DORCHESTER TOWN 2

Gwengwe 45+1, Fletcher 63

HANWELL TOWN 1

Oyinsan 21

DORCHESTER Town secured safety at Step 3 for another season after coming from behind to beat relegation-threatened Hanwell Town 2-1 at the Avenue Stadium.

Hanwell opened the scoring thanks to former Weymouth striker Josh Oyinsan’s poked finish but Dorchester levelled when Shaq Gwengwe prodded home a Corby Moore corner.

And the Magpies lifted their level in the second half as Will Fletcher tucked away a neat close-range effort, extending to 11 games Dorchester’s memorable unbeaten run.

Dorchester’s fourth successive win keeps them in ninth and attentions will now turn to an improbable play-off push.

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

The Magpies must overhaul a seven-point gap to Merthyr in their three remaining games but perhaps a more realistic aim would be to beat eighth – their best finish over the last 11 years.

Dorchester were unchanged from the side that began the 2-1 win at Sholing in midweek.

Their only alteration came on the bench as the fit-again Marcus Daws replaced Lewis Toms.

Jonny Efedje, Luke Roberts, Lewis Waterfield and Harry Redknapp Jr all kept their places on the bench.

Going into the game, the Magpies needed just a point for safety and began in positive fashion when Olaf Koszela cut inside from the left and fizzed a dipping effort wide of the far post.

Moments before Koszela’s chance, though, Mat Mackenzie had fired wide at the other end and Hanwell began to impose themselves as Dorchester struggled for fluency in the opening period.

Hanwell managed the first shot on target on 11 minutes when the impressive Gianni Crichlow sped down the left and crossed for Oyinsan to pop a harmless header into the gloves of Luton loanee Jameson Horlick.

Koszela blazed a decent chance over from 12 yards but Hanwell were the more efficient team up front and duly scored on 21 minutes.

Crichlow beat Drew Eccott-Young for pace on the left and his low cross was attacked superbly by Oyinsan who deservedly forced the ball home at full stretch for 1-0.

Gwengwe nearly produced an instant reply with a 25-yard volley but Hanwell keeper Sam Beasant watched it all the way for a simple catch.

Callum Woodcock had his own volley thwarted by Dorchester’s Ollie Haste and Luke Pardoe scuffed wide from 25 yards as both teams were found wanting from long-range.

Dorchester’s frustration was evident on the touchline as assistant-boss Glenn Howes was booked for dissent on the touchline, but the Magpies shook it off and equalised in added time.

Isaac Olorunfemi was forced to head behind for a corner and Moore’s delivery caused mayhem in the Hanwell box, allowing Gwengwe to pounce for a scrappy leveller.

Gwengwe and Moore both fired waywardly before the break but Dorchester continued to live dangerously in the second half as Jordan Ngalo cleared a shot off the line.

Ngalo then jeopardised the Hanwell goal on 54 minutes, booming a 25-yarder inches wide of the near post with Beasant beaten.

Dorchester boss Tom Killick opted for an attacking change on 57 minutes and withdrew Eccott-Young for Marcus Daws, an alteration that would yield the winning goal.

Daws looked lively immediately after coming on, spinning in a good cross for Fletcher to flick a header wide.

And the duo combined to deadly effect in the 63rd minute.

Clever interplay between Pardoe and Daws on the right created space for the latter to cross towards the near-post run of Fletcher who swept a first-time shot beyond Beasant from six yards out.

With Hanwell beginning the day in deep trouble, the Geordies needed a point at least and came close to an equaliser as Oyinsan headed wide.

Crichlow was then twice denied by Horlick, the second a solid low stop to his right from a free-kick, as Hanwell pushed on.

They did have to ride out a nervy moment for Beasant, who made a hash of a claim and left an unguarded goal only for Koszela to fire tamely at a retreating Olorunfemi.

Meanwhile, Horlick’s sublime claiming from set-pieces diluted Hanwell’s late pressure and even a late call-up to the box for Beasant could not yield a leveller.

Redknapp came on for three minutes in added time to reinforce the Dorchester defence and the Magpies duly held on to push Hanwell into 20th, one point from safety with three games to go.

Magpies: Horlick, Eccott-Young (Daws 57), Haste, Turner, Ngalo, James, Koszela (Redknapp Jr 90+1), Moore, Fletcher, Gwengwe (Roberts 77), Pardoe. Subs not used: Waterfield, Efedje.

Hanwell: Beasant, Olorunfemi, Carr, Woodcock, Duncan, Duffy, Bancroft (Sole 67), Mackenzie (Benyon 77), Oyinsan, Hutchinson (Evans 67), Critchlow. Subs not used: Bernal, Wright.

Referee: Mark Senior.

Attendance: 517.