Leon Osei brings the ball forward moments before setting up the winning goal
DORCHESTER TOWN
1	Gareth Stewart
2	Gary Bowles
3	Jake Smeeton
4	Danny Clay
5	Patrece Liburd
6	Roy O'Brien
7	Nick Crittenden
8	Kevin Hill
9	Ryan Moss
10	Jamie Mudge
11	Ivan Forbes		40
Substitutes
12	Leon Osei		40
14	Michael Walker
15	Nathan Peprah Annan
16	Mitch Nicholson
17	Regan Coward
BRAINTREE TOWN
1	Craig Holloway
2	Billy Burgess
3	James Hawes		80
4	Joe Bruce
5	Ben Chenery
6	Brad Quinton
7	Micky Shinn
8	Chris Piper
9	Lee Burns		61
10	Dave Bryant		61
11	Louis Riddle
Substitutes
12	Giuliano Grazioli		61
14	Wayne O'Sullivan		61
15	Sean Marks		80
16	Adrian Deane
17	Ryan Moran
Referee
D. K. Rock (-)

Saturday 9th August 2008
		Braintree Town	0
		Dorchester Town	1
		Crittenden 80

Nick nicks late win for Magpies

by Dev Ward

Nick Crittenden scored the only goal of the game late on to give the Magpies their third consecutive opening day victory.

The summer signing pounced on 80 minutes to hand Dorchester all three Blue Square South points and put them eighth in the table.

Manager Shaun Brooks' first line-up of the new season saw keeper Gareth Stewart, midfielders Kevin Hill and Nick Crittenden, and striker Jamie Mudge all given their competitive debuts.

But it was the home side who were the first to go close at the Cressing Road Stadium when, after just three minutes, Magpies' Gary Bowles headed the ball against his own post resulting in a Braintree corner.

In what turned out to be difficult conditions, with continual rain during the match, it was difficult to play flowing football. However, Ivan Forbes skipped past several Braintree defenders with ease but was unable to get a shot away.

As the half progressed neither team were dominating as Dorchester looked to contain Braintree, and efforts on target from both sides were few and far between.

Home keeper Craig Holloway was forced to make a good save from a Mudge half volley, while at the other end a goal-mouth scramble ended in an offside decision coming to the aid of the Magpies. Stewart had a quiet afternoon early on until being forced to make a good save on 20 minutes. Braintree appeared to enjoy more possession during the middle part of the half with Louis Riddle looking particularly lively on the left wing.

On 35 minutes Dorchester were hit by a massive blow when pre-season hot-shot Forbes was stretchered off after a recklessly late challenge from Billy Burgess, who was duly shown a yellow card. It seemed that the incident had ruffled a few feathers. Patrece Liburd and Joe Bruce clashed from the resulting free-kick, which eventually saw the majority of both teams involved in the altercation. Despite raised arms, referee Rock decided to only caution the original culprits.

The final chance of the first half fell to Hill, whose half-volley drew a spectacular save from Holloway just before the interval.

The second half began much the same as the first ended with Dorchester pressing forward. On 48 minutes a very dubious challenge on Crittenden in the Braintree box ended up in a free-kick being awarded to the home side - much to the dismay of the vocal travelling support.

Although Braintree enjoyed their fair share of possession they failed to make use of the final ball and the closest they came to troubling Stewart was with a long ball over the top, which bounced high and caused the Magpies' keeper to track back in order to catch the ball.

Stewart was called into action again on the hour mark when he dived at the feet of the oncoming Bradley Quinton to deny a goal scoring opportunity.

Dorchester's passing football was in evidence when a neat one-two between Jake Smeeton and Hill saw the former's deep cross laid off for Mudge. But the striker's effort was well blocked.

On 66 minutes the away support thought the Magpies had scored when Ryan Moss slotted the ball home. However, he was adjudged offside after receiving the ball back from playmaker Hill.

As the half progressed Dorchester's possession began to pay off, winning several corners before substitute Leon Osei broke down the left wing and set up the winner.

Debutant Osei beat Burgess and squared the ball. Moss was unable to connect but Crittenden arrived late in the day to slot in from the narrowest of angles.

The final few minutes saw Dorchester aim to protect their lead, but had it not been for a Bruce interception, Hill may well have extended the visitors' lead.

The Dorchester defence looked solid all game with new team skipper Roy O'Brien displaying a man of the match performance alongside the ever reliable Liburd.

	MATCH STATS
6	TOTAL ATTEMPTS	7
2	ATTEMPTS ON TARGET	5
4	ATTEMPTS OFF TARGET	2
2	HIT WOODWORK	0
7	CORNERS	2
2	OFFSIDES	3
10	FREE-KICKS CONCEDED	9