AFC TOTTON 4

Lee 17, 80, Hallett 43, Rendell 60 pen

DORCHESTER TOWN 4

Koszela 61, Spetch 66, Fletcher 76 pen, Gwengwe 88

DORCHESTER Town pulled off an astonishing comeback to draw 4-4 at AFC Totton having been 3-0 and 4-3 down at Snows Stadium.

Tony Lee and Luke Hallett goals put the Stags 2-0 up before Scott Rendell’s controversial penalty made it 3-0.

However, Dorchester hit back with Olaf Koszela, Will Spetch and Will Fletcher goals before Lee’s marvellous header restored Totton’s lead.

Dorchester were not to be beaten, though, as Shaq Gwengwe’s late header handed them a deserved share of the points.

READ MORE: AFC Totton 4-4 Dorchester Town - how it happened

Dorchester named a completely unchanged side from the team that began the 2-2 draw against Hendon on Saturday.

However, both sets of players were only afforded 25 minutes to warm up as referee Adrian Harris decided the wet surface, which had passed a pitch inspection, needed further protecting.

It also meant fans were delayed in arriving onto the stadium concourse, but kick-off began on time and Totton were by far the quicker team, despite kicking against the wind and rain.

Former Weymouth winger Joan Luque headed at Jameson Horlick in the first minute before curling a second attempt at the Luton loanee moments later.

Horlick dealt well with both efforts and Totton’s shoot-on-site policy continued as Leon Maloney blasted well wide from 20 yards.

Horlick then had to produce a majestic save to keep out Maloney after slick interplay with Lee, somehow springing to his left to deny a firmly-struck shot.

Dorchester reacted well as Ollie Haste’s low shot was repelled by Stags’ keeper Tommy Reid in the 10th minute, while the Magpies also had a succession of corners cleared.

Next came the controversial moment of the match.

Jack Dickson, deep inside the area, looked to have been barged over from behind in the box by Charlie Kennedy, only for referee Harris to wave play on to the disbelief of Dorchester’s players and staff.

It proved an even more contentious decision as Totton went up the other end and scored, Dorchester leaving their ex-striker Lee free in the box to hammer beyond Horlick into the top-right corner.

His clinical finish would have delighted watching Southampton icons Matt le Tissier and James Beattie, but the game then bogged down in the poor weather.

Spectators had to wait until the 43rd minute for the next major moment, as Totton extended their lead to 2-0.

Jordan Raguette’s cross from the left hung in the wind, drew Horlick out and Hallett was there to nod into the vacant net.

However, the Magpies were transformed in the second half as Fletcher came on to replace Drew Eccott-Young.

They did need a big save from Horlick to deny the clean-through Tony Lee but a period of pressure saw Corby Moore whack a stunning effort against the far angle.

And the Magpies also needed to overcome a dubious penalty as Haste was penalised for bringing Maloney down, despite appearing to win the ball and the challenge on the edge of the box.

After a conference between referee and linesman, Rendell stepped up to send the ball into the bottom-right corner with Horlick diving the wrong way in the 60th minute.

But a disastrous moment for Totton, seconds later, changed the momentum of the game as Hallett’s under-hit backpass allowed Daws to slide in and poke at Reid with the ball flicking up for Koszela to find the empty net.

Tom Killick was booked for dissent, joining coach James Wood on a yellow, but Dorchester swiftly made it 3-2 when Moore’s corner was headed home powerfully by the determined run of Spetch.

Killick reacted by bringing off Koszela for Luke Pardoe and he raided down the right in the 74th minute before Daws won a corner.

Dorchester conjured their third goal from the set-piece as Lee was harshly adjudged to have fouled Gwengwe in the box, enabling Fletcher to step up and score his seventh goal in Magpies colours.

The drama was not done there, though.

Totton sub Ethan Taylor zoomed down the left and his deflected cross flew skywards and Lee watched it all the way before directing a superlative header into the far corner on 80 minutes.

In keeping with Dorchester’s spirit, they managed to level again in an astonishing match.

Moore’s corners caused havoc for Totton all match and the midfielder put the ball on a plate for Spetch to head to the back post where Gwengwe was waiting to touch home in the 88th minute.

Six minutes of added time were called for, and Dorchester continued to threaten a winner.

Gwengwe was denied by Reid in a scramble and Moore’s driven effort was blocked after panic in the box.

The Magpies were then blocked three times in the 94th minute before Jordan Ngalo’s low cross deflected into the grateful gloves of Reid, ending a quite incredible eight-goal thriller.

AFC Totton: Reid, Read, Ragguette, Kennedy, Hallett, Tomasso, Rendell, Luque (Taylor 63), Magri, Maloney, Lee (Akers 83). Subs not used: Noice, Jefford, Bennett.

Magpies: Horlick, Eccott-Young (Fletcher 46), Haste, Ngalo, James, Daws, Moore, Koszela (Pardoe 69), Gwengwe, Dickson, Spetch. Subs not used: Waterfield, Turner, Efedje.

Referee: Adrian Harris.

Attendance: 1,130.