Chris Flood
DORCHESTER TOWN
1	Dan Thomas
2	Kyle Critchell
3	Jake Smeeton
4	Mark Jermyn
5	Nathan Walker
6	Gary Bowles
7	James Coutts
8	Jamie Gleeson		28
9	Ryan Moss
10	Chris Flood
11	Steve Devlin
Substitutes
12	Jayden Stockley
14	Neil Martin		28
15	Doug Bergqvist
16	Rico Wilson
17	Regan Coward
WESTON-SUPER-MARE
1	Lloyd Irish
2	Jamie Price
3	Martin Slocombe
4	Craig Rand
5	Jamie Laird
6	Simon Gilbert
7	Nabi Diallo		86
8	Ben Kirk
9	Sahr Kabba		57
10	Brett Trowbridge		90
11	Dayle Grubb
Substitutes
12	Dean Grubb		90
14	Marcus Duharty		57
15	Jake Mawford		86
16	Jory Cureton
17	Ricky Bennett
REFEREE
A. Hopkins (Plymouth)

Saturday 5th February 2011
		Dorchester Town	1
		Flood 72
		Weston-super-Mare	0

Seagulls sunk by Flood

by Ky Capel

Ashley Vickers will be extra keen to extend the stay of Chris Flood after the Crawley Town loanee fired in a fine free-kick to hand the Magpies their first win of 2011.

The winger-turned-striker, set to return to his parent club unless a new deal can be arranged, curled home from the edge of the box to sink the Seagulls and end a run of nine matches without a win for Dorchester Town.

The long overdue three-point haul also saw the county town outfit move four points clear of the Blue Square Bet South drop-zone – thanks in part to St Albans City’s 10-point deduction over financial irregularities.

Boss Vickers made just one change from the side that held promotion-chasing Chelmsford City – loan signing Dan Thomas replacing Regan Coward in between the sticks.

Fellow new arrival Doug Berg-qvist was forced to settle for a spot on the bench, as was returning full-back Neil Martin.

It was the visitors though, with the wind at their backs, who looked the more settled in the opening exchanges with Brett Trowbridge’s sixth-minute effort being deflected for a corner and the subsequent delivery, from ex-Terra Martin Slocombe, rebounding off the top of Thomas’ crossbar.

In fairness, had the delivery been a few inches lower, the debutant keeper was perfectly placed to gather.

Six minutes later, the AFC Bournemouth youngster could only watch as Dayle Grubb’s 25-yard drive sailed narrowly over the top.

However, the best chance of the opening quarter of an hour fell to the Magpies.

Flood latched on to Jamie Gleeson’s long pass and his cross picked out the onrushing Ryan Moss, but the home forward was unable to direct his header goalwards.

The hosts came even closer moments after as Flood’s headed effort, from Steve Devlin’s centre, fell agonisingly wide of the left-hand post.

Weston then had appeals for a penalty turned down, James Coutts nodded another Devlin delivery into the sky before the Magpies were forced into an early switch – Martin coming on for the injured Gleeson (knee).

Devlin, now occupying a central role with Martin pushed out to the left of midfield, volleyed straight at visiting keeper Lloyd Irish on the half hour and that proved to be the final moment of note in a relatively low-key half – not helped by the windy conditions.

With the elements now in their favour, Dorchester set about taking the initiative. And they almost drew first blood through a flurry of corners.

The first saw Kyle Critchell’s downward header bounce over the bar, the defender was denied once more on the second while the third of Devlin’s set-pieces was met by Gary Bowles but cleared off the line by Jamie Laird.

The Magpies’ main threat for three quarters of the match was aerial so the opening goal, in the 72nd minutes, came in somewhat surprising fashion.

The visiting wall was penalised for encroachment as Devlin’s initial free-kick was blocked.

And after the home winger and Seagulls’ substitute Marcus Duh-arty were booked for their part in a resulting melee, man-of-the-match Flood stepped up to curl the dead ball into the bottom right corner.

Having been a spectator for much of the afternoon, Thomas did well to block in front of Jamie Price as Weston went in search of a late leveller.

An equaliser should have been secured in the second minute of stoppage time but Duharty shot wide from 16 yards and in the end, the Seagulls failed to muster a single attempt on target.

	MATCH STATS
13	TOTAL ATTEMPTS	4
6	ATTEMPTS ON TARGET	0
7	ATTEMPTS OFF TARGET	3
0	HIT WOODWORK	1
9	CORNERS	2
1	OFFSIDES	3
7	FREE-KICKS CONCEDED	10