DORCHESTER TOWN 3

Koszela 65, 87, Le Thomas 70

BASHLEY 1

Bullard 56

DORCHESTER Town opened their pre-season account with an entertaining 3-1 win over Bashley at the Avenue Stadium.

Bashley took the lead through Freddie Bullard but a second-half brace for Olaf Koszela, either side of a long-range Leighton Thomas strike, gave the Magpies a winning start to their summer.

Dorchester featured two midfield trialists and another in defence during the opening half, although it was Bashley who made the greater impression.

Marcelo Rossi blazed over before ex-Weymouth striker Brett Williams span into space in the box only to poke wide.

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Adam Grange nodded a third chance off target for Bash before Dorchester registered their first shot on target, their trialist left-back curling at keeper Ross Casey.

For all Bashley’s threat, Dorchester keeper Lloyd Thomas did not have a save to make while his side looked smart in midfield without offering any cutting edge up top.

Dorchester made six changes at the break as two trialists came on in addition to Jake Graziano, Alex Moyse, Lewis Toms and Leighton Thomas.

Harvey Bertrand, Louie Slough, Jordan Ngalo, Jamie Hosking and two trialists made way.

And the changes nearly did the trick as Gwengwe’s fierce close-range shot was smartly tipped away by Casey and the Bashley defence worked hard to make the block on Toms’ follow-up.

Those interventions were rewarded when Bashley took the lead in the 56th minute, Luke Delaney slipping through sub Bullard for a crisp first-time finish past Thomas.

In now torrential rain, Dorchester responded by rattling the post three minutes later, their trialist centre-back nodding a Graziano corner against the woodwork.

Koszela then came on for the last 30 minutes, despite nursing a sore ankle, and found the equaliser five minutes after coming on when his shot squirmed through the grasp of sub keeper Felix Bruce.

Dorchester took the lead on 70 minutes with another stroke of fortune, Leighton Thomas wrong-footing Bruce with a low 30-yarder for 2-1.

The Magpies continued to tinker with the line-up as Hosking replaced Gwengwe and took the captain’s armband, while Sam Duncalf replaced Lloyd Thomas in goal.

Dorchester wrapped up the victory in the 87th minute when Koszela fired a sweet volley home from 18 yards after Bashley failed to clear from a Hosking through ball.

Overall, Bashley can be pleased with their night’s work but Dorchester’s extra quality off the bench proved decisive.

Magpies: Ll Thomas (Duncalf 68), Bertrand (Graziano 46), Trialist A (Trialist D 46), Foot, Slough (Toms 46), Sa, Trialist B (Trialist E 46), Ngalo (Moyse 46), Hosking (Le Thomas 46), Gwengwe (Hosking 76), Trialist C (Koszela 60).