Jamie's glee for Magpies

DORCHESTER TOWN 1

A CLINICAL strike from Jamie Gleeson 12 minutes from time earned the Magpies their second successive victory at West Leigh Park and clinched the Blue Square South double over the Hampshire side.

This was also the third win on the trot away from home in all competitions following on from the 2-1 league success at Maidenhead and the midweek Dorset Senior Cup victory at Verwood.

Playing down the slope, the Hawks made a surprisngly sluggish start and it was Dorchester who carved out the first chance in the eighth minute when Ryan Moss picked out Steve Devlin on the left who cut inside before pulling his shot wide of the near post.

A free-kick from Phil Walsh was then flicked on by Moss but home stopper Aaron Howe was equal to it.

The tempo of the game increased in the 19th minute when the Hamp-shire side applied their first real pressure.

The Hawks forced a succession of corners and from the second, taken by Steve Walker, Hawks’ skipper Ian Simpemba produced a glancing header at the near post which was cleared off the line by Bowles.

The Magpies’ defender was then quickly called back in action to block a 25-yard free-kick from Walker.

As the Hawks piled on the pressure Magpies’ keeper Regan Coward was well placed to cut out a header from Manny Williams who had met a flick on from Simpemba.

Dorchester then broke out, with Andre McCollin’s quick turn and threaded pass, presenting Moss with a free run on goal but the Dorchester striker, who bagged a midweek hattrick in the Dorset Senior Cup, smashed his shot against the outside on the angle of upright and crossbar.

At the other end, Mustafa Tiryaki’s cross was met by Williams whose effort was cut out by the alert Coward.

Simpemba was denied by a fine double stop from Coward who first saved with his feet then turned quickly to smother the ball.

Shaun Gale’s side kept up their momentum and a 34th minute cross from Nightingale was met by Williams whose fierce shot rebounded off a post back to Walker who effort was clawed to safety off the outside of the post by Coward.

Following the resultant corner, Gary Macdonald fired over.

There was a then a delay following a clash of heads between Ian Selley and Simpemba with the ex-Gunner forced to leave the field having sustained a serious cut.

However, substitute Ollie Barnes settled in quickly to give one of his best performances for the county town side.

After the break, Dorchester had much more of the play but the early chances were created by the home side.

Gleeson nipped in to turn a shot from Robbie Martin around a post while Coward was again well positioned to gather shots from Tiryaki and Walker.

Hawks’ defender Sam Pearce was a tad unfortunate to receive a caution when it was team-mate Walker who upended the industrious Mark Jermyn.

The resultant free-kick from Barnes was blocked while Jermyn’s ball back in aimed at Moss was hacked clear.

Devlin then found Moss whose cross was met by McCollin who made space for himself but his eventual shot deflected straight to Howe.

Jermyn and McCollin then combined to set up a chance for Devlin whose header across goal was cleared, while Bowles set up Moss but his shot deflected away for a corner.

Former Magpie Ivan Forbes had been introduced with the disapproval of the travelling fans in the 58th minute and just after, he broke through with Jake Newton in support to set up Walker whose shot was diverted for a corner. A foul on McCollin then resulted in a Bowles free-kick which was met by the head of Vickers whose effort from six yards was shepherded to safety. A 25-yard piledriver from Jermyn was blocked on the 18-yard line, while a superb sliding tackle from Vickers at the other end prevented another former Magpie, substitute Wes Fogden, skipping clear.

Nightingale then hammered a 25- yard effort just wide before the pivotal moment of the match arrived.

The referee mistakenly awarded the Hawks a throw-in but the home side then quickly lost possession to Gleeson who worked himself into space before drilling an inch-perfect low drive into the far corner from 25 yards.

As the Hawks tried to restore parity, Fogden had a penalty appeal waved aside when he went sprawling in the presence of Bowles, Martin steered a Forbes header away from goal and, deep in stoppage time, Coward saved a last-ditch shot from Newton.

The Hawks ended with a third ex-Magpie on the pitch in the shape of Steve Hutchings but the current Dorchester players held on to claim three valuable points.