Dorchester Town 1-2 Chesham United: Bradley Clayton scores brace

Madden 42

CHESHAM UNITED 2

Clayton 68 pen, 72

DORCHESTER Town’s current poor run of results continued at the Avenue Stadium as play off hopefuls, Chesham United came from behind to steal a 2-1 win and extend their unbeaten run to six matches.

The Magpies have now lost their past five league games and sit 19th in the table.

Dorchester boss Glenn Howes made three changes from last week's defeated starting line-up at Beaconsfield with Charlie Madden, Sam Bayston and Billy Lowes replacing Ashley Wells, Charlie Gunson and Joshua Bertie who were all named on the bench alongside Ashley Guppy and Billy Stedman.

The Magpies adopted a 4-5-1 formation and dominated the first half limiting the Generals to a few half chances.

READ MORE: Dorchester Town 1-2 Chesham United - how it happened

An early Jordan Gibbons centre was ably dealt with by Madden while central defensive colleague Tom Soares headed clear the resultant corner.

Alfie Stanley picked up a loose ball but produced a disappointing pass which did not reach lone striker, Olaf Koszela.

Dorchester were on top in the first half Picture: RYAN ASMAN

An Oakley Hanger cross was then headed clear by Mark Kirby but only to Stanley who produced the first attempt on goal for the Magpies although his snatched effort flew wide.

As Dorchester continued to press, a sliced clearance from Eoin Casey conceded a throw-in to Dorchester which was taken by Tiago Sa to find Lowes who returned the ball to Sa for the left back to pump over a cross which Sam Beasant in the Generals' goal opted to palm over his crossbar.

The Hanger corner that followed was cleared by Kylian Kouassi.

Another Sa centre was met by Stanley who flicked a header wide at the far post. Hanger then had a shot blocked before picking up the loose ball and surging past his marker only to stab the ball weakly at Beasant.

The Magpies were enjoying plenty of possession but lacked the killer touch underlined by the next attempt which was again dragged wide by Stanley. Koszela chased a long clearance but Casey won the duel to clear.

Shaquille Hippolyte-Patrick attempted to give some respite for Chesham but his penalty appeal did not impress referee Lewis Sandoe. Back came Dorchester and, after good work by Sa and Bayston, Koszela drove a low shot wide.

It was not until the half-hour mark that high-flying Chesham registered their first goal attempt with Rod Collins sending a shot on the turn over the bar from 20 yards.

Gibbons then let fly with a low drive which was saved by a diving Bycroft although the ball looked to be heading for a goal-kick.

The Magpies' keeper then had a lucky escape when his poor clearance fell straight to Hippolyte-Patrick whose attempt from 18 yards flew wide. A weak back heel from Stanley then gifted possession to Collins who could not take advantage producing a cross which sailed out of play.

The breakthrough came four minutes from the break and on the overall balance of first-half play, it was the Magpies who took a deserved lead.

A free-kick on the edge of the box was curled around the wall and inside the far post by Madden.

Charlie Madden scored his first goal of the season Picture: RYAN ASMAN

Another Dorchester free-kick was then unconvincingly dealt with by the visiting defence who were no doubt grateful for the half-time whistle.

Dorchester celebrate taking the lead Picture: RYAN ASMAN

Dorchester continued to press for a second goal after the break and when Koszela was tripped, Madden’s next free-kick was pushed round the far post by Beasant. But the visitors were still very much in the game and a left-wing corner from Hippolyte-Patrick was met by Kirby whose header was cleared off the line by Sa.

At the other end, Koszela chased another long ball but Beasant raced out to ensure that the ball crossed the line in a harmless place while Koszela seemed to stall when presented with another shooting chance enabling Kirby to block his eventual effort.

Dorchester suffered a blow when Sa was succumbed to an ankle injury and was helped off the pitch and replaced by Wells. An impressive run from Purrington was abruptly ended by Gibbons at the expense of a yellow card and a free-kick which Madden dispatched over the bar from 25 yards.

Chesham were still chasing the single-goal deficit when Bradley Clayton was introduced as a 65th- minute substitute and within the next six minutes he had scored twice to turn around the match and the destiny of the three points.

First an angled drive from Gibbons was pushed out by Bycroft who then reacted quickly to parry a follow up effort from Kouassi. The second rebound fell kindly for Gibbons who was adjudged to have been impeded by Bycroft who was shown a yellow card and conceded a penalty which was smashed home by Clayton.

Three minutes later, Clayton cut in from the left wing to unleash a deflected shot into almost the same spot to fire Chesham in front.

Stunned Dorchester could not find a way back despite having nearly 20 minutes to play plus five minutes of added time.

A long ball from Madden found Stanley who slipped his marker but his shot looped up kindly for Beasant who then saved another Stanley attempt.

Substitute Stedman looked lively but could not break through a determined Chesham rearguard and fired wide on one occasion when he did.

In stoppage-time it was Chesham who actually came closest to adding to their tally as Karl Oliyide surged through and looked very likely to score until Bycroft somehow pushed over his powerful drive.

As time ticked by, a late Stedman centre was then headed clear by Collins to deny Dorchester a point that their earlier efforts had probably deserved.

Magpies: Bycroft, Hanger, Sa (Wells 62), Soares, Madden, Buckley, Bayston (Stedman 81), Purrington, Koszela, Stanley, Lowes. Subs not used: Gunson, Bertie, Guppy.

Chesham: Beasant, Ferreira De Palva, Rolfe, Kirby, Casey, Collins, Thompson-Brissett (McGovern 84), Gibbons (Gallimore 90+3), Kouassi, Oliyide, Hippolytus-Patrick (Clayton 65). Subs not used: Joseph, Mfinda.

Referee: Lewis Sandoe

Attendance: 346