TIVERTON TOWN 0

DORCHESTER TOWN 2

Gwengwe 29, Daws 36

DORCHESTER Town closed to within four points of the Southern Premier South play-offs with a gritty 2-0 win at relegation-threatened Tiverton Town.

First-half goals from Shaq Gwengwe and Marcus Daws gave the Magpies a fifth straight win, extending to 12 games their incredible unbeaten run.

More importantly, with two matches to go, Merthyr’s 2-0 loss at Winchester means the Magpies are still mathematically in the promotion picture.

After promising not to give up easily his side’s remarkable lossless streak, boss Tom Killick made one change to the starting XI that began the 2-1 win over Hanwell at the weekend.

READ MORE: Tiverton Town 0-2 Dorchester Town - how it happened

Daws had proven his fitness and started ahead of Will Fletcher, who bagged the winner against the Toon.

The Magpies could only name four substitutes, as Fletcher was joined by Jonny Efedje and Harry Redknapp Jr.

Lewis Toms came back into the squad but there was no appearance for Luke Roberts or Lewis Waterfield, while Jack Dickson and Will Spetch remained suspended.

Daws was in the thick of the action from the off as he went close to making it 1-0 in the second minute, only to be denied by Tivvy keeper Zac Baker in a one-on-one.

With Dorchester again setting out for a classic away performance under Killick, proving difficult to break down and threatening on the break, the Magpies subdued the hosts.

Tiverton were in need of a victory in their battle to avoid the drop to Step 4, but passed up the most chances as Dorchester provided more cutting edge.

One example came in the 23rd minute as Yeovil loanee Ollie Haste was released into space on the left, before crossing for Olaf Koszela to drive just wide of Baker’s upright.

However, the Magpies, backed by a healthy travelling support, were deservedly ahead before the half-hour mark.

Gwengwe, their top scorer this season, attacked a Daws ball that the Tiverton defence failed to deal with and duly buried his 17th goal of the campaign with a blistering finish.

And Dorchester needed only another seven minutes to double their lead.

Daws collected a long ball and weaved his way past several limp challenges, jinking through on goal and rounding Baker before finding the vacant net to ignite the away fans again.

After Daws’ third goal since joining the Magpies, the visitors had little trouble in seeing the half out.

Dorchester came under increasing pressure in the second period as Tiverton inevitably chased a route back into the game.

Right-back Niall Thompson drove into the box only to lash wide, before ex-Magpies boss Leigh Robinson turned to his bench.

On came ex-Bath winger Alex Fletcher and Joe O’Connor for Alfie Moulden and Matt Britton, signalling two attacking changes.

Tiverton continued to probe away but Dorchester had a chance for 3-0 as Koszela drove a low ball through the six-yard box, just evading a teammate.

Dorchester removed both goalscorers for Efedje and Will Fletcher with 20 minutes to go, while Tiverton were incensed as a scrappy shot they believed to have beaten Jameson Horlick and gone over the line was not given.

Amid the Tiverton attacks, Killick moved to shore up his defence as Luke Pardoe came off for Bournemouth loanee centre-back Redknapp Jr.

Dorchester had four minutes of added time to see out and, in keeping with previous games, their defence rose to the task to preserve their second clean sheet in four matches.

The Magpies, who stay ninth, travel to Basingstoke Town on Saturday (3pm) for their final away day of the 2023/24 season.

Tiverton: Baker, Thompson, D Jones, J Jones, Richards, Britton (O’Connor 57), Moulden (A Fletcher 57), Garside, Parker, Wright, Rice. Subs not used: Veale, Gerring, Collings.

Magpies: Horlick, Eccott-Young, Haste, Turner, Ngalo, James, Daws (Efedje 71), Moore, Gwengwe (W Fletcher 71), Koszela, Pardoe (Redknapp Jr 77). Sub not used: Toms.

Referee: Mark King.

Attendance: 271.