Match Report
Season 2010-11 : Dorchester vs Staines Town
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Reece Connolly finds the net
Reece Connolly finds the net
 
DORCHESTER TOWN
1    
2    
3    
4    
5    
6    
7    
8    
9    
10   79
11    
Substitutes
12    
14    
15   79
16    
 
STAINES TOWN
1 Louis Wells    
2 Simon Jackson    
3 Rennie Steer    
4 Dominic Sterling    
5 Richard Orlu    
6 Andre Scarlett    
7 Howard Newton   78
8 Dwane Lee    
9 Richard Butler    
10 Scott Taylor    
11 Warren Harris    
Substitutes
12 Alex Duffy    
14 Danny Gordon    
15 Dean Thomas    
16 Marc Charles-Smith   78
17 Shaun Allaway    
 
REFEREE
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Blue Square Bet SouthSaturday 26th March 2011
 
Dorchester Town   Dorchester Town 3
  Connolly 3, 90, Vickers 45
   
Staines Town   Staines Town 3
  Lee pen 18, Newton 51, Harris 70
   

Reece rescues Magpies

Dorset Echoby Ky Capel


AN INJURY-TIME leveller from Reece Connolly salvaged a vital point for Dorchester Town in their fight for Blue Square Bet South survival.

The Magpies led twice at the Avenue Stadium via Connolly’s first of the afternoon and player-boss Ashley Vickers’ first since August 2009.

However, they surrendered the advantage on both occasions, courtesy of Dwane Lee’s penalty and Howard Newton’s low drive, before Warren Harris put Staines in front for the first time with 20 minutes remaining.

The hosts looked destined to suffer a third straight league reversal until the Aldershot Town loanee came to the rescue and celebrated his one-month extension with a crucial equaliser.

There were two changes to the side that lost out at Dover the week before – Neil Martin and Connolly coming in for suspended duo Kyle Critchell and Jake Smeeton.

Gary Bowles reverted to right-back with Connolly partnering Ryan Moss in attack and Chris Flood occupying the left flank.

The decision to push Connolly further forward paid immediate dividends as the 19-year-old netted one of the easiest goals he will ever score.

Just three minutes were on the clock when Mark Jermyn pumped the ball forward and Rene Steer’s weak header forced Louis Wells to come rushing out of his area.

The keeper looked favourite to get to the ball ahead of Connolly but Staines’ number one misjudged the bounce and the county town striker was left with an open goal.

Buoyed by the opening strike, the Magpies went in search of another.

Connolly was handed a great chance to double his tally four minutes later, but could only scuff at Nick Crittenden’s cut back, before Vickers twice went close with headers from Steve Devlin corners.

As so often this season, those misses came back to haunt the hosts as the visitors drew level via the penalty spot.

Captain Jermyn fouled counterpart Andre Scarlett in the middle of the park but referee Tim Wood played the advantage and in the blink of an eye, Richard Butler was clean through before being brought down in the box by Regan Coward.

Fortunately there were two covering defenders, thus saving the gloveman from what would have been an inevitable red card.

Dwane Lee stepped up to the plate and confidently dispatched the spot-kick.

Scott Taylor then skied over when well-placed as the Massive took the initiative, but the remainder of the half was something of a non-event until stoppage-time arrived.

Martin was fouled by Howard Newton near the left touchline, Flood whipped in a dangerous cross and Vickers beat Wells with a glancing header.

Dominic Sterling spurned a great opportunity to equalise less than 60 seconds into the second period, heading wide from the away side’s first corner of the match.

The defender need not have worried though, as good build-up play shortly after was capped off by a firm 25-yard drive from Newton that beat the dive of Coward and found the bottom-left corner.

A better ball from Flood just shy of the hour would have put either Crittenden or Connolly in pole position to regain the Magpies’ lead.

But the afternoon’s fifth goal went the way of Staines, who sliced through the home defence with ease before Taylor teed up Harris.

The winger’s 20-yard effort was far from ferocious and Coward will no doubt feel he could have done more to keep the strike at bay.

The young stopper began to make amends with a decent save from Butler, after the latter had sprung the offside trap, but at the other end chances were few and far between.

One rare opportunity saw Connolly knock down a long pass from Bowles but the angle was very much against Moss and he failed to make sufficient contact.

However, there was to be one final foray and a quickly taken corner from Devlin was spilled by Wells.

Crittenden collected the loose ball and centred for an unmarked Connolly to nod home from close-range and spark wild celebrations.

 

Blue Square Bet
Blue Square Bet South


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