Wimborne Town 0-1 Dorchester Town: Olaf Koszela scores winner

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Koszela 37

OLAF Koszela scored a potentially crucial winner for Dorchester Town in a 1-0 victory over bottom side Wimborne Town at New Cuthbury.

Koszela’s neat curled finish in the 37th minute handed the Magpies three points to widen the gap between themselves and the Pitching In Southern League Premier South bottom three.

That was after Kings Langley drew 0-0 with Gosport, leaving Lango with four games to overhaul the three-point gap to the Magpies.

Wimborne are all but mathematically relegated after the defeat.

Before the must-win game, Dorchester boss Glenn Howes made three changes to the side that began the 1-0 loss to Met Police last time out.

READ MORE: Wimborne Town 0-1 Dorchester Town - how it happened

George Calverley missed out completely, while Louie Slough and Charlie Gunson dropped to the bench.

In came Tiago Sa and captain Callum Buckley, while Harry McGrath also got the nod over Charlie Gunson, who left Wimborne to join Dorchester midway through the season.

On the bench, Bournemouth loanee midfielder Jack Wadham was the only player to keep his place from last week.

Yemi Odubade and Tom Soares returned after their partners gave birth recently, joining the dropped Slough and Gunson in the dugout.

Dorchester, looking to back up November’s 3-0 win over Wimborne, made a strong start with balls over the top into the channel proving fruitful over the course of the half.

Oakley Hanger made the first such run but his cross came to nothing when Tom Purrington was closed down.

Oakley Hanger, left, was a constant threat on the right for Dorchester Picture: DAVID PARTRIDGE

With puffs of sand blowing up every time the ball bounced, Louis Kellaway tested Jack Bycroft with a dipping shot on five minutes before Dorchester saw two corners well defended by the hosts.

Dorchester attacked again in the 12th minute and Koszela had the ball in the back of the net with a deft lob, only to be flagged offside.

Wimborne then created their first big chance when Connal Morrison’s cross was headed back by Aaron Roberts to Lewis Beale, who headed well over.

Harry Morgan also nodded over for the hosts, before two teasing Dorchester crosses were well defended at the other end.

Dorchester had their first shot at goal on 22 minutes, only for Alfie Stanley to slice well wide from 25 yards.

Morgan shanked an identical shot off target before a huge Dorchester chance went begging.

Again, a cross caused the damage as Benfield got nowhere near an attempted punch and Hanger’s looping header was somehow poked over by Stanley from six yards with an open goal to aim at.

Alfie Stanley missed an open goal in the first half Picture: DAVID PARTRIDGE

Dorchester then survived an indirect free-kick given when Bycroft picked up an Ashley Wells backpass, Dan Bartlett lashing a shot into the near-post side-netting.

Wimborne were on top at this stage as Buckley hooked clear a low cross and Jez Bedford faded a 25-yarder wide.

But Dorchester would respond with the opener as Purrington’s ball over the top connected with McGrath.

The striker looked to have fluffed the chance by standing on the ball but Koszela was quickly at the scene to shuffle past his man and into the area where he curled a clinical finish into the far corner.

Dorchester celebrate after Koszela puts the Magpies 1-0 ahead Picture: DAVID PARTRIDGE

After the interval, Bartlett scuffed wide of the far post before Dorchester responded when Benfield palmed clear a stinger from Stanley, Billy Lowes then drilling wide from the resultant corner.

And Beale dragged an effort wide on the break before Dorchester really should have made it 2-0.

Bycroft’s excellent distribution arrowed a goal-kick between the Wimborne centre-halves and Stanley outpaced the defenders for a one-on-one chance.

However, he elected to flick the ball and Benfield stood tall to save with his left leg on 55 minutes.

Both sides rang the changes with Stanley and Purrington hooked for ex-Wimborne man Gunson and Odubade respectively.

Meanwhile, Wimborne brought off Owen Palmer and Bedford for ex-Dorchester full-back Jack Torniainen and Curtis Young.

Dorchester always carried a threat on the break through Koszela’s clever runs into the flanks as Wimborne chased the game in the final 10 minutes.

And one such chance came for the Magpies seven minutes from time as McGrath’s clearance from a corner set Odubade away.

The experienced striker checked back and found Koszela whose deflected effort grazed the base of the post, Gunson then steering wide from Hanger’s corner as chances came and went to seal the points.

And a reminder of their perilous lead came in the 89th minute when Bycroft got nowhere near a cross, presenting Young with a glorious chance.

Jack Bycroft kept a first clean sheet in Dorchester colours despite a late mistake Picture: DAVID PARTRIDGE

However, the Wimborne man completely skewed his effort from 12 yards with an open goal to aim at, much to Dorchester’s palpable relief.

Dorchester wound the clock down with Slough replacing Koszela and looked to take the ball into the corner at every opportunity.

But the Magpies were forced to defend a long throw in the sixth minute of added time, which they scrambled clear to invite the final whistle for a crucial victory.

Dorchester next host Hendon on Saturday (3pm).

Wimborne: Benfield, Morrison, Arnold, White, Morgan, Bartlett, Beale, Bedford (Young 71), Kellaway, Roberts, Palmer (Torniainen 57). Subs not used: Freak, Mitchell, Mason.

Magpies: Bycroft, Hanger, Sa, Wells, Buckley, Bertrand, McGrath, Purrington (Odubade 77), Koszela (Slough 90+4), Stanley (Gunson 66), Lowes. Subs not used: Wadham, Soares.

Referee: Sean Phillips

Attendance: 508