DORCHESTER TOWN 1

Blair 90+4 pen

BEACONSFIELD TOWN 3

Minhas 37, 71, Matthew 66

DORCHESTER Town slipped to a disappointing 3-1 Evo-Stik Southern Premier South loss to Beaconsfield Town at the Clayson Stadium.

The Magpies looked lacklustre from kick-off and were punished as Aaron Minhas hit a clinical brace either side of a Brendan Matthew header.

Callum Brooks’ men improved in the final 20 minutes, sub Tom Blair converting a 94th-minute penalty, but it was too little, too late as Brooks tasted defeat for the first time in his five-match tenure.

Dorchester made two changes to the starting XI that began the 3-2 win at Walton Casuals last weekend.

Ross Carmichael sustained a knee injury, while Noah Keats returned to parent club Truro City.

Nathan Walker reverted to centre-back with Ben Seymour fulfilling his striker role and Dom Panesar-Dower replaced Keats in midfield.

The Magpies named a full bench, with Blair available after suspension and Josh Williams earning a call-up despite being injured in the warm-up prior to Bridport’s 4-0 win over Shepton Mallet last time out.

However, young centre-backs Brennan Camp and Joe Low moved to Weymouth and Frome respectively in midweek.

A sign of Beaconsfield’s threat on the break was issued as early as 17 minutes in when a Louis Stead cross narrowly evaded the head of Minhas in the box.

The Rams were dealt a blow when Charlie Losasso went down clutching his calf and was replaced by Thomas Gogo, scorer for Staines in their 6-1 home thrashing by Dorchester this season, in the sixth minute.

Dorchester had created little, seeing two corners go to waste, before the electric Matthew gathered possession at the byline before faking past Nick Hutchings, driving inside and unluckily seeing Kyle Egan make a superb block on the goalline.

The Magpies struggled to create any momentum against the hard-working Rams, whose appetite to disrupt the hosts often led to forceful challenges.

Egan was then involved in two incidents, being shoved off the ball in the box prompting cries from the home faithful for a penalty, before drawing a strong challenge from Daniel Brown which earned a caution from referee Stuart Kane.

Dorchester mustered their best attempt from a corner won by Seymour, the striker working tirelessly despite being starved of chances, as Walker nodded across goal for the stretching Sam Jackson to head over.

Matthew was beginning to assert himself on the Magpies and the striker jinked inside, leaving two defenders trailing, before finding Stead whose shot was blocked by the impressive Callum Rose.

Antonio Diaz fired a weak shot at visiting keeper Ravan Constable before the Magpies won another corner, only for Rose to head wide at the back post.

Beaconsfield had a deserved lead on 37 minutes when poor defending from the Magpies allowed Minhas to run from deep, collect a cross in acres of space and slot past the exposed Hutchings before the break.

After the interval, Beaconsfield defender Mayowa Balogun was booked for a forceful challenge on Seymour before Hutchings thwarted Matthew with a superb one-on-one save after incisive work from Stead.

Dorchester then had more penalty appeals waved away as an Aaron Rodriguez strike appeared to hit Omar Vassell on the arm, but the unconvincing Kane played on.

Seymour was again clattered into by Jerome Eccleston, who saw yellow, as Beaconsfield’s mastery of time-wasting continued.

The Rams were no slouches in possession, however, as Gogo teed up Matthews, leading to Rose making a crucial tackle.

Dorchester’s Seymour nearly created a chance for Diaz but his square ball was cut out by a brilliant lunging challenge from Balogun.

Brooks brought on Neil Martin and Blair for Rodriguez and Seymour on 65 minutes but within 60 seconds the Magpies were 2-0 down as Gogo earned a corner from which Matthew bulleted a header home.

Five minutes later it was 3-0 as a poor clearance from Martin fell for Minhas to drill home from 20 yards past the static Hutchings.

Brooks introduced James Granger for Panesar-Dower and suddenly the Magpies jolted into life as Billy Lowes stung Constable’s palms with a 25-yard rasper.

Dorchester had improved markedly as Blair’s volley brought a flying stop from Constable before Granger drew a goalkeeping fumble with a stinging shot.

A fortuitous penalty, given when Jackson was adjudged to have been tripped by Stead, was tucked home by Blair but Dorchester slipped to their first league defeat in six games.

Magpies: Hutchings, Egan, Jackson, Rose, Walker, Kite, Panesar-Dower (Granger 79), Lowes, Seymour (Blair 65), Diaz, Rodriguez (Martin 65). Subs not used: Latham, Williams

Beaconsfield: Constable, Vassell, Balogun, Eccleston, Neville, Daly, Stead, Brown (Cathline 67), Matthew, Minhas, Losasso (Gogo 6, Nolan 67). Subs not used: Montague, Bates

Referee: Stuart Kane (Saltash)

Attendance: 368

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