METROPOLITAN POLICE 2

Ferdinand 58, Hippolyte 59

DORCHESTER TOWN 0

TWO long-range goals in two minutes sent Dorchester Town to a 2-0 loss as in-form Met Police continued their excellent Pitching In Southern League Premier South run.

Dorchester changed their system to combat the top-four Blues and held their hosts to a goalless first half at Imber Court.

However, Liam Ferdinand – a target of the Magpies in the summer – unleashed a scorcher from 35 yards to make it 1-0.

That was followed two minutes later by Jonathan Hippolyte’s goal from distance, leaving Dorchester with an unsurmountable deficit.

Dorchester had come into the game having taken seven points from a possible nine against the teams currently in the bottom three – Merthyr, Kings Langley and Wimborne.

READ MORE: Metropolitan Police 2-0 Dorchester Town - how it happened

With mission accomplished on that front, the task for the Magpies was to claim points against a title-contending side.

And Glenn Howes’ men put themselves in a good position to do so after a competitive first half.

Dorchester dispensed with four at the back and went with wing-backs, Flavio Tavares coming in to the side at an alien position of right wing-back as cover for Oakley Hanger, who was nursing a knee issue.

But Met Police nearly made the breakthrough in the first minute as Ferdinand brought a good save from Gerard Benfield.

Dorchester responded with what proved to be their best moment of the match, Kieran Roberts latching on to a long ball only to be denied by Liam Beach, who tipped his effort round the post.

Sam Davidson, another change from Tuesday’s 3-0 win over Wimborne, was booked for a mis-timed tackle before Ferdinand forced Benfield into another save, this time more comfortable than his first.

Callum Buckley, who pre-match extended his loan from Hayes & Yeading by a further month, made a crucial block before the Met’s Louis Birch was carded in a clash of heads with new signing Charlie Gunson, who made his debut after signing from Wimborne.

A luke warm first half gave way to the scorcher that Ferdinand produced on 58 minutes, the striker’s turn and shot from 35 yards giving Benfield no chance.

Just a minute later Dorchester were 2-0 behind as Hippolyte also scored from long range, albeit in less spectacular fashion than Ferdinand.

Faced with the task of scoring twice against a side who have now conceded just seven league goals in 14 games, Dorchester understandably found the going hard.

However, their best move of the half conjured a chance for Alfie Stanley to fire narrowly off target following good work by sub Tom Soares and Tavares.

But Dorchester could not pull a result out of the fire as their three-game unbeaten streak came to an end.

Dorchester now sit 18th while Met Police consolidate fourth place after a fourth-consecutive league win.

Met Police: Beach, Titov, Fisher, Robinson, Tanner, Birch (Keeya 82), Knight, Allen, Ferdinand, Robertson (Johnson 67), Hippolyte (Alves 73). Subs not used: Abubakar, Vincent.

Magpies: Benfield, Tavares, Sa, da Silva, Davidson, Buckley, Purrington, Gunson (Soares 69), Roberts, Stanley (Stedman 78), Lowes. Subs not used: Bayston, Papakonstantinou.

Referee: R Dix

Attendance: 177