Jones Awuah is challenged for a header
DORCHESTER TOWN
1	Francisco Ramos
2	Jamie Cumming		62
3	Jake Smeaton
4	Danny Clay
5	Patrece Liburd
6	Roy O'Brien
7	Mark Jermyn
8	Jamie Gleeson
9	Jones Awuah
10	Ivan Forbes
11	Nick Eastham		62
Substitutes
12	Alex Browne
14	James Rowe		62
15	Tom Mitchell
16	Jon Docker		62
17	Nathan Peprah Annan
.
THURROCK
1	David Blackmore
2	Lee Flynn
3	Kenny Clarke
4	Rob Swaine
5	Matt Paine
6	Bai Mas Lettejallow
7	Fola Orilonishe
8	Greg Lincoln
9	Che Stadhart		67
10	David Bryant		85
11	Matt Bodkin
Substitutes
12	Craig Hughes		67
14	Alexander Read		85
15	Phil Anderson
16	Tim Cole
17	Daniel Tenkorang
.
Referee
Richard Martin (Weston-super-Mare)
.

Saturday 29th March 2008
		Dorchester Town	0
		Thurrock	1
		Bryant 62

Hope fading for Magpies

by Terry Spracklen

Dorchester are now ten points from Blue Square South safety after going down to ten-man Thurrock.

The Magpies slipped further into relegation trouble despite dominating possession and playing against ten men for nearly an hour after the 32nd minute dismissal of Thurrrock defender Rob Swaine for a professional foul on Jones Awuah.

The county town side carved out 16 attempts on goal but were unable to find a way past a resolute Thurrock defence while David Bryant poached the only goal of the game to break the deadlock in controversial circumstances midway through the second half.

Play had been stopped for treatment to a Thurrock player and restarted with the visitors passing the ball swiftly back wide of the Dorchester goal.

Magpies' keeper Francisco Ramos tried to prevent the ball rolling out for a goal kick but slipped as he tried to do so and conceded a corner.

Rather than kick the ball out of play, Thurrock played the corner to the near post where Ramos punched it out to the edge of the penalty area but the ball was played back in for Bryant whose goal bound header required a goal-line clearance from Jake Smeaton.

Dorchester were unable to clear the danger completely and when Kenny Clark again crossed into the six-yard box, Bryant met the centre with a firm header and this time the ball flew past Ramos into the back of the net.

There had been little indication of impending defeat in a first half dominated by Dorchester in which they won 11 corners although Thurrock went closest to opening the scoring on a couple of occasions.

Dorchester were handed their first chance in the third minute when Ivan Forbes was fouled just outside the penalty area but Jamie Gleeson drove the free-kick into the Thurrock wall.

Awuah then laid the ball off to Smeaton whose cross was met by Mark Jermyn but his downward header was saved at his far post by Thurrock keeper David Blackmore.

The first chance for the visitors came in the eighth minute but Greg Lincoln's shot flew wide from 20 yards.

Dorchester were soon back on the attack and a Gleeson free-kick was met by skipper Roy O'Brien whose header looped high and wide of goal.

But a similar header from Che Stadhart at the other end, as he met a Fola Orilonishe cross, required a fine tipover save from Ramos.

A deep Forbes corner was headed wide by Jermyn but Danny Clay retrieved the ball and centred for Nick Eastham who scooped his shot over the crossbar.

A dangerous cross from Orilonishe could have caused the Magpies a problem but Bryant was unable to bring the ball under control right in front of goal.

Dorchester were unable to capitalise on that reprieve although Awuah went close with a glanced header from another Gleeson free-kick which flashed past the far post.

Eastham then had a shot blocked whilst after an impressive 50-yard dash, Forbes only succeeded in winning a corner.

Two unproductive corner kicks then followed before another was swung over from the left by Forbes and again Awuah glanced wide.

Gleeson sent a weak shot straight at Blackmore before Swaine saw red for a professional foul on Awuah which the referee adjudged to have been just outside the area after consulting with his assistant. Gleeson drove the resultant free-kick into the Thurrock wall.

As the Magpies continued to press, Jermyn sent a dipping shot just over while a long range effort from Smeaton was parried by Blackmore but grabbed at the second attempt before Awuah could pounce.

Awuah then failed to make the most of a poor kicked clearance from the Thurrock keeper before the visitors again sounded a warning to their hosts with a dipping Bryant effort which Ramos tipped over the bar.

Dorchester went close themselves seven minutes after the break when Jermyn's well struck shot brought a superb save from Blackmore who pushed the ball up over the crossbar to concede the 12th corner. Gleeson took it and Eastham headed wide.

But then came the controversial turning point after which the ten men of Thurrock defended deep and well to leave the Magpies frustrated.

The closest Shaun Brook's side came to equalising was in the 90th minute when substitute Jon Docker saw a shot deflect for another corner and then in stoppage time, Docker had a low 18 yard side-footed effort comfortably saved by Blackmore.

	MATCH STATS
16	TOTAL ATTEMPTS	7
9	ATTEMPTS ON TARGET	6
7	ATTEMPTS OFF TARGET	1
0	HIT WOODWORK	0
13	CORNERS	6
1	OFFSIDES	0
8	FREE-KICKS CONCEDED	9