Debutant Jacob Erskine goes up against former Magpie Wes Fogden
DORCHESTER TOWN
1	Gareth Stewart
2	Daniel Reeve
3	R. Marsh-Brown
4	Mark Jermyn
5	Ashley Vickers
6	Roy O'Brien
7	Nick Crittenden
8	Mitchell Nicholson
9	Jacob Erskine
10	Kevin Hill
11	Jamie Gleeson
Substitutes
12	Darren Watts
14	Jake Smeeton
15	Tom Mitchell
16	Tom Clarke
22	Regan Coward
HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE
1	Kevin Scriven
2	Paul Hinshelwood
3	Brett Poate
4	Jay Gasson
5	Gary Elphick
6	Ian Simpemba
7	Wes Fogden		80
8	Steven Walker
9	Craig Watkins
10	Luke Nightingale		78
11	Matt Gray		62
Substitutes
12	Robbie Martin		80
14	Charlie Henry		62
15	Paul Booth		78
16	Louis Castles
17	Jay Smith
Referee
Mark Philpott (Falmouth)

Tuesday 17th March 2009
		Dorchester Town	1
		Gleeson 38
		Havant & Waterlooville	0

Magpies ground Hawks

by Ky Capel

Dorchester Town gave their survival hopes a massive boost courtesy of Jamie Gleeson’s first-half strike.

The midfielder netted only his 10th goal in black and white to see the Magpies overtake their opponents in the table and move seven points clear of the relegation zone.

Player-boss Roy O’Brien made three changes from the side that lost 2-0 at AFC Wimbledon on Saturday.

Dagenham & Redbridge striker Jacob Erskine – who has joined the county town on loan – made his debut, O’Brien picked himself and pushed Kevin Hill up front while Mitchell Nicholson came in for Darren Watts. Steve Hutchings was unavailable.

The Hawks named former Magpie Wes Fogden in their starting line-up with another ex-Dorchester man Charlie Henry on the bench.

And it was the visitors who made the brighter start, winning a free-kick just outside the Dorchester box inside three minutes. Home keeper Gareth Stewart though, got behind Matt Gray’s low drive and held on.

Shortly after, Craig Watkins stole in behind O’Brien but saw his attempted lob fly over.

The Magpies struggled to find any rhythm early on and the only occasions visiting keeper Kevin Scriven was called into action were to make simple catches from headers by Erskine and Gleeson.

Havant had another opportunity from a close-range free-kick but Brett Poate, also aiming low, failed to find the target.

Nick Crittenden was moving up the gears and proving to be a thorn in the visitors’ side. And it was he who set up the opening goal.

The midfielder earned a corner after a mazy run, delivered it low towards the near post where the oncoming Gleeson struck a first-time effort, giving Scriven no chance.

Gleeson went close to adding a second just three minutes later but from Ronayne Marsh-Brown’s cross, the 24-year-old could not direct his header below the crossbar.

The hosts began to take control of proceedings as the half drew to a close with Gleeson at the centre of all the action.

The midfielder got on the end of a Nicholson delivery and twisted a header goalwards, the effort got a slight deflection and dropped narrowly wide of Scriven’s far post.

Then, in first half stoppage time, Gleeson lined up a left-footed strike from 25 yards which troubled Scriven as he could only gather at the second attempt.

Dorchester continued in the same breath as the second period got underway, positive build up play ending with Hill finding Erskine on the edge of the opposition penalty area and the loanee firing high and wide.

The Hawks still searched for a leveller and were not too far away from finding one in the 53rd minute when Gary Elphick’s glancing header whistled past the Magpies’ right-hand post.

Fogden, who had been well marshalled for much of the game, went down in the box under pressure from former team-mate O’Brien, prompting cries for a penalty from the Hawks’ dugout. Referee Philpott though, was not interested in the claims.

The visitors had further appeals dismissed by the officials midway through the half, this time Havant believed they had forced the ball over the Stewart’s goal-line.

Poate whipped in a dangerous free-kick from the right side, Jay Gasson nodded goalwards but saw the effort brilliantly kept out by Stewart.

The Hawks seemed convinced the ball had crossed the line only to see the man in black wave play on.

Dorchester still looked somewhat of a threat on the counter and Scriven had to be quick off his line to clear the danger as Erskine raced on to Nicholson’s through pass.

Marsh-Brown was then fortunate to see his deflection, off Gasson’s volley, fly straight into the arms of Stewart with seven minutes left on the clock.

Gasson was the next man counting his lucky stars after pulling back Hill when virtually the last man and only receiving a yellow card. The resultant set-piece, taken by Marsh-Brown, was saved by Scriven.

The away side huffed and puffed with a flurry of late corners but the Magpies withstood the pressure.

The match though ended on a sour note with Henry allegedly spitting in Marsh-Brown’s face, out of the officials’ view, just seconds before the final whistle.

	MATCH STATS
9	TOTAL ATTEMPTS	10
6	ATTEMPTS ON TARGET	2
3	ATTEMPTS OFF TARGET	8
0	HIT WOODWORK	0
5	CORNERS	3
5	OFFSIDES	4
18	FREE-KICKS CONCEDED	12