BASINGSTOKE 2

Ferdinand, 49 Nwachuku, 90

Dorchester Town 0

Dorchester Town lost their first game of the new season away to Basingstoke on Saturday. 

The Southern League Premier outfit conceded goals at the beginning and end of the second half as Basingstoke made it three wins from three to sit top of the table.

Liam Ferdinand opened the scoring not long after the break for the home side whilst Nnamdi Nwachuku secured the three points in the 90th minute. 

The Magpies made two changes from the midweek draw with Tiverton as Shaquille Gwengwe returned to the starting line up after recovering from injury, and Matt Buse came in for his first league start.

Wayne Robinson and Wes Fodgen were the players to miss out with neither making the matchday squad.

Both sides created chances in the first half with Matt Buse first putting an effort over the bar for The Magpies before Noah Crisp saved from Paul Hodges strike.

Gwengwe had a half chance of his own but could not find the target with his shot.

Will Spetch made a fantastic last ditch tackle to deny George Reid a chance with Luke Pardoe then seeing an effort of his own saved by the Basingstoke keeper meaning the teams went into the break all square.

It would take Ferdinand just five minutes in the second period to find a way past Crisp as he rifled a shot into the top corner.

Gwengwe came close to finding an equaliser around an hour in, but the striker's shot came bouncing back off the post from a narrow angle. 

As the Magpies searched for a goal Luke Roberts and Harry Hutchinson replaced Pardoe and Buse and another attempt at goal was put wide by Dickson.

Tom Bragg made a good block to keep the Magpies within touching distance as the game entered the final ten minutes.

But with 90 minutes on the clock, it was Basingstoke who found the net again - dashing any hopes of salvaging a draw for the away side. 

Nwachuku found himself running through on goal and coolly slotted the ball home past Crisp.

Defeat means that Dorchester have now lost one and drawn two in their opening three games of the new season. 

It leaves the Magpies in 15th placed in the Southern League Premier table.

Next up for Tom Killick's side is Gloucester City who visit The Avenue on Saturday, August 24.