SALISBURY 0

DORCHESTER TOWN 1

Stanley 48

DORCHESTER Town secured safety in the Pitching In Southern League Premier South thanks to a deserved 1-0 win at Salisbury.

Alfie Stanley's expertly-taken goal proved enough after Yate beat Kings Langley 3-1, although there was a late scare for Dorchester when sub Sam Ashton hit the bar from 30 yards out.

However, the Magpies were good value for their third consecutive win, matching the efforts of March 2019 when Merthyr, Walton Casuals and Basingstoke were all beaten successively.

Dorchester were completely unchanged from the line-up that began the 3-0 win over Hendon last time out.

READ MORE: Salisbury 0-1 Magpies - how it happened

Salisbury showed three changes from the goalless draw at Harrow last time out.

Pat O'Flaherty, and former Weymouth players Jordan Rose (hamstring) and Josh Wakefield missed out.

Marcus Beauchamp, Charlie Kennedy and Sam Heal were the players to come in, before the latter was replaced by ex-Dorchester striker Devon Arnold following an injury in the warm-up.

Salisbury have a number of connections to Dorset, with boss Steve Claridge a former Weymouth player and manager.

They also fielded former Dorchester players Charlie Davis and Antonio Diaz, while Calvin Brooks came through the Magpies’ youth system.

Ex-Weymouth winger Abdulai Baggie also played, with Davis and Diaz having represented the Terras also.

Dorchester named former Salisbury man Yemi Odubade on the bench, the striker having joined the Magpies after departing the Ray Mac earlier this year.

And it was Odubade’s new side that made greater inroads early on, Charlie Kennedy conceding a corner that Sa swung into the gloves of Marcus Beauchamp.

But Salisbury had what proved to be their best chance of the match on nine minutes, Baggie threading the needle for the supporting Diaz to poke a shot at Magpies’ keeper Jack Bycroft.

Dorchester tried to respond, only for their final ball to let them down, Oakley Hanger’s free-kick too deep for Harry McGrath and the latter’s low crossfield ball just evading Olaf Koszela on the break.

McGrath was venting his frustrating at a number of soft fouls given against him but Salisbury carried the greater intrusion into the final third as Baggie blazed out of the ground.

The sides traded more wayward shots as Hanger pulled a 25-yard effort wide and Arnold hoisted a shot out of the ground.

Arnold was causing Sa problems on the right with his pace and a deep run close to the byline nearly produced a goal, the forward’s floated effort narrowly clearing the woodwork.

Dorchester were restricted to long-range efforts as Ash Wells and top scorer Stanley both failed to find the target, before Harvey Bertrand found the back of the net long after whistle went for a foul on Charlie Kennedy.

It took until the 43rd minute for Dorchester to have their first shot on target when Wells sidefooted a tame 20-yard attempt at Beauchamp after being given far too much time to surge forward.

However, Dorchester got a massively important breakthrough three minutes into the second half thanks to the good work of Tom Purrington.

The former Plymouth man evaded numerous tackles and skirted into the area where he was eventually stopped by Sam Roberts.

However, the ball rolled perfectly for Stanley to guide a clinical finish into the far corner, sending the vocal travelling support into raptures.

Salisbury nearly responded with an own goal as captain Callum Buckley diverted a Brooks cross into the hands of Bycroft at the near post.

Dorchester then turned to the experience of ex-Crystal Palace midfielder Tom Soares on 52 minutes, replacing a disgruntled Wells who questioned the decision to sub him.

Lengthy treatment was then given to Brooks for an apparent serious knee injury, causing Claridge and staff to stretcher him off to warm applause with 20 minutes to go.

Dorchester looked the livelier side in the closing stages as Salisbury appeared to suffer for their efforts on a warm afternoon.

Instead, it was Dorchester who made a second change 10 minutes from time with centre-back Louie Slough replacing Sa and filling in at left-back.

McGrath then wasted a golden chance for 2-0 after more good work from Purrington, blazing over when unmarked 12 yards out.

With Yate concurrently beating Kings Langley, Dorchester were given a reminder of their precarious lead when sub Sam Ashton’s dipping, curling shot clattered the bar.

Stanley then got his feet in a tangle at the other end from Hanger’s free-kick, preceding eight minutes of added time.

Dorchester looked to hold the ball up in the corners against a tired Salisbury, but the Magpies survived a minor scare when Bycroft grabbed a Baggie flick at the second attempt.

Space then opened up for Koszela in the 97th minute, only for the Torquay loanee to spear his shot into the stand.

But it mattered little as Dorchester successfully wound the clock down to record their fourth win in six games and achieve safety in style.

Salisbury: Beauchamp, Arnold, Brooks (Ashton 70), Knowles, Roberts, Kennedy, Baggie, Mullings, Fitchett, Davis, Diaz. Subs not used: O'Flaherty, Till.

Magpies: Bycroft, Hanger, Sa (Slough 80), Wells (Soares 52), Bertrand, Buckley, Koszela, Purrington (Gunson 90+3), McGrath, Stanley, Lowes. Subs not used: Wadham, Odubade.

Referee: Sam Read

Attendance: 514