Dorchester Town 2-0 Kings Langley: Kieran Roberts and Tom Soares on target

Roberts 24, Soares 75 pen

KINGS LANGLEY 0

NEW Dorchester Town boss Glenn Howes, along with assistant James Wood, marked a return to the Avenue Stadium with a first win in charge of the Magpies, beating Kings Langley 1-0.

A 24th-minute first Magpies goal from Kieran Roberts, a coolly-converted second-half penalty from substitute Tom Soares and two superb saves from keeper Gerard Benfield ensured that the Magpies clinched all three points.

Before the match, the two captains laid poppy wreaths in the centre circle before Remembrance Weekend was marked by a bugler playing the Last Post followed by an impeccably observed minute's silence.

Howes made just one change to the starting line-up with Billy Lowes replacing Soares who was named on the bench.

Dorchester dominated early play with a first effort from Roberts deflecting wide and Alfie Stanley curling off target moments later.

READ MORE: Dorchester Town 2-0 Kings Langley - how it happened

Sam Bayston cleverly slipped the ball through his opponent before firing straight at visiting keeper Lee Axworthy while a cross from Oakley Hanger was cleared.

The lively Tom Purrington threaded through a pass aimed at Stanley but Axworthy just got there first. The Magpies' pressure continued with Stanley shooting wide from 25 yards.

Kings Langley were handed a chance on 12 minutes when Billy Lowes impeded Jack Wood to concede a free-kick which Alfie Williams dispatched from 20 yards but was denied by Thiago Caze de Silva’s headed clearance.

The resultant Williams corner was headed clear by Charlie Madden but the visitors kept attacking and Arel Amu burst through only to fire well wide.

Back came Dorchester with Tiago Sa finding Purrington whose shot was saved.

A fine intervention from Jorrell Johnson ended a promising Magpies move started by Callum Buckley and developed by Bayston and Stanley.

However, the breakthrough came after 24 minutes when Roberts showed great determination to chase a lost-looking chance.

With Purrington in support, Roberts opted to go it alone and cleverly turned his marker before firing a low shot which squirmed awkwardly off Axworthy and rolled on into the net.

Kieran Roberts celebrates his first goal for Dorchester Picture: DAVID PARTRIDGE

Lango fought back and Williams found Jamie Jellis whose header flew just over. From a Hanger centre, Stanley fired wide for Dorchester while at the other end, an inviting centre from Williams just eluded Collins.

A deflected Williams shot earned a corner which was delivered short to Wood whose shot deflected off Lowes and Benfield instinctively stuck out a foot to divert the fast spinning ball around the post to protect the Magpies' lead.

After a delightful crossfield ball from Hanger aimed at Roberts carried just too much weight while from a Stanley left wing centre, Purrington volleyed over. Benfield then claimed a late first half header from Wood.

The Magpies again dominated early play after the break with a right wing drive from Roberts ending in a cross cleared by Erin Amu.

Madden was played in by Roberts and produced a low shot aimed at the bottom corner until Axworthy dived to his right to save. At the other end skipper Buckley cleared the danger presented by a driven centre from Wood seeking out striker Arel Amu.

Play swung back to the other end with Purrington slipping the ball into the path of Roberts who this time produced a disappointing shot.

Impressive midfielder Tom Purrington was a key figure in Dorchester's win Picture: DAVID PARTRIDGE (Image: DAVID PARTRIDGE)

Roberts then surged past three defenders but found the angle too great and his cross sailed out of play.

Bayston found the side-netting while Williams sent a shot wide and Arel Amu nudged wide from a Jellis centre for the visitors.

Soares emerged from the bench to replace Stanley on the hour, whereupon a Sa corner was then cleared but only to Hanger who tried his luck from 30 yards but the ball flew wide.

Benfield pulled off another instrumental save to turn aside a close-range effort from Arel Amu while from the follow-up Williams corner, Collins headed over.

Both keepers were then called into action with a Purrington effort smothered for Dorchester and Benfield gathering a Williams free-kick.

Any Dorchester nerves were calmed when Purrington was brought down by a posse of defenders and referee Craig Scriven awarded a spot-kick which Soares coolly dispatched into the bottom-right corner sending Axworthy the wrong way.

Kings Langley came close to reducing the arrears with a shot from substitute Florian Kastrati which was smothered by Benfield. The ball ran loose to Williams whose follow-up effort was diverted over the bar by Dorchester substitute Sam Davidson on his return from a long injury absence.

But that was the last scare for Dorchester who comfortably saw out the match and could have added to their tally.

Magpies' boss Glenn Howes claimed victory on his return to the Avenue Stadium Picture: DAVID PARTRIDGE

Sa played a one-two with Purrington but aimed his shot too close to Axworthy while after an amazing 50-yard surge from Roberts, the visiting keeper saved again, this time at his near post.

Another Axworthy save then denied Lowes' sweetly-struck shot but the three points by then were already safe.

Magpies: Benfield, Hanger, Sa, Madden (Davidson 69), Buckley, Caze de Silva, Purrington, Bayston (Papakonstantinou 88), Roberts, Stanley (Soares 60), Lowes. Subs not used: Calverley, Heaton.

Kings Langley: Axworthy, Armstrong, Lafleur (Kastrati 71), E Amu (Marriott 76), Johnson, Connolly, Wood, Williams, A Amu (Hoskins 88), Collins, Jellis. Subs not used: Yamfam, Hoskins.

Referee: Craig Scriven

Attendance: 446