Dorchester Town 0-0 Plymouth Parkway: Magpies held by 10 men

PLYMOUTH PARKWAY 0

FRUSTRATED Dorchester Town were held to a 0-0 draw despite Plymouth Parkway playing almost an entire half with 10 men.

Dorchester had goalkeeper Jameson Horlick to thank for a string of early saves before Olaf Koszela and Drew Eccott-Young went close for the hosts.

Shane White’s senseless dismissal via two yellows in the 47th minute, one for a heavy tackle on Marcus Daws before backchat to the referee, put Parkway down to 10.

From there, the visitors put together a tremendous rearguard action as heavy Dorchester pressure failed to materialise into a winning goal.

READ MORE: Dorchester Town 0-0 Plymouth Parkway - how it happened

The draw extended to five games Parkway’s unbeaten run against Dorchester and to nine matches their unbeaten sequence in the league.

Meanwhile, the Magpies slipped into the bottom four after Tiverton’s surprise 4-2 win over Poole.

Dorchester boss Tom Killick made just one change to the side that began the 3-2 win over Merthyr Town last time out.

Teenage centre-back Ieuan Turner was dropped to the bench, with Exeter City loanee Ed James recalled after an ankle injury.

James' return meant left-back Harvey Hughes lost his place on the bench, with Turner joined by Shaq Gwengwe, Luke Roberts, Lewis Waterfield and Jonny Efedje in the dugout.

Parkway have made a habit of fast starts in their excellent run and they threatened to take an early advantage at the Avenue Stadium.

Were it not for two alert saves from Horlick, once to repel Jack Crago in a one-on-one and again to push clear Crago’s low shot, the Magpies would have been behind.

Dorchester fashioned their first shot at goal in the ninth minute when Weymouth-raised Adam Parkes superbly tipped over Olaf Koszela’s rising drive.

Parkway reminded the Magpies of their threat on the break seconds later as Alex Cairo cut in from right-back and fired directly at a grateful Horlick.

Dorchester continued to probe away, though, as James’ header was inadvertently blocked close to goal by Koszela, before Jordan Ngalo slashed a 20-yarder wide of the far post.

On the half-hour mark, Ngalo was lucky to get away with an error at the other end as his tame header fell perfectly for ex-Magpie Tom Purrington, only for the midfielder to volley meekly at Horlick from 12 yards.

Dorchester’s best chance of the half fell to the unlikely source of Eccott-Young, though, the right-back darting inside and curling low at Parkes from 18 yards, cajoling a sharp low stop from the ex-Plymouth and Watford custodian.

However, White ruined Parkway’s half-time team talk with a completely unnecessary red card.

His initial caution, earned by crashing through Daws, was well deserved but the midfielder continued to backchat to referee Paul Barber, who brandished a second yellow card for dissent only 36 seconds later.

White’s red gave Dorchester a platform to hurtle towards the Parkway goal in wave after wave of attack, James striking sweetly at Parkes in the 48th minute.

Will Fletcher then touched wide an Ngalo cross, before Dorchester were dealt a blow when Will Spetch went off with a calf strain, allowing Turner to replace him on the hour.

Dorchester were now all over Parkway as Parkes twice claimed bravely under pressure and Ngalo blasted wide of the target.

With Parkway defending deeply and narrowly, Dorchester persisted with crosses from wide areas but nearly every delivery was met by the commanding ex-Avenue duo of Callum Rose and Toby Down.

Down also blocked a good opening for Koszela, who then helped to set up Dorchester’s best chance against the 10 men.

His penetrating run and astute ball inside to sub Gwengwe presented the striker with a clear sight of goal, only to lash high into the side-netting in the 84th minute.

And with added time entering a fifth minute, Parkes was called upon again to make one last crucial stop from Gwengwe as Parkway claimed a point amid incessant pressure.

Dorchester next travel to second-bottom Didcot Town on Saturday (3pm).

Magpies: Horlick, Eccott-Young (Gwengwe 74), Haste, Ngalo, James, Daws, Moore, Fletcher, Koszela, Dickson, Spetch (Turner 59). Subs not used: Roberts, Efedje, Waterfield.

Plymouth Parkway: Parkes, Cairo, Lane, Purrington, Rose, Down, White, Sangster, Thomson, Garside (Wright 90+2), Crago (Jones 65). Sub not used: King.

Referee: Paul Barber.

Attendance: 505.