POOLE TOWN 1

Spetch 90+6

DORCHESTER TOWN 2

Gwengwe 79, Barnett 90+4

DORCHESTER Town stormed to a first win at Dorset rivals Poole Town since January 2019, triumphing 2-1 at the Black Gold Stadium.

The Magpies had lost their last six games against Poole but did a good job of disrupting the Dolphins’ play, resulting in few saves for keeper Lloyd Thomas to make.

And two Poole mistakes led to their goals as Destiny Ojo gave the ball away in the build-up to Shaq Gwengwe’s opener and Harvey Wright tripped the forward to see red before Jordan Barnett sumptuously netted the resulting free-kick.

It gave Dorchester a deserved first win from six games this season in a contest few would have given them a chance in pre-match.

READ MORE: Poole Town 1-2 Dorchester Town - how it happened

Dorchester boss and ex-Poole midfielder Glenn Howes made two changes as Harvey-Joe Bertrand and Olaf Koszela came in for the benched Benjani Jr, while Louie Slough is absent entirely.

Ollie Haste returned from injury to join Benjani Jr on the bench, while youngsters Ieuan Turner, Jamie Hosking and Jake Graziano retained their places in the squad.

Dorchester made a confident start, gaining joy on the right as Alfie Saunders forced Will Butler to claim and Wright later headed a corner off the line.

Last season’s under-18 captain Turner was then introduced as Jack Wright pulled a hamstring but Dorchester pushed on as Gwengwe headed just off target.

Poole began to come back into it as Jamie Whisken headed over and ex-Magpie Tony Lee flashed a good chance wide.

Lee was then unusually guilty of missing a big chance, poking wide after Turner misjudged a header, and Spetch later nodded over.

Jordi Foot missed a fabulous headed chance at the other end from Barnett’s pinpoint free-kick and Gwengwe scuffed a volley wide as it somehow remained goalless at half-time.

Three minutes into the second half, Koszela headed a golden chance at Butler when unmarked before Harvey Wright curled just wide at the other end.

With both sides fatiguing noticeably during a second match in three days, Dorchester struck a crucial first blow.

Poole sub Destiny Ojo gave the ball away and Gwengwe raced through, rounding Butler to slot home and spark ecstasy in the away end.

Poole looked rattled and went down to ten men in the third of six added minutes when last man Wright clumsily brought Gwengwe down to earn a straight red.

And Barnett stepped up to bend the resulting free-kick round the Poole wall and inside the near post to ignite the Magpies’ fans once more.

Spetch’s 96th-minute header denied Dorchester a rare clean sheet but the Magpies saw the game out to claim a priceless and fully merited three points.

Poole: Butler, Rose, Spetch, Whisken, Moore, Dickson, H Wright, Murray, Nippard (Holmes 58), Pardoe (Santos 65), Lee (Ojo 76). Subs not used: Hutchinson, Fogden.

Magpies: Ll Thomas, Saunders, Bertrand (Haste 76), J Wright (Turner 7), Ngalo, Foot, Barnett, Moyse, Koszela, Gwengwe, Waterfield (Graziano 68). Subs not used: Benjani Jr, Hosking.

Referee: Shaun Phillips.

Attendance: 967.