DORCHESTER TOWN 2

Stanley 27, 57 pen

SWINDON SUPERMARINE 1

Williams 90+3

DORCHESTER Town claimed a valuable three points with a 2-1 victory over Swindon Supermarine at the Avenue Stadium.

Alfie Stanley scored once in each half to give the Magpies a 2-0 lead, while Harry Williams’ 93rd-minute goal proved only a consolation for the visitors.

Dorchester’s sixth home Pitching In Southern League Premier South victory of the season closes the gap on the other third-bottom teams based on points per game (PPG).

Kings Langley beat Wimborne 4-0 to consolidate their grip on the final safe position of 19th, but Dorchester’s PPG of 0.85 now compares to Nantwich (0.97), Hitchin (0.93) and Brightlingsea (0.93).

READ MORE: Dorchester Town 2-1 Swindon Supermarine - how it happened

As it stands, Dorchester will go down but with nine games to play, performances of a good standard and March’s schedule throwing up some relegation six-pointers, Dorchester will be confident of avoiding the drop.

Ahead of a win that heaps pressure on those above them, Dorchester boss Glenn Howes made three changes to the side that began the 1-0 loss at Hartley Wintney last time out.

Tom Soares (quad) was injured, while Harvey-Joe Bertrand and Sam Bayston dropped to the bench.

Bournemouth loanee Jack Wadham earned his debut, with Yemi Odubade and Ash Wells the other two additions to the starting line-up.

On the bench, Bayston and Bertrand were joined by the returning Charlie Gunson, while under-23 stars Josh Baxter and Connor Callow retained their places.

Dorchester were looking to avenge a 1-0 loss to Supermarine in the return fixture, which was inflicted by Kieran Phillips – previously on loan at the Magpies this season.

And the early signs were good as Dorchester’s Olaf Koszela was slipped in by Stanley, only to tamely sidefoot at former Magpies keeper Martin Horsell.

Stanley then forced Horsell into a fingertip save from his 20-yard drive before Koszela slammed a free-kick into the Supermarine wall from the very edge of the box after Matt Liddiard’s handball.

Liddiard nodded a free-kick at home keeper Jack Bycroft and Yemi Odubade’s acrobatic overhead kick was blocked as chances came at both ends.

Supermarine conjured a good chance of their own midway through the half when Phillips could only head at fresh air from Henry Spalding’s inviting cross.

And Dorchester duly punished Marine when the Magpies improvised on a planned short corner routine.

Billy Lowes was supposed to deliver a ball to the back post but instead the Magpies got their wires crossed as Koszela proved the man to curl in.

The mix-up mattered little as the Torquay loanee’s cross was on a plate for Stanley to charge in at the back post and volley past Horsell.

Stanley nearly grabbed a second but for a good block before Bycroft was called upon to superbly push clear Spalding’s 20-yard effort after he caught George Calverley on the ball.

Play was briefly stopped as Wells received treatment for a facial injury, forcing his departure at half-time for Bertrand.

When the action resumed for the second half, Supermarine created a glaring chance when Tom Mehew’s disguised pass was knocked on by Ryan Campbell to Spalding, who chipped horribly over from 12 yards.

Striker Conor McDonagh tamely headed wide as Marine pressed but they were their own worst enemies as Dorchester went 2-0 up shortly afterwards.

Koszela’s pass to Lowes was intercepted but, with the Supermarine defenders leaving the trickling ball to each other, Odubade raced to meet it ahead of Horsell and drew a clumsy foul for a certain penalty.

Stanley then sent Horsell the wrong way from the spot, guiding a finish into the bottom-right corner as Dorchester took control of the contest.

Stanley wasted two chances for a hat-trick, heading over and volleying out of the ground, but his third attempt was a cracker, curling inches over from 20 yards with Horsell thudding into the far post.

Dorchester managed the game well until the final 10 minutes as Marine flooded forward, Bycroft even clearing a corner with his feet.

His clearance set up Dorchester for a three-on-one chance, only for the striker to pick out the last remaining defender with two teammates spare at the back post.

Marine were given three minutes of added time to make the Magpies sweat, sub George Dowling skewing a volley into Bycroft’s gloves in the 92nd minute.

However, 60 seconds later the sweat was genuine as fellow sub Williams’ deft spin and control allowed him to fire at goal from an acute angle, nutmegging Bycroft for 2-1.

A further nervy 30 seconds were played until Oakley Hanger boomed a clearance upfield to repel the final Supermarine attack and invite the final whistle, giving Dorchester a precious victory.

Magpies: Bycroft, Hanger, Calverley, Wadham (Gunson 80), Buckley, Wells (Bertrand 46), McGrath, Stanley, Odubade (Bayston 75), Koszela, Lowes. Subs not used: Baxter, Callow.

Supermarine: Horsell, Hopkins, Halll, Britton, Edge, Liddiard, Spalding, Mehew, Phillips (Williams 56), McDonagh, Campbell (Dowling 64). Subs not used: Mitchell, Sharpe, Hooper.

Referee: Niall Clinton

Attendance: 383