DORCHESTER TOWN 0

WINCHESTER CITY 4

Mlambo 25, T Wright 49, Balmer 61, Lynch 80

DORCHESTER Town were humbled 4-0 at home as Winchester City claimed a thoroughly deserved win at the Avenue Stadium.

Dorchester never got going and Winchester duly took the lead through Simba Mlambo’s finish from an acute angle.

Thomas Wright made it 2-0 early in the second half before Olly Balmer scored a delightful free-kick against his former employers.

Dorchester keeper Lloyd Thomas then fumbled a corner and Conor Lynch prodded home a fourth to sum up the Magpies’ under-par evening.

READ MORE: Dorchester Town 0-4 Winchester City - how it happened

Searching for a first win of the season, Magpies' boss Glenn Howes opted for just one change following the 2-2 draw with Harrow on Saturday.

In came Jordi Foot in place of Olaf Koszela, who dropped to the bench.

Koszela was joined in the dugout by Benjani Jr, Ieuan Turner, Jake Graziano and Jamie Hosking.

Callum Buckley (knee) missed out from the squad with injury in Dorchester's only bench change from the weekend.

With Dorchester on Saturday having played around an hour, including added time, with ten men, they could perhaps have been forgiven for a sluggish start.

However, when Thomas was called upon to make an early point-blank save from Mlambo, that lacklustre start began to manifest itself.

Dorchester were restricted to long-range efforts in the first half, Magpies’ skipper Jordan Ngalo scuffing wide from 30 yards.

Winchester carried a consistent threat with their more cohesive attacking play and a nice move from a throw-in allowed Max Smith to fire wide from 12 yards.

Winchester did take the lead in their next attack as Thomas pulled off a stunning stop to keep out Wright, only to see the ball loop to Mlambo at the back post for 1-0.

Dorchester responded when Leighton Thomas nodded at City goalkeeper Jasper Sheik from Jordan Barnett’s excellent free-kick.

That was to be Dorchester’s only effort on target before the break as Howes introduced Koszela for Lewis Waterfield on the wing.

Dorchester made a bright start to the second half as Foot darted in from the right and fired at Sheik, who had to make a low save with Foot’s effort destined to creep inside the near post.

The optimism generated by that chance quickly drifted away as Winchester doubled their lead seconds later.

Mlambo too easily stepped inside Alex Moyse and Wright peeled off his marker before controlling inside the area and rifling past Thomas for 2-0.

On the hour, it was three.

Balmer, well known to Dorchester fans for his set-piece ability, stepped up and struck a gorgeous free-kick home into the far corner from 20 yards out.

Howes reacted by bringing off Leighton Thomas for Benjani Jr, watched by father and former Manchester City and Portsmouth striker Benjani Mwaruwari.

His substitution came prior to a major melee, resulting in bookings for Ngalo and City’s Dan Jones.

Faced with a mountainous task to get back into the game, Ngalo blasted a powerful drive to work Sheik into a vital save.

From the resulting corner, Barnett’s back-post delivery was nodded across goal by Gwengwe and Koszela was primed to score only to slice his half-volley well wide.

Dorchester’s fate was sealed on 80 minutes, though.

Keeper Thomas was culpable, spilling a corner onto the boot of Conor Lynch, the City sub stabbing home from inside the six-yard box.

Lynch and Jones wasted late chances for a fifth goal as Dorchester limped to the final whistle, drawing an adverse reaction from a minority of supporters.

Dorchester travel to league favourites Walton & Hersham on Saturday (3pm).

Magpies: Ll Thomas, Foot, Sa, Slough, Ngalo, J Wright, Barnett, Moyse (Hosking 79), Le Thomas (Benjani Jr 62), Gwengwe, Waterfield (Koszela 46). Subs not used: Turner, Graziano.

Winchester: Sheik, Baughan, King (Brooks 55), Jones, Jamison, Nolan, Smith, Barron, T Wright (Lynch 70), Balmer (Hill 79), Mlambo. Subs not used: Waister, Rose.

Referee: Stuart Kyle.