TOM Killick’s search for his first win in charge of the Magpies goes on as his 10 men claimed a good point against a battling Hayes & Yeading outfit at the Avenue Stadium.

Locked at 1-1, Dorchester were handed a great chance to restore their advantage first won by a 44th-minute Will Spetch header, but cancelled out nine minutes after the break by the unmarked Michael Fernandes.

When Spetch was sent sprawling in the box under the challenge of Oluwasanmi Odelusi, referee Adam Wilson immediately pointed to the spot.

The drama didn’t end there as Spetch, who had earlier been booked for a first-half foul on Charles Hagan, picked up a second yellow and consequent dismissal for retaliation.

To make matters worse for the Magpies, who faced 25 minutes plus a further eight minutes of stoppage time at a numerical disadvantage, Shaq Gwengwe blasted the spot kick over the crossbar.

Before the match, Leighton Thomas was presented with the Supporters Club player of the month award for September, but there was no place for the forward in the starting line-up where Pedro Borges was passed fit to make his debut on loan from Exeter City.

Louie Slough was promoted from the bench to start the match at the expense of Lewis Waterfield who joined Thomas amongst the substitutes.

It was the Magpies that went closest to breaking the deadlock and would have done so but for a goal line clearance by Paul Field to prevent Olaf Koszela’s 11th-minute shot from crossing the line.

Spetch picked up his first booking a minute later for a foul on Hagan from which the Hayes & Yeading striker never recovered and limped off.

A foul by Ronan Silva resulted in a free-kick to the Magpies and a yellow card for Killick, presumably for disapproving words voiced towards the assistant referee who summoned the match referee.

A right-wing centre from Cole Brown eluded the Dorchester defence and fell to Fernandes, who flicked an effort wide.

Borges did well to beat three markers by the corner flag but eventually lost possession before he could cross. Another Fernandes attempt deflected wide, while an impressive right-wing dash from the same player culminated in a weak shot wide from six yards.

But the Magpies broke the deadlock on 44 minutes when Corby Moore’s left-wing corner was met on the right edge of the six-yard box by the leaping Spetch, who headed firmly into the bottom corner.

Magpies could have doubled their lead seven minutes after the break when Jordan Ngalo won the ball in midfield to supply Gwengwe, who hoisted his shot over Jacob Adams’ bar.

A cross from the right by Steve Ngunga caught out the Dorchester defence and Fernandes was lurking unmarked to drive home the equaliser at the far post.

Encouraged by their breakthrough, the visitors surged forward with Ngunga jinking into the box and seeing his firm drive deflect wide of the near post for a corner, which Adam Forster punched clear.

A centre from Jack Dickson found Koszela, whose shot was blocked, while Moore’s corner found Ngalo, whose header was cleared for another corner.

Then came the missed penalty and Spetch red card incident following which the 10 remaining Magpies battled hard to hold on to their point.

Fernandes twice forced Forster to punch clear as Hayes & Yeading piled on the pressure.

The lively Fernandes prodded a fine ball into the path of Omar Rowe who could only lash the ball into the side-netting.

During seven added minutes, substitute Jordi Foot pulled off a fine headed clearance, a Dickson centre was claimed by Adams and Olly Haste was booked for timewasting as Dorchester held on to claim a hard won point.

Magpies: Forster, Spetch, Haste, Slough, Ngalo (c), James, Borges (Foot, 70), Moore, Koszela (Thomas, 77), Gwengwe (Barnett, 90+5), Dickson.

Unused subs: Waterfield, Eccott-Young.