DORCHESTER TOWN 6

Baghdadi 37, 58, 64, 75, Lowes 51, Jerrard 90+3

ST IVES TOWN 0

A RUTHLESS Mo Baghdadi hit four goals as Dorchester trounced St Ives 6-0 in their Evo-Stik Southern Premier Division clash at the Avenue Stadium.

Baghdadi opened the scoring with a wonderful curling finish on 37 minutes before adding three simple second-half efforts, adding to strikes by Billy Lowes and David Jerrard.

Dorchester made two changes to the side that began the 4-1 loss to Hitchin Town last Saturday, with Luke Winsper and Ed Bastick starting in place of Sam Lanahan, who dropped to the bench, and Dom Panesar-Dower, who was omitted from the matchday squad completely with illness.

It was a first start for Winsper since his return to fitness from a knee injury, having been an unused substitute against the Canaries last week.

The Magpies could only name four subs, with Jerrard, Tom Blair and Jason Brookes joining Lanahan in the dugout.

Both sides made a slow start to the game but the hosts did stir themselves into motion quicker than the Saints, largely through the presence of Antonio Diaz.

Moments after pulling a speculative 25-yard effort well wide of Tim Trebes’ goal, the winger drew a magnificent flying fingertip save from the opposition stopper, whose touch deflected the ball onto his left-hand post.

Following a brief drop-off in both chances and quality, Dorchester dominated possession and were easily able to deal with the long balls that St Ives chipped over the top on the counter.

Phil Draycott did test Chris Weale with a dipping cross from the left but that was as threatening as the visitors ever got in the first half.

Ormrod then hit the post from an offside position as Dorchester worked space from a corner routine, before the Magpies’ striker was denied on the goalline.

Ross Carmichael rose above Trebes to loop a header from Neil Martin’s free-kick, but Ormrod’s firm header was kept out by the ankles of a squatting Miles Smith.

But eight minutes before half-time Dorchester took the lead when Ormrod’s excellent pass found Baghdadi, who cut inside and curled a quality left-footed effort into the far corner.

Bastick then narrowly volleyed over after Ormrod’s flick on, leaving Trebes motionless, but his dipping shot crept over the bar as the score remained 1-0 into half-time.

St Ives had been toothless during the opening 45 minutes, but there were few signs of the capitulation that was to follow.

They were repeatedly embarrassed on their left flank by the rampaging Kyle Egan, who went on a 60-yard run, bypassing the woeful Jarrold, before teeing up Lowes to slot home from 12 yards through the gloves of Trebes.

Moments later Egan stormed down the right again and his pull-back was stabbed wide by the advancing Bastick from six yards.

Dorchester should have had a third seconds later when Diaz’s curling left-footer was parried by Trebes to Ormrod, but the off-balance striker hooked his effort over the bar with the goal gaping.

Ormrod’s miss was never going to be costly with St Ives rapidly wilting and Baghdadi grabbed his second on 58 minutes when he cut inside after more good work from Egan, slotting past Trebes at his near post.

Six minutes later a ravenous Dorchester claimed their fourth, with Baghdadi completing his hat-trick.

St Ives failed to clear a corner from the left and, when Diaz’s shot was blocked, Baghdadi was perfectly placed to plant a firm finish home from 12 yards.

Dorchester eased off the gas slightly from there, but still had time to find a fifth with 75 minutes gone.

More abject defending from St Ives allowed Baghdadi to hit his fourth in an extraordinary display, as substitute Jerrard played the winger in on the right of the area, before the Bristol Rovers loanee slid home with his weaker right foot.

The Saints tried to muster a consolation but it was Dorchester who got the final goal with the last kick of the game, Baghdadi this time turning provider for Jerrard on the counter to fire home off the inside of the far post.

Dorchester’s win was also their first clean sheet since boss Steve Thompson’s first game in charge, breaking an 18-match stretch of failing to shut the opposition out.

Magpies: Weale, Egan, Martin, Rose, Carmichael, Winsper (Blair 73), Bastick (Lanahan 67), Lowes, Ormrod (Jerrard 65), Diaz, Baghdadi. Sub not used: Brookes

St Ives: Trebes, Smith, Jarrold (McGowan 58), Ferrell, Kelly, McGeorge (Clark 59), Baker, Libertucci, Watson (Rogers 78), Snaith, Draycott. Subs not used: Groves, Warner-Eley,

Referee: Iain Parsons (Salisbury)

Attendance: 360

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