DORCHESTER Town gained another point on the road with a 0-0 Evo-Stik Southern Premier South draw at Hendon, but what were the main talking points?

CLEAN SHEET BONUS

DORCHESTER’S tactics were all aimed at keeping a blank copybook and perhaps stealing a win late on with a counter attack.

The Magpies were happy to afford Hendon possession, sit deep and deal with the inevitable long crosses that sailed into the box.

Callum Rose was perhaps the most impressive defender, rewinding the clock to his outstanding form last season in marshalling the Magpies to a first clean sheet in six games under boss Callum Brooks.

THE GAP CLOSES

GOSPORT pulled off a shock 2-0 win at Salisbury to tighten the gap between themselves and safety.

Boro now lie just two points adrift of 19th after former Dorchester players Charlie Davis and Sam Lanahan scored late goals to dent Salisbury’s slim hopes for the title.

Dorchester had an eight-point gap to Gosport before kick-off which has now shrunk to six, although realistically the Magpies could be all-but safe next weekend with a victory against Steve Claridge’s men, providing Gosport lose.

EGAN THE CENTURION

DORCHESTER right-back Kyle Egan celebrated his 100th appearance for the Magpies with a clean sheet.

The former Exeter defender has been in superb form of late and looks set to cause teams problems at every opportunity when bombing down the right flank.

Egan has three career Magpies’ goals to his name – possibly the biggest of them all in the 2-2 draw at Weymouth on Boxing Day in 2017.

GLANCE AT THE FUTURE?

BROOKS elected to start new signing James Granger for the first time since his move from Basingstoke, preferring the former Poole loanee to Dom Panesar-Dower.

Should Granger stay at the club next season he will be competing with the likes of Billy Lowes, Luke Winsper and Panesar-Dower for a regular slot.

Granger showed some nice touches and was generally busy, although in receiving his first start tired during the second half and was replaced by Panesar-Dower.

Tall yet mobile, Granger offers something different to the Dorchester midfield and, if he can deliver four more impressive performances, Brooks could snap him up for 2019/2020.

SEYMOUR DENIED

IT’S not often that Ben Seymour has four clear efforts at goal and fails to finds the back of the net.

Hendon goalkeeper Chris Grace picked up his second successive clean sheet but it was not for lack of trying on Seymour’s part to deny him that pleasure.

The Exeter loanee had three good first-half opportunities before curling a free-kick at Grace deep into the second half.

Dorchester fans can hardly complain at Seymour’s strike rate though, with the teenager their leading scorer having bagged a superb 20 goals in 28 games for the Magpies.