DORCHESTER TOWN 5

Bayston 7, 45, Walker 49, Davidson 54, Davis 84 og

CHRISTCHURCH 0

DORCHESTER Town earned their first victory in pre-season with a comprehensive 5-0 win over Christchurch at the Avenue Stadium.

Sam Bayston’s brace put the Magpies in control at the break before a wonderful move was finished with aplomb by Dylan Walker for 3-0.

Sam Davidson added a fourth with his first Dorchester goal before former Magpies midfielder Ollie Davis diverted a George Calverley cross into his own net.

Dorchester will be pleased with the result against opponents who knocked them out of the FA Cup last season.

However, at times the crisp passing and movement manager Robbie Herrera is craving went missing – perhaps understandably so in sweltering conditions.

Warm temperatures were heightened by the Avenue’s 3G pitch, which acted like a cauldron, but that did not stop the Magpies opening the scoring in the seventh minute.

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New signing Christos Papakonstantinou robbed Christchurch of possession in their third, the winger left with the simple task of advancing and squaring for Bayston to score from 12 yards.

Dorchester’s good start continued when Tiago Sa drifted through the centre of the Priory’s defence only to shoot tamely at away keeper Suk.

In between two drinks breaks, Suk was called upon for a superb double save from Oakley Hanger, who first shot powerfully on the right edge of the box before seeing his follow-up denied from a tight angle.

Christchurch began to edge into the game by finding some attractive combinations in midfield but their only chance of note in the first half came when Sammy Chillman grazed a header well wide.

Instead it was another Dorchester press that yielded a second goal, Bayston mugging Charlie Martin on the byline before skipping into the six-yard box and slotting past Suk.

Bayston nearly repeated the trick for his hat-trick in first-half injury-time as he again caught Martin napping only to drag his shot wide of the far post with the goal at his mercy.

At half-time, Herrera replaced Hanger and Charlie Madden with Walker and Jack Lovell, with the changes taking less than four minutes to make an impact.

Dorchester sprung forward on the counter after clearing a Christchurch corner, Walker sweeping a lovely ball out to Papakonstantinou on the right.

The former Bournemouth man ran at the backpeddling away defence before crossing for Walker, whose first touch was immaculate, allowing him to lash high into the roof of the net for 3-0.

Shortly after Papakonstantinou came off for Joel Hewitt, the Magpies had four when Sa’s corner was bundled home by a stooping Davidson two yards out.

Billy Lowes also rattled the post in the 58th minute as Dorchester threatened a fifth before the introduction of young defenders Connor Callow, Josh Phillips, keeper Tyler Coombes and Calverley.

Harry Hodges, keeper Alan Walker-Harris skipper Ashley Wells and Davidson were the men to make way.

To their credit, Christchurch never gave up and really should have scored when Davis rocketed an effort off the bar following an under-hit clearance from Callow.

Davis tried to catch Coombes off his line with a wayward chip before Dorchester sub Ben Symes scuffed a good chance 12 yards out.

Dorchester kept pressing, aided by the enthusiasm and ability of six youth players on the pitch.

One of whom, Calverley, supplied the cross for the fifth goal as Davis’ clumsy attempt to clear resulted in an own goal.

Late on, Davis was unlucky not to score a consolation with a dipping free-kick that brought a fabulous save from Coombes who preserved the Magpies’ clean sheet.

Dorchester next host Toolstation Western League Premier Division side Buckland Athletic on Saturday (3pm).

Magpies: Walker-Harris (Coombes 60), Hanger (Lovell 46), Sa, Wells (Phillips 60), Davidson (Callow 60), Madden (Walker 46), Hodges (Calverley 60), Purrington (Fowles 74), Lowes, Bayston (Symes 74), Papakonstantinou (Hewitt 51).

Christchurch: Suk (Pickup 46), Smith (Hiscock 21), Power, Gleeson, Martin (Spillane 68), Davis, Chillman, Batista (Nixon 55), O’Donalled (Hatch 68), Steer, Toland.

Referee: Nat Wormleighton