Ryan Moss
DORCHESTER TOWN
1	Regan Coward
2	Kyle Critchell
3	Jake Smeeton
4	Mark Jermyn
5	Nathan Walker
6	Gary Bowles
7	James Coutts
8	Jamie Gleeson
9	Ryan Moss
10	Chris Flood
11	Steve Devlin
Substitutes
12	Jayden Stockley
14	Jamie Frampton
15	Rico Wilson
17	Sam Filkins
CHELMSFORD CITY
1	James Pullen
2	Ben Nunn
3	Kurt Robinson
4	Adam Tann
5	Mark Haines
6	David Rainford
7	Matthew Lock
8	Ricky Modeste
9	Wayne Gray
10	Billy Bricknell		76
11	Robert Edmans		83
Substitutes
12	Takumi Ake		83
14	Sami El-Abd
15	Ryan Henshaw		76
16	Sam Higgins
17	Stephen Reed
REFEREE
K. Morris (Hereford)

Tuesday 1st February 2011
		Dorchester Town	1
		Moss 18
		Chelmsford City	1
		Edmans 52

City slickers held by Magpies

by Ky Capel

Dorchester Town edged a point clear of danger in Blue Square Bet South after a richly-deserved draw with promotion-chasing Chelmsford City.

The Magpies went into the clash without a win since mid-December and although they failed to alter that statistic, the county town side produced an impressive display against one of the division’s leading lights.

And on another day they may have taken all three points with Ryan Moss drawing first blood in the 18th minute.

However, Robert Edmans’ close-range finish, after beating Regan Coward in an aerial duel early in the second period, ensured a share of the spoils.

Boss Ashley Vickers made two enforced changes from Saturday’s draw with Welling.

Jake Smeeton came in for the suspended Neil Martin at left-back while Jamie Gleeson passed a late fitness test to replace the injured Nick Crittenden.

James Coutts was pushed out to the right of midfield with Gleeson renewing his central partnership with skipper Mark Jermyn.

Coward, who endured a torrid afternoon at the weekend, kept his place in goal while fellow keeper Sam Filkins – on dual registration forms with Bridport – took a spot on the bench.

Given the disparity in league positions, it was no surprise to see the high-flying Clarets start the more confident.

Wayne Gray and defender Mark Haines both had half-chances in the opening 10 minutes but neither found the target.

Despite sitting perilously close to the drop-zone, Dorchester held their own in the early exchanges and it was they who opened the scoring with their very first opportunity.

Steve Devlin’s searching ball was nodded down by Moss, right into the path of Chris Flood.

The Crawley Town loanee cut inside and played a neat return to his strike partner who then slotted underneath the advancing James Pullen.

Visibly lifted by the goal, the Magpies immediately went in search of another and only a smart stop from the Clarets’ gloveman kept Devlin’s piledriver at bay.

City looked shaken and it took almost 20 minutes for them to create another opening.

Dave Rainford raided the right-hand side and a neat display of trickery enabled the captain to deliver a low centre which Billy Bricknell missed but Matthew Lock drilled just beyond the left upright.

Flood was enjoying a lively night and twice fired wide as the Magpies countered in the closing stages of the half.

After a tentative opening to the second period, the Clarets restored parity inside eight minutes.

Ricky Modeste clipped in a cross from the left, man mountain Edmans jumped with Coward, the latter was unable to gather under pressure and the Clarets’ answer to Peter Crouch tucked home the loose ball.

The Magpies’ custodian felt he had been impeded by Edmans but referee Morris waved away the protests.

A battle for supremacy ensued with neither side prepared to fall behind.

Meanwhile, an increasingly bewildering display from the match officials was beginning to frustrate both sides, causing temperatures to rise within the Avenue Stadium.

And after Bricknell sustained what appeared to be a serious injury with 15 minutes remaining – from a rather innocuous fall – City boss Glenn Pennyfather took exception to a comment from the crowd and made his feelings known, resulting in him being sent to the stands.

The Clarets were finding it difficult to breach the home backline – led by the superb Gary Bowles – while at the other end the Magpies twice went close to regaining the initiative.

First, an onrushing Gleeson was unable to make a strong enough connection with Moss’ low centre before Pullen did well to hold Flood’s curling effort after the county town man cut inside Haines.

The hosts finished much the better side and saw Jermyn blaze high and Coutts fire wide in stoppage time.

	MATCH STATS
7	TOTAL ATTEMPTS	6
4	ATTEMPTS ON TARGET	1
3	ATTEMPTS OFF TARGET	5
0	HIT WOODWORK	0
4	CORNERS	7
5	OFFSIDES	2
14	FREE-KICKS CONCEDED	9