DORCHESTER TOWN 3

EASTLEIGH 0

DORCHESTER Town signed off their pre-season campaign with a 3-0 win over a youthful Eastleigh at the Avenue Stadium.

The Magpies were spared the full brunt of Eastleigh’s senior team, who last season finished ninth in the National League.

They duly took advantage by scoring all three goals in the first half, Jordan Ngalo grabbing his second in two games with a rapid strike to open their account.

Eastleigh keeper and ex-Weymouth recruit Tommy Scott’s error then led to Dorchester’s second, Trialist B scoring from an acute angle.

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And Leighton Thomas headed another goal in his fine pre-season, converting Trialist C’s cross in the 38th minute.

Ngalo also hit the post before the break as Dorchester were good value for their win, closing out only their second clean sheet of pre-season.

Coming off the back of a 2-1 loss to Wimborne and boss Glenn Howes publicly questioning his side’s fitness, Dorchester gave the perfect response in an energetic first half.

Thomas lashed over an early chance but Magpies’ fans would not have long to wait for the opening goal as Ngalo struck in the 20th minute.

The quality of his goal was in keeping with his effort against Wimborne, rifling into the bottom corner with too much power for Scott to get close.

Trialist B fired wide a separate chance but made amends in the 29th minute when he pickpocketed Scott and squeezed the ball home from a narrow angle for 2-0.

Two players were then involved in the build-up for Dorchester’s third goal.

Ngalo and Trialist C combined in its creation, the latter pinging in a cross for Thomas to attack at the near post and his header beat Scott for the Magpies’ third goal in 18 minutes.

Ngalo, who has looked lively this summer, then fended off two Eastleigh defenders before the post robbed him of a second goal.

He made way at the break for teenager Lewis Toms and Dorchester continued to switch personnel.

Eastleigh’s own Trialist B fizzed a low shot at keeper Lloyd Thomas in a rare bright moment for the Spitfires, who were later denied a penalty when striker Lyle Simpson, a Dorchester loanee last season, appeared to be tripped.

The two Eastleigh highlights came prior to Leighton Thomas blasting wide at the other end as Dorchester sniffed a fourth.

Scott held a long-range shot by Trialist A but Dorchester could not add to their tally before the final whistle as they now wait 12 days before their first league game at Merthyr on Saturday, August 5.

Magpies: Ll Thomas, Bertrand, Slough (Sa 56), Wright (Trialist D 60), Ngalo (Toms 46), Buckley, Trialist A, Waterfield (Trialist E 62), Trialist B (Trialist F 66), Trialist C, Le Thomas. Subs not used: Trialist G, Foot.