GOSPORT BOROUGH 2

Wooden 63, 89

DORCHESTER TOWN 2

Stanley 29, Douglas 33

DORCHESTER Town were pegged back to a 2-2 draw at Gosport Borough in a classic game of two halves at the AEI Stadium.

Both sides were looking to address runs of seven defeats in eight games in all competitions but it was Dorchester who started brightest.

Two goals in four minutes from Alfie Stanley and Kieran Douglas gave the dominant Magpies a 2-0 half-time lead.

However, Gosport turned the tables in the second half as two Dan Wooden headers, the second in the 89th minute, deprived Dorchester of a first away win since mid-August.

READ MORE: Gosport Borough 2-2 Dorchester Town - how it happened

Boss Glenn Howes opted for three changes to the side that began the 3-1 loss to Hayes & Yeading last time out.

Harry Lee was recalled by Exeter, meaning new goalkeeper signing Ryan Hall got his debut after signing on a one-month loan from Aldershot.

Harvey-Joe Bertrand returned from a one-game suspension and Stanley earned a start.

The other two players missing out were Matty Neale and Louie Slough, who dropped to the bench after recent knocks.

Dorchester's bench also contained Alex Moyse, Mike Lilley and Douglas, the latter fit enough to take his place in the dugout after a knee niggle.

Dorchester, coming up against a side many onlookers fancied for a promotion push this season, settled quickly to establish a foothold.

Keith Emmerson directed an effort wide before Charlie Gunson’s rapid shot was turned away for a corner by Pat O’Flaherty, Emmerson then glancing the corner wide.

Stanley then picked up the first of eight yellows in the game and Olaf Koszela travelled 50 yards in a stunning solo run to earn a corner which disappointingly came to nothing.

And Bertrand’s comeback lasted just 27 minutes after he jarred a knee in a heavy tackle, Howes crucially opting for Douglas as his replacement – the centre-half himself making a return from a knee knock.

Dorchester took no time to adjust as they opened the scoring in the 29th minute.

Koszela got his sand wedge out to find Stanley and the striker shot early to beat O’Flaherty for his fifth goal of the season.

Dorchester were firmly in control now as Tiago Sa thumped a rising drive over from 25 yards before the Magpies opened a 2-0 lead.

After winning a corner, the Magpies played it short and Gunson wobbled the crossbar with the rebound landing at the feet of Douglas who pounded a stunner home to double the visitors’ lead.

Gosport could only respond with Tommy Higgs’ skied effort while at the other end Rory Williams was on red alert to intercept a cross to Stanley with the goal gaping.

Gosport ended the half looking increasingly jittery but the hosts regrouped at the break and gradually retook the initiative.

They were rewarded in the 63rd minute when Wooden stooped to head home a spectacular cross from Williams.

Hall showed supreme reactions when Williams snuck a free-kick under the wall and Dorchester replied to Gosport’s pressure by changing Olly Balmer for Moyse.

Wooden and Emmerson traded wayward shots in the closing stages but the former came up with the goods two minutes from time to rescue Boro.

In a near replica of the first goal, Williams picked out Wooden with a cross and he buried a header past Hall to cruelly breach what had been a resilient Dorchester defence.

Both sides pushed for a winner late on and Moyse was booked for cynically halting a Gosport counter, sparking a fracas that also saw Jordan Ngalo and Harry Kavanagh cautioned.

However, both teams were forced to settle for a point in what can only be described as a fair result.

Gosport: O'Flaherty, Kavanagh, R Williams, Wylie, Woodford, Walsh-Smith, Busari, Rew, Baggie (K Williams 60), Wooden, Higgs (Tarbuck 46). Subs not used: Kaba, O'Mahony, Holgate.

Magpies: Hall, Bertrand (Douglas 27), Sa, Emmerson, Buckley, Foot, Ngalo, Gunson, Koszela, Stanley, Balmer (Moyse 70). Subs not used: Neale, Slough, Lilley.

Referee: Nicholas Metcalfe

Attendance: 747