Dorchester TOWN 1 DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE 1

STEVE Devlin struck late to bag Dorchester’s first goal of pre-season and secure a draw with Dagenham & Redbridge in the process.

The League One Daggers took the lead in the 88th minute at the Avenue Stadium through ex-Yeovil Town striker Gavin Tomlin, but the Magpies hit back in the final few seconds with Devlin firing home from 18 yards.

Boss Ashley Vickers, who saw his men suffer a 6-0 thrashing against Crawley the night before, was delighted with Saturday’s show.

He said: “We went back to what we know and I’m really pleased and proud of the players’ endeavours.

“Dagenham’s side in the first half was pretty much the same one that won the League Two play-off final in May and they upped the ante again in the second half, so it was great for them to bring down their first-team squad.

“I told our boys afterwards that they put in a supreme effort, they looked very fit and all the plaudits go to them.

“They held their own against a side known for their fitness and I felt we matched them in that department.”

Vickers also paid tribute to goalscorer Devlin, adding: “Dagenham were waxing lyrical about Steve afterwards, they thought he was very good. He’s one of the boys who can go on from here as he makes us tick.”

The Magpies fielded two new trialists in the form of ex-Terra Stuart Douglas and second-half substitute Hamed.

Vickers said: “Dougie was excellent and gave us a really good outlet. It was difficult for Hamed though, he came from Barnet but I didn’t really know how he plays. He played wide right and perhaps we’ll have another look at him.”

Douglas almost made the perfect start to his trial when in the 10th minute he was put clean through by Matt Groves.

However, the ex-Bath City striker was denied the opening goal by a smart stop from former QPR keeper Tony Roberts.

The hosts were more than a match for their League One visitors and saw Devlin head wide from a deep Ryan Hill cross before the referee waved away strong appeals for a penalty after Romain Vincelot had upended Jamie Gleeson.

Dagenham’s Danny Green sent a dipping shot narrowly over the top while at the other end Roberts had to scamper to keep out a deflected effort from Devlin.

The higher-ranked outfit had a penalty appeal of their own turned down on the stroke of half-time despite Scott Doe’s flick-on, from Green’s corner, appearing to hit the hand of Douglas.

Substitute Ryan Moss poked wide seven minutes into the restart before Paul Benson, with his last contribution, spurned a glorious chance on the hour when he failed to connect just three yards out.

Neither side carved out any clear-cut opportunities until the 85th minute when Devlin robbed Vincelot on the edge of the Dagenham box.

The Magpies’ winger tried to go around Roberts but the latter got down well to rescue the situation.

And the county town side were dealt a harsh blow two minutes from the end as Tomlin got a lucky ricochet in the Magpies’ area before slotting past half-time replacement Mike Hookway.

However, the hosts continued to plug away and Devlin finally got his reward with a last-gasp equaliser – firing into the left corner after being teed up by trialist forward Rico Wilson.

Magpies: Coward, R Hill, Critchell (Martin 50), Jermyn, Walker (Frampton 66), K Hill (Bowles 46), Coutts (Hamed 77), Gleeson, Douglas (Wilson 63), Groves (Moss 46), Devlin.

Daggers (first half): Roberts, Ogogo, McCrory, Doe, Arber, Green, Vincelot, Gain, Nurse, Scott, Benson.

Daggers (second half): Roberts, Currie, Antwi, Wilkinson, Gwillim, Lewis, Vincelot, Tejan-Sie, Montgomery, Benson (Osborn 60), Tomlin.