DORCHESTER SPORTS 4

SWANAGE TOWN & HERSTON 3

A THRILLING six-goal second half produced a winning strike for Dorchester Sports with the last kick of their Dorset Premier League clash with Swanage Town & Herston at the Clayson Stadium.

Sports, who enjoyed large spells of possession, had to wait until the 35th minute to score as Darren Watts cut in from the left to curl a shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

The Swans’ only real chance of the half came in the 45th minute when Tommy Beard went one-on-one only to be denied by Alex Gould’s last-ditch tackle.

Swanage started the second half the brighter and were rewarded as first Beard bent an effort into the top corner from the edge of the box then a terrific direct free-kick from George Sparrow was placed into the top corner with goalkeeper Antony Frost well beaten.

Sports responded well and made a double substitution bringing on Ryan Ross and Jamie West to add more fire power.

Alex Stafie saw a shot well saved from close range and sent a header agonisingly wide. However, the Romanian then took a quick throw into the feet of West and he was bundled over in the box.

Up stepped Ross to convert the penalty for 2-2 on 70 minutes, but the Swans went again and Beard hit the post before a last-gasp tackle stopped Swans from close range.

However, Swanage grabbed the lead on 82 minutes when striker Paul Best beat Frost for 3-2.

Sports dramatically drew level in the 86th minute as Frost’s long ball down the pitch found the head of Stafie who flicked on to West to loop his shot over the visiting keeper.

Both teams looked for the win and Sports delivered the killer blow in the 93rd minute as Gareth Will’s pass put Ross clean through and the forward made no mistake to seal a vital three points for Sports in a pulsating, end-to-end game.

Speaking to Echosport, home boss Ashley James said: “It was vital we got the three points. I thought we were pretty comfortable first half and didn’t look in any real danger.

“Then we switched off for a couple of key moments and found ourselves 2-1 down. We made the double substitution and Jamie West and Ryan Ross were fantastic, they completely changed the game back in our favour.

“When you’ve got those two coming off the bench you’ve always got a chance. The goals were fantastic and in the end it was a dramatic win.”

Sports: Frost, Critchell, A Gould, W Gould (Bagg 75), Hill, G Will, Samways, Watts, Wash (Ross 60), Quinton (West 60), Stafie.

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