Sunk at Ship Lane

Full back Rob Swaine picked up a second booking in the 56th minute following a crunching challenge on Magpies' new boy Wesley Fogdon.

In truth, Dorchester never really recovered from a poor start in which Thurrock penned them in their own goalmouth for the first four minutes until Daryl Plummer opened the scoring.

The visitors struggled to make any in-roads in the first 45 minutes although midfielder Fogdon, on an initial month's loan from League One Brighton & Hove Albion side, did his best to spark his new colleagues into action.

But Dorchester mustered just one goal attempt in the first-half when Jon Docker surged past two defenders in the 36th minute before firing a weak effort straight at Thurrock keeper David Black-more.

Thurrock signalled their intentions to attack from the outset and Plummer's centre from the left after just seven seconds required a clearance at the far post from Nathan Simpson, another new signing making his competitive debut.

Simpson, a former Torquay left-back, had previously spent time in pre-season with the Magpies.

His clearance resulted in a throw-in which was taken by Thurrock skipper Lee Flynn who picked out former Welling United striker Che Stadhart whose fierce overhead kick deflected off Roy O'Brien for a corner.

There was a delay while O'Brien received treatment but Matt Bodkin's corner kick was met by Matt Paine whose header was blocked in front of goal.

Referee Mark McCoy had how-ever, spotted some pushing and awarded Dorchester a free-kick.

The Magpies failed to make the most of this opportunity and Thurrock were soon back on the offensive.

Another overhead kick from Stadhart was clawed aside by Darren Behcet but Stadhart was first to react to the loose ball and forced it wide to Plummer who was able to open the scoring with a low shot in to the far corner.

The intensity of Thurrock's play eased once they had the lead but Dorchester were still unable to offer any threat.

It was not until the 17th minute though that Behcet's goal came under threat again when Flynn's free-kick was met by Swaine who glanced a header wide.

Then from another Flynn centre, Craig Hughes, making his debut for Thurrock having signed from Heybridge Swifts, produced a diving header but somehow managed to send the ball flying over the crossbar.

Then Chadhart's centre was awkwardly back-heeled across the face of goal by Alex Browne and cleared at the far post by Roy O'Brien.

Behcet then saved a downward header from Swaine while Matt Bodkin sent a 20-yard snapshot just over as Thurrock remained in total control.

Docker finally gave Dorchester's small band of travelling fans assembled behind the Thurrock goal something to see but play soon swung back to the other end and Flynn's driven free-kick flew straight at Behcet.

But disaster struck for the Magpies three minutes before the break when a long ball was pumped from the Thurrock half and with O'Brien and Behcet in close proximity, a moments hesitation with what should have been a routine clearance on the edge of the penalty area proved fatal as Hughes charged down the keeper's attempt and the ball rebounded into the empty net.

Worse nearly followed for the county town side as Greg Lincoln glanced a header just wide of the near post from Plummer's left-wing cross.

Dorchester, boosted no doubt by some strong words of encouragement from director of football Shaun Brooks, were much sharper after the break.

From Charlie Henry's 48th minute cross, Jones Awuah curled a 20-yard effort wide while from Nathan Peprah-Annan's cross from the right, Henry's shot was pushed aside for a corner by Blackmore.

Hopes of a Dorchester revival from a two-goal deficit at Ship Lane for a second season running soared when Swaine was dismissed after picking up a second yellow card for a foul on Fogdon, and when Browne neatly turned on to a Peprah-Annan cross to steer the ball low into the corner a comeback almost looked inevit-able with nearly half an hour still to play.

But Dorchester hopes were dashed just two minutes later when Phil Anderson's centre was met by Stadhart who headed past Behcet from six yards to restore Thurrock's two-goal advantage.

Dorchester with their one-man advantage offered greater threat in the latter stages but Blackmore was seldom worried.

Browne produced a shot on the turn which flew just over while Blackmore pushed aside a shot from substitute Hardy Pinto-Moreira.

Browne was then denied by a tip-over save from Blackmore having got his head to another Peprah-Annan centre, while Docker slipped past two challenges before disappointingly firing wide.

There was late controversy in the 85th minute though when Dorchester thought that they had again reduced the arrears as Henry's low angled shot through a crowded box found the far corner.

But the goal was disallowed as the assistant referee had his flag raised because a Dorchester player had strayed into an offside position and was deemed to be interfering with play.

And with that any flickering hopes of a Magpies' revival were extinguished.