DORCHESTER TOWN 0

METROPOLITAN POLICE 1

Ferdinand 45+3

A DEFLECTED header from Liam Ferdinand deep in first-half stoppage-time proved enough for the Metropolitan Police to beat Dorchester Town 1-0 at the Avenue Stadium.

In clinching three points, the Blues return to the top of the table while the Magpies remain fourth from bottom in Pitching In Southern League Premier South.

Dorchester boss Glenn Howes made two changes to his starting line-up with Louie Slough replacing the injured Callum Buckley to make a second Magpies debut and Tom Purrington promoted at the expense of Harry McGrath who dropped to the bench to sit alongside Tiago Sa who was returning from a long lay-off caused by an ankle injury. 

READ MORE: Dorchester Town 0-1 Met Police - how it happened

Jack Wadham, Ben Symes and Josh Baxter were also named as substitutes.

On Non-League Day, Dorchester were forced into a change before kick-off when it was decided that the dark blue of the visitors' kit provided too great a clash of colours. 

After a five-minute delay, Met Police kicked off against the Magpies who had changed into their all-yellow away kit.

Slough was quickly called into action to nod clear a first-minute inswinging free-kick from Oliver Knight. 

Play was interrupted after three minutes when Ashley Wells successfully prevented Sam De St Croix retrieving the ball but the combined momentum sent the visiting number eight crashing into the perimeter hoardings, receiving a nasty bang on the back of the head.

After a three-minute delay, the midfielder was helped off and returned five minutes later sporting a partial head bandage.

In the meantime, Dorchester had not made any headway against the 10 men although a centre from Harvey Bertrand aimed at Alfie Stanley was headed away for a corner which was taken short to George Calverley who at the second attempt produced a telling centre which was met by Slough whose header cleared the crossbar.

At the other end Ferdinand looped a header over, De St Croix headed harmlessly across goal, Rudy Allen forced a save from Jack Bycroft on 18 minutes and a clever backheel by Ferdinand from an Alex Fisher cross was well read by the Dorchester keeper at his near post.

Dorchester replied when a break culminated in a blocked shot from Olaf Koszela on the edge of the penalty area while a corner from Oakley Hanger was met by Purrington whose headed effort deflected onto the top of the net to win another corner which was played short and Stanley’s effort from the ensuing centre was blocked then cleared.

From Ferdinand’s pass, Herson Alves tried a spectacular overhead kick in the Dorchester six-yard box but got the angle wrong sending the ball harmlessly out of play. Again set up by Ferdinand, Richard Alfrane-Kesey blasted a good chance wide.

At the other end, Calverley seized upon a loose ball chance but could only steer his shot wide from 20 yards. 

David Titov charged forward for the men in blue and sent a dipping shot onto the roof of the Dorchester net.

A foul on Charlie Gunson by Alves presented the Dorchester midfielder with a free-kick chance and although on target, he could not find the power needed to beat Liam Beach in the visitors' goal.

A dangerous whipped-in cross from former Charlton Athletic striker, Alfrane-Kesey was well dealt with by Slough while Allen sent another effort wide and Hanger sent a first time shot over the bar for Dorchester from a Calverley centre. 

With the half-time whistle barely seconds away in the three minutes of added time, Met Police struck with the lively Afrane-Kesey surging to the goal line before dragging the ball back for Ferdinand to nod home via a deflection from six yards.

Sa replaced Calverley after the interval in the first of three changes for Dorchester. 

An early corner won by Purrington was dispatched by Hanger but Bertrand could not keep the ball in play beyond the far post. 

Koszela and Stanley combined to fashion a chance for the latter whose attempt lacked power, before a centre from Hanger was aimed at Koszela but the alert Beach punched clear. 

Bycroft showed great vision to despatch an inch perfect long ball into the path of Koszela but the Torquay loanee sent his left foot shot wide. Sa then sent the second of two successive corners into the goalmouth but the ball deflected wide off Koszela. 

The Magpies introduced McGrath for Stanley then Wadham for Purrington but still could not break down a determined Met Police defence. 

Wells picked up the only caution of the match for a foul on Knight while the free-kick from Bernard Tanner struck the Dorchester wall. 

Afrane-Kesey again set up Ferdinand whose low shot was smothered by Bycroft who then denied Afrane-Kesey at his near post. Bycroft pulled off an even more impressive save to push round a fierce near-post drive from Knight who had been set up by Ferdinand.

In four minutes of stoppage-time, Dorchester continued to press for an equaliser but were limited to a toe-poked effort from the heavily marked Billy Lowes which was easily gathered by Beach as the hosts were forced to settle for defeat.

Magpies: Bycroft, Hanger, Calverley (Sa 46), Wells, Slough, Bertrand, Purrington (Wadham 71), Gunson, Koszela, Stanley (McGrath 63). Subs not used: Symes, Baxter.

Met Police: Beach, Titov, Fisher, Robinson, Tanner, Allen, Knight, De St Croix (Frith 71), Alves (Mazzone 82), Ferdinand, Afrane-Kesey (Hippolyte 90). Sub not used: Mather.

Referee: Lewis Sandoe 

Attendance: 332