shot on goal as the game began to come to the boil late on.

Seymour then crowned his first appearance for the Magpies with a goal after 75 minutes.

Rodriguez did very well to get forward and cut in and pull the ball across goal, from which Seymour was able to tap in to put the Magpies ahead.

It was a deserved goal, with Seymour having an impressive debut and being involved in the vast majority of the attacking play from Dorchester.

However, celebrations were not long-lived as Brooks headed in from a corner to swiftly level the scores for the home side.

Cameron Murray came off after 87 minutes and was replaced by Tom Blair as Dorchester went chasing a late winner.

They nearly found it when Kyle Egan did well to find Seymour, whose shot went narrowly wide of the post for Dorchester.

Blair was then taken down late on but no foul was given.

The full-time whistle blew shortly after and the two sides ended eve, despite the furious five minutes that saw two goals scored.

Yate Town and Dorchester will now meet on Tuesday evening at the Clayson Stadium for a replay.

Yate Town: Thomas, Evans, Keightley, Peare, Ford, Boulton, Kamara, Guest, Mehew, Langworthy, Twyman. Subs: Hitchings, Brooks, Rennie, Knight, Nembhrand

Dorchester Town: Latham, Edgan, Martin, Rose, Bailey, Kite, Murray (Blair 87), Lowes, Seymour, Diaz (Rodriguez 69), Winsper. Subs not used: Edgar, Carmichael, Williams.