Mitch Nicholson opened the scoring early on
DORCHESTER TOWN
1	Regan Coward		90
2	Daniel Reeve
3	Jake Smeeton
4	Jamie Gleeson
5	Gary Bowles
6	Kevin Hill
7	Nick Crittenden		61
8	Mark Jermyn		69
9	Steve Hutchings
10	Mitchell Nicholson
11	Darren Watts
Substitutes
12	Tom Clarke		61
14	Tom Mitchell		69
15	Danny Critchel
16	Neil Kellaway
17	Gareth Stewart		90
SHERBORNE TOWN
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Substitutes
12
14
15
16
17
Referee
-

Wednesday 11th March 2009
		Dorchester Town	3
		Nicholson, Jermyn, Gleeson
		Sherborne Town	1

Roy's Senior relief

by Ky Capel

Dorchester made it through to the final of the Dorset Senior Cup and handed Roy O’Brien his first win since taking over the reins.

Three goals in the first-half were enough to see off the challenge of Sherborne Town despite a spirited second-half display from the Tool-station Western League Premier Division side.

And the county town chief was happy with the way his Blue Square South players applied themselves after Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at home to Bishop’s Stortford.

He said: “We wanted to put Saturday to bed and it was important to get some confidence, some goals and a decent performance ahead of this Saturday and next Tuesday. I was pleased with their application.

“We started the game brightly, had some chances, hit the crossbar and then the first goal went in. I thought our first-half performance was very good and that has won us the game.”

O’Brien was clearly taking the competition seriously, naming a near full strength line-up.

Daniel Reeve came in at right-back to allow O’Brien the chance to prowl the touchline alongside new assistant Ashley Vickers while Regan Coward donned the gloves with Gareth Stewart dropping to the bench.

And O’Brien’s strong selection paid off as the Magpies went in front inside four minutes. Steve Hutchings found himself bearing down on the Sherborne goal before crashing a shot against the bar from 18 yards. Luckily for the higher league side, Mitchell Nicholson was in the right place to steer the rebound home.

Sherborne created their first opening six minutes later as Chris Luke crossed for Steve Burton, but the latter could only sky his effort.

The Magpies were back on the attack shortly after and went close on two occasions within the space of 30 seconds. First, Nicholson forced a good save out of James Smith before Hutchings drove narrowly wide.

Dorchester then had a penalty appeal waved away despite Nicholson’s strong claims for handball. The officials could perhaps be forgiven due to visibility being affected by the lingering fog.

Just past the half-hour Nick Crittenden’s corner was headed against a post by Magpies’ skipper Kevin Hill, who leapt highest at the back stick.

Darren Watts was then denied by the hands of Smith, forcing the Sherborne stopper into a full-length save.

But with four minutes of the half remaining Dorchester finally extended their advantage. Mark Jermyn picked up possession just shy of 30 yards from goal and was invited to shoot with his supposedly weaker left-foot, but that didn’t stop the midfielder unleashing a wonder strike beyond the despairing dive of Smith.

And it was 3-0 three minutes later. Crittenden’s corner was again met by Hill, who saw his effort saved by Smith. However, Sherborne could only half-clear and the loose ball fell for Jamie Gleeson who fired through numerous bodies and into the net.

The fog began to clear as the second half got underway but the Dorchester pressure continued to hang over their opponents for the early exchanges albeit not as fierce.

The first opening of the period had Nicholson heading wide on 55 minutes.

Magpies’ substitute Tom Clarke almost made a telling contribution just 60 seconds after coming on. The winger’s corner was met by the oncoming Jermyn but headed off the line by an alert Luke.

Sherborne wasted their best chance up to this point when substitute Alan Le-Helloco headed Luke’s set-piece delivery back across goal for Tony Cunningham.

The striker though, while stretching for the ball, crashed his effort against the crossbar just two yards from goal.

However, the Western League outfit only had to wait another six minutes to get on the scoresheet. Jason Bond was played in and after holding off the attentions of Jake Smeeton, the Sherborne man curled a precise strike past Coward.

Dorchester had the ball in the Sherborne net for a fourth time only to see referee Chris Brokenshaw rule out Hutchings’ header for a nudge in a defender’s back.

At the other end, amid mounting pressure from the lower-ranked side, Burton beat Coward with a header from Luke’s corner but saw his effort come back off the woodwork before being cleared.

The Magpies remained a threat going forward and in the final minute Smith did well to get down low and parry Hutchings’ goal-bound effort.

Having secured a final date with Poole Town on Tuesday, April 7, Dorchester now turn their attentions to Saturday’s trip to Blue Square South leaders AFC Wimbledon.

O’Brien is hopeful of bringing in new faces in time to face the Dons.

He added: “We’ve got something we’re hopeful of in the pipeline for Saturday, a couple of people, and if we can get them it will strengthen the squad.”