DORCHESTER TOWN 3

Ngalo 54, Gunson 57, 83

HANWELL TOWN 0

THREE goals and a red card apiece made for a dramatic second half as Dorchester Town beat Hanwell Town 3-0 at the Avenue Stadium.

After a hard fought but goalless first half, Jordan Ngalo broke the deadlock for Dorchester in the 54th minute then Charlie Gunson’s free-kick doubled the tally three minutes later.

Hanwell substitute Adam Laaref marked his 18 minutes on the pitch with two yellow cards and a red for fouls two minutes apart.

And the ten men from Hanwell conceded a third goal seven minutes from time before on-field numbers were levelled up by the dismissal of Matt Neale whose robust attempt to latch on to a pass from Ngalo resulted in a boot colliding with 17-year-old Chelsea loanee keeper Max Merrick and a straight red card for Neale.

READ MORE: Dorchester Town 3-0 Hanwell Town - how it happened

There were two changes to the Dorchester starting line-up with Ferdinand Okoh and Neale replacing Jordi Foot and Louie Slough who joined Alfie Stanley and Lewis Toms on a four-man bench with Keith Emmerson unavailable for selection.

The Magpies opened strongly with Ngalo’s first minute threaded pass opening up a chance which was quickly snuffed out for Shaq Gwengwe.

A clearance from Merrick was charged down by Okoh but the rebound fell kindly for the Hanwell keeper.

At the other end, a pull back from Tom McElroy found Jack Hutchinson whose deflected shot proved an easy gather for Magpies keeper Ryan Hall.

Almost immediately, Neale presented Gwengwe with a chance to shoot but Merrick was well placed to save. A cross from Ngalo aimed at Gwengwe was palmed clear by Merrick who sustained but responded to treatment for an arm injury in the process.

Kain Adom’s cross-shot eluded his teammates and flew past the far post.

Dorchester skipper Callum Buckley intercepted a shot from Lewis Cole while a free-kick from Gunson on the left wing was cleared but the ball was returned by Ngalo to Gwengwe who cleverly rolled the ball wide of the advancing Merrick only for the goal to be disallowed for offside.

Gwengwe then had a penalty appeal turned down as he appeared to be nudged off the ball in the six-yard box.

Back came Hanwell with Flo Bojaj pumping over a centre which was met by McElroy who headed over from six yards.

The visitors were enjoying a decent spell of possession at this stage of the match and a quick break initiated by Merrick was developed by Daniel Carr and Hutchinson but Hall was stationed at his near post to make a vital stop.

Hall did well again to claim a speculative lob from Hanwell captain Harry Rush before Cole fired over.

Another quick Hanwell attack ended with Hall cutting out McElroy again before Dorchester surged forward and after a Tiago Sa cross was partially cleared, a strike from Alex Moyse lacked the power to trouble Merrick.

Gunson then picked out Gwengwe at the far post but the Dorchester striker could only head wide the last chance of a keenly contested first half.

The Magpies had another penalty appeal turned down barely a minute into the second half when Gunson tangled with Callum Woodcock, the latter awarded a free-kick.

Adom sent a low shot wide for Hanwell while a foul by Bertrand on Hutchinson conceded a free-kick from which Rush earned a corner which was also taken by Rush but headed clear.

Neale’s cross evaded Gunson in the 52nd minute but two minutes later a Neale cut-back proved inch perfect for Ngalo who swept a low shot past Merrick from 18 yards.

Play was waved on by the referee after one trip on Neale but as the winger surged upfield he was toppled by a further challenge.

Gunson took the free-kick and found the far corner of the net past a statuesque but possibly unsighted Merrick.

Dorchester’s Bertrand picked up a yellow card for knocking the ball away from substitute Laaraf who himself then picked up two quick cautions for fouls and was shown a red card in the 72nd minute after a foul on Neale.

Dorchester looked hungry for more goals but Gwengwe was flagged offside as he raced on to a Gunson pass.

Gwengwe was replaced by Stanley who came very close to turning in a fast Gunson delivery at the far post.

However, Stanley was then tripped and Gunson stepped up to score a near identical second free-kick goal seven minutes from time.

At the other end, there was little else for Hall to do until a late low shot from Adom was safely gathered.

In stoppage time, a superb pass from Ngalo was well read by Neale but in attempting to connect with the ball his high boot collided with Merrick and referee Jordan McRitchie brandished a red card.

Following their 13th league win of the season, Dorchester remain two points and two places beneath the play-off places in seventh.

Magpies: Hall, Bernard (Foot 73), Sa (Slough 83), Moyse, Buckley, Douglas, Gunson, Ngalo, Gwengwe (Stanley 77), Okoh, Neale. Sub not used: Toms

Hanwell: Merrick, Carr, Olorunfemi, Rush, Duffy, Woodcock, Cole, Hutchinson (Lucan 69), McElroy (Anthony 77), Adom, Bojaj (Laaref 54). Sub not used: Obikwu

Referee: Jordan McRitchie

Attendance: 412