DORCHESTER TOWN 1

Stokoe 2 og

WIMBORNE TOWN 0

DORCHESTER Town manager Leigh Robinson collected his first points at the helm with a much-needed 1-0 BetVictor Southern Premier South victory over Wimborne at the Clayson Stadium.

Robinson’s men took a second-minute lead after James Stokoe volleyed into his own net from Neil Martin's free-kick.

Joe Byrne nearly made it two own goals, Tom Blair's cross hitting the post via his knee, before away keeper Cameron Plain denied Blair with a stunning stop on the line in the dying stages.

Dorchester made three changes from Tuesday's 4-2 Dorset Senior Cup final defeat to Weymouth.

Out went midfielders Ben Rowthorn and James Nicholas along with striker Eder Batista.

The trio was replaced by centre-back Nathan Walker, forward Jordan Rogers and midfielder Ollie Griggs, who made his first Dorchester start for over a year since rejoining the club in late February.

Dorchester, who lost the reverse fixture 2-1 at Cuthbury, took a 10th-minute lead in that contest through Blair and repeated their trick of striking early.

A seemingly innocuous free-kick from Martin caught the wind and looked to be drifting harmlessly to Wimborne keeper Plain.

That was until striker Stokoe cushioned a volley into the bottom-right corner when under no pressure whatsoever, recording an own goal after 92 seconds.

Stokoe’s afternoon took another bizarre twist as he was asked to change shirts to his allotted number nine – Wimborne having begun with two number sevens, the other Antonio Diaz, on the pitch.

Wimborne needed another 10 minutes to settle and, when they did, conjured two good chances.

First, Harvey-Joe Bertrand flicked a header over before Stefan Penny drilled a near-post shot at Magpies’ goalkeeper Shane Murphy.

Bertrand’s defensive colleague Byrne was lucky to see yellow for a flashing, late tackle on Blair, the latter then volleying over after Rogers saw his shot from a Griggs cross blocked.

Wimborne’s Luke Burbidge provided most of the visitors’ attacking impetus and his slaloming run left one defender on his backside before forcing Murphy into a sharp save.

Rogers then mugged Diaz of possession and fired at Plain before the forward was guilty of selfish play, wasting a potential chance on the overlap to blast a speculative 25-yarder well over.

In stoppage-time, Blair then created an opening with a low cross, Byrne lucky to see the ball deflect off his knee and against the post before the break.

Burbidge carved Dorchester’s defence open in the first minute of the second period but Curtis Young’s poor first touch took him wide and his lashed low cross sped wide.

Wimborne introduced Sam Bayston and Aiden Shepherd for Penny and Stokoe respectively but Dorchester improved after deft work from Blair.

The winger’s backheel set Sean Wright into space on the left and the duo exchanged passes, Blair winning a corner which ultimately came to nothing before Tiago Sa volleyed at Plain moments later.

Griggs, who enjoyed a superb game playing across the midfield, then robbed Carl Pettefer and found Blair who twisted back to supply Rogers for a wasteful hoist over the bar.

Griggs was replaced by Rowthorn as Wimborne pressed for a leveller, Diaz’s low cross cut out by Bath for a Burbidge corner that Sam Poole headed straight at Murphy.

Moments after Bath sliced a good chance over, Blair was denied by a heroic save from Plain.

Rogers was played through and did everything correctly, shimmying and delaying until squaring for Blair who, with an open goal to aim at, planted a finish back across goal, allowing Plain to anchor a firm hand to keep the ball out on the line.

Wimborne lacked a cutting edge in injury-time as Dorchester suppressed their nerves to hold on for a first win in 19 league games.

Magpies: Murphy, Torniainen, Sa, Martin, Walker, Clarke, Griggs (Rowthorn 76), Wright, Bath (Laird 90+2), Rogers, Blair.

Subs not used: Ngoy, Rose, Edgar

Wimborne: Plain, Greenwood, Byrne, Bertrand, Poole, Pettefer (Smith 90+1), Diaz, Penny (Bayston 54), Stokoe (Shepherd 61), Burbidge, Young.

Referee: Iain Parsons

Attendance: 406

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