Magpies: Dorchester rue errors as Hayes earn win

DORCHESTER Town paid for a poor defensive display as Hayes & Yeading United claimed a 3-2 win from their BetVictor Southern Premier South battle at the Clayson Stadium.

Hayes went 3-0 up in 22 minutes as Dorchester lacked energy, Jacob Cook slamming home before James Clark hit a predatory double.

Tom Bath then capitalised on a gorgeous Jason Brookes pass for 3-1 and headed home after a defensive blunder from Hayes but despite a spirited second-half showing could not fashion an equaliser.

Dorchester made three changes to the side that began Saturday’s 1-0 loss to Blackfield & Langley.

Goalkeeper Shane Murphy (dropped), midfielder Sean Wright (unavailable) and Jack Hoey (broken arm) missed out.

Replacing the trio were gloveman Nick Hutchings, midfielder Cameron Sangster and right-back Brookes, who earned his first start of the season.

Tom Blair (foot) was also included in the starting line-up despite picking up a knock against Blackfield.

Portland loan duo Ben Morris and Josh Williams made the bench after their impressive starts to life at the Blues, while Oli Lowes also took his place in the dugout after scoring six goals for Dorchester Sports since signing dual forms.

Hayes & Yeading, meanwhile, fielded Weymouth loanee goalkeeper Mark Childs and left-back Callum Buckley in their starting XI.

Played out in horrible driving wind and rain, neither team relished the conditions early on but Hayes did take the lead through a superb strike in the fifth minute.

In truth, Dorchester were slow to press Cook and the midfielder rifled past Hutchings from 25 yards, giving the former Poole keeper no chance on his return to the side.

Cook’s goal set the tone for a dreadful opening quarter for the Magpies, who seemed too shy and afforded Hayes far too much time and space in the home half.

Three minutes after, Dorchester received a let off when the unmarked Scott Donnelly slid a shot wide from 18 yards, Clark grabbed his first in simple style, latching on to a precise through ball and rolling the ball beyond Hutchings for 2-0.

Dorchester’s start worsened when Clark notched Hayes’ third. Brookes was caught in possession on the right and Ogo Obi raced to the byline before chipping over Hutchings for Clark who smuggled a mishit volley over the line.

United’s third suddenly galvanised the Magpies and Brookes produced the pass of the match, splitting the Hayes defence for Bath to collect and drill past Childs into the far corner.

Dorchester, revived by the goal, were gifted a second in the 32nd minute as a shocking pass from centre-back Mitchal Gough fell straight to Bath who played in Blair down the left,

The winger’s cross skimmed off the covering defender, stranding Childs and leaving Bath with an open goal which he duly headed into.

Bath had a chance for his hat-trick in a remarkable half as Tobias Little’s misjudgment freed Blair on the right, only for Bath to sky Blair’s cutback in the last chance of the half.

Hayes resumed sharply as Obi shot wide while Bath saw a lob from Hutchings’ route one clearance take the wind and sail over.

Two cynical bookings followed for Hayes – Dylan Switters tripping Blair and Buckley pulling back Antonio Diaz on the break – before Brookes’ peachy first-time cross allowed Bath to get across his man and head wide from 12 yards.

Hayes responded when Donnelly blazed over unmarked from 12 yards after excellent work on the left by sub Omar Rowe.

Magpies’ boss Callum Brooks rolled the dice with a double substitution in the 71st minute, bringing off Diaz and Sangster for River Smith and Morris, but the hosts struggled to create chances as the rain intensified and Hayes slowed the game down.

Dorchester saw more and more of the ball in the final 10 minutes as Hayes appeared content to protect their lead and the Magpies blew cold in front of goal.

Despite winning a corner in injury-time, referee Craig Scriven blew for a foul as Dorchester’s frustrations grew.

A 94th-minute leveller almost came from an unlikely source when Callum Rose’s blistering strike was superbly tipped over by Childs, but Blair skied a header from the corner in the last action of an entertaining game as the hosts remained in 20th place.

Magpies: Hutchings, Brookes (Jo Williams 79), Sa, Strugnell, Rose, Diaz (Morris 71), B Lowes, Bath, Davis, Sangster (Smith 71), Blair. Subs not used: O Lowes, Murphy.

Hayes: Childs, Mason (Donnellan 72), Little, Cook, Gough, Robinson (Ja Williams 79), Donnelly, Switters, Clark, Obi (Rowe 60), Buckley. Subs not used: Della-Verde, Piorkowski.

Referee: Craig Scriven

Attendance: 276

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