Sunk by Saints

DORCHESTER TOWN 0

DESPITE showing signs of improvement, Dorchester Town failed to remedy their away-day blues at St Albans City tonight.

The Magpies, who have now lost seven of their last eight Blue Square South fixtures on the road, went down at Clarence Park to goals in each half from Paul Hakim and substitute Gary Cohen.

And to make matters worse, the visitors had Ronayne Marsh-Brown somewhat harshly dismissed with 10 minutes left on the clock.

Roy O'Brien made two changes from Saturday's poor show at home to Maidenhead United, bringing Gary Bowles and Jake Smeeton in for Tom Mitchell and himself.

St Albans started the brighter of the two sides and Dorchester keeper Gareth Stewart was forced into action as early as the second minute, diving low to his right to hold on to James Fisher's effort from the edge of the penalty area.

Then, a scramble in the Magpies' box bounced off the knee of Solomon Shields but straight into the hands of Stewart.

And the building pressure finally paid dividends for the hosts in the 13th minute when Simon Martin's cross was tapped home from six yards by the unmarked Hakim. Dorchester's appeals for offside fell on deaf ears.

The visitors eventually began to build some momentum and only a goal-line clearance prevented them finding a leveller with their first meaningful attack.

Mark Jermyn burst into the opposing area before being brought down by Saints' stopper Lee Butcher. The loose ball rolled to Phil Walsh but his effort was hacked away by skipper Ben Martin.

Simon Martin saw a 20-yard drive well held before Marsh-Brown crossed for Walsh and his weak attempt was parried by Butcher.

The ball ran out towards the penalty spot where Jermyn fired in a shot that Ben Martin once again cleared in front of his own goal.

Just past the half-hour, a Marsh-Brown free-kick appeared to strike a hand in the home side's penalty area but the referee didn't see it and St Albans broke immediately, almost extending their advantage via Hakim's angled effort.

Nick Crittenden twice forced Butcher into action before setting up Walsh who again produced a rather tame effort which proved easy work for the home keeper.

At the other end Hakim got the better of Smeeton but not Stewart and a Jonathan Hunt free-kick was glanced wide by Simon Martin.

In the final action of the half, Smeeton produced a superb tackle to prevent Simon Martin and keep the deficit at one.

The second half got off to a quiet opening with Hunt missing the only chance of the early exchanges.

Dorchester struggled to create any clear-cut opportunities, seeing most of their efforts go harmlessly wide or saved rather comfortably.

At 1-0 there was always a glimmer of hope for the Magpies, but any remaining hope quickly evaporated 16 minutes from time when Cohen, who had only been brought on two minutes earlier, grabbed the home side's second.

Ashley Vickers did well to clear Hakim's dangerous cross for a corner, but the subsequent delivery evaded Stewart and got caught between the legs of Smeeton right on the goal-line.

The ball became loose and Cohen managed to bundle it home.

Six minutes later, Dorchester's task became even greater as Marsh-Brown fouled Shields in the centre circle and saw red. The county town man's challenge came from behind but the decision to send him off was rather harsh nevertheless.

Despite tasting defeat, the Magpies' six-point cushion over third from bottom Thurrock remains intact after they lost 2-1 at home to Team Bath.

St Albans: Butcher, Fisher, Bailey, Shields, Cousins, B Martin, Sulaiman, Quilter (Frater 68), S Martin (Cohen 72), Hakim, Hunt (Mackie 75). Subs not used: Effiong, Everitt.

Dorchester: Stewart, Bowles, Smeeton, Gleeson, Vickers, Hill, Crittenden, Jermyn, Erskine (Nicholson 85), Walsh, Marsh-Brown. Subs not used: Watts, Mitchell, Reeve, Coward.