DORCHESTER TOWN 0

AFC TOTTON 4

Rendell 3, 30, 65, Taylor 48

DORCHESTER Town were given a lesson in finishing by play-off bound AFC Totton as the Stags claimed a comfortable 4-0 win at the Avenue Stadium.

Scott Rendell’s hat-trick and a well-taken goal from Ethan Taylor gave Jimmy Ball’s men a deserved victory in front of a bumper 1,292 crowd.

For Dorchester, this was a disappointing way to finish the season but the Magpies did finish ninth, their highest placing since achieving eighth in 2012/13.

Dorchester boss Tom Killick made only one change to the XI that began the 3-1 loss to Basingstoke last time out.

READ MORE: Dorchester Town 0-4 AFC Totton - how it happened

Jack Dickson returned from suspension, meaning Drew Eccott-Young dropped to the bench.

Joining Eccott-Young on the bench was Jonny Efedje, Lewis Waterfield, Will Fletcher and Harry Redknapp Jr. Luke Roberts was the only man to miss out from last week.

Prior to kick-off, Dorchester also announced new deals for Will Spetch, Corby Moore, Dickson, Olaf Koszela, Drew Eccott-Young, Luke Roberts and Luke Pardoe.

With the sides drawing 4-4 at Snows Stadium last time out, a repeat seemed unlikely as Totton looked to close out a home play-off spot.

However, they needed only 123 seconds to open the scoring after a rare blunder by Luton loanee keeper Jameson Horlick.

Ollie Haste was robbed of possession by Taylor on the byline, with his low ball in scuffed at goal by ex-Magpies striker Tony Lee.

Lee’s effort looked completely harmless but the spin on the effort forced a tame fumble from Horlick, presenting an unmissable chance two yards out for Rendell.

The goal formed part of a blistering opening 10 minutes in which the Stags threatened to steamroller the Magpies.

Ex-Weymouth man Joan Luque volleyed over before Rendell slotted at Horlick following a searing break, while Taylor then volleyed over after Jordan Ragguette’s storming left-wing run.

Dorchester having weathered the storm began to come back into the game, as the superb Dickson beat two players on the right before chipping to Marcus Daws, who headed over.

Ed James repeated the trick from a Moore free-kick, before Koszela drilled wide and Moore mistakenly elected to dummy a Shaq Gwengwe pass in a promising situation.

Daws curled wide twice prior to Totton’s greater finishing power handing them a two-goal cushion.

Attractive interplay between Luque and Lee played Rendell into space and he muscled a left-footed shot inside the near post from 18 yards.

Daws, persisting with shots aimed towards the top bag, fluffed his lines again before Rendell drilled wide from a tight angle for what would have been a left-footed hat-trick.

Dorchester ended the half with Pardoe bustling a shot into the side netting but Totton this time only had to wait 163 seconds after half-time to score.

Luque’s beautiful outside-of-the-foot pass picked out Taylor who controlled deftly and slotted home as Totton’s deadly finishing continued.

Dorchester could only respond with a wayward Koszela shot, although they did force Luke Hallett into a goalline clearance after Gwengwe rounded Totton keeper Josh Gould.

However, Totton carried the greater ruthlessness as Rendell completed his hat-trick with ease, heading home sub Leon Maloney’s cross at the back post when unmarked.

Dorchester themselves rang through the changes as Fletcher, Redknapp Jr and Eccott-Young all came on, but the Magpies failed to seriously test Gould.

Totton again showed their menace on 77 minutes, this time from a set-play, as Sam Magri nodded just over.

Summing up Dorchester’s match, Gwengwe fired wide two presentable opportunities before Fletcher headed over Koszela’s right-wing cross as Gould’s gloves stayed cold.

Rendell then went close to a fourth goal as his looping header had Horlick scrambling before it span wide.

Charlie Kennedy also nodded inches wide of the far post as Totton unrelentingly craved a five-star performance, but the damage had long been done by the Stags as Dorchester’s season closed in underwhelming fashion.

Magpies: Horlick, Dickson, Haste (Redknapp Jr 67), Turner (Fletcher 56), Ngalo, James (Eccott-Young 77), Daws, Moore, Koszela, Gwengwe, Pardoe. Subs not used: Efedje, Waterfield.

AFC Totton: Gould, Read, Ragguette, Kennedy, Hallett, Tomasso, Rendell, Taylor (Jefford 81), Luque (Maloney 63), Magri, Lee (McIntosh 63). Subs not used: Burrows, Bennett.

Referee: Paul Barber.

Attendance: 1,292.