Matt Buse bagged a brace as the Magpies came from behind twice to earn a point against league leaders, Merthyr Town.

The visitors travelled across from Wales with 34 points from the opening 14 games of the season, and had won their last four on the bounce before facing Dorchester.

Tom Killick named two changes to his starting lineup from the week’s 2-2 draw away to Gosport Borough, with the likes of Ieuan Turner and Luke Roberts replacing Ollie Haste and Marcus Daws respectively.

Merthyr had the game’s first chance after 10 minutes through Ricardo Rees. Kieran Evans’ ball from the left was teased into the box but the fizzing effort from Rees was straight into the gloves of Gerard Benfield.

Three minutes later, the Magpies had a chance of their own to take the lead after Jordan Ngalo found Matt Buse in space in the area, but his volleyed chance was at Martyrs’ keeper, Jaimie Cogman.

The Martyrs took the lead after 19 minutes after working the ball around well in midfield. It eventually found its way out to Kane Simpson, who smashed the chance into the roof of the net with a shot across the face of goal.

Merthyr had plenty of chances around the half hour mark to double the visitors’ lead, but shots from Lewys Twamley and Tom Handley were wide and over the bar from their respective efforts.

Despite the pressure, Dorchester snatched an equaliser three minutes before half time to make it level at the break. A decisive pass from Luke Pardoe across the face of goal was met by the oncoming Buse who dispatched the chance with no fuss.

The Martyrs came out strongest in the second half, dominating the play to re-establish their lead with a second goal after two minutes. Twamley threaded the ball through to Simpson, who slotted the ball past Benfield in goal.

Dorchester looked to get back into the game and came close from a double chance after 57 minutes. Jack Dickson’s effort was parried out well by Jaimie Cogman, but only as far as Moore, whose chance cleared the bar.

After 69 minutes, Dorchester got back into the game with Buse bagging his brace. Substitute Wes Fogden lashed in a cross with Buse arriving late to smash in the chance, resulting in an eruption of cheers at the Avenue.

Dorchester could have had two penalties within the last 20 minutes of the game, with the referee waving away claims of a Merthyr handball in the area with two minutes left on the clock.

The result sees Merthyr remain in first place in the Southern League Premier South Division, with the Magpies flying in fifth place. Dorchester will welcome Taunton Town on Saturday afternoon.

Magpies Starting XI: Benfield, Bragg, Spetch, Turner, Dickson, Moore, Buse, Pardoe, Koszela, Ngalo, Roberts. Subs: Haste, Holmes, Fogden, Daws, Samedi. 

Attendance: 807.