By James Gray
DORCHESTER TOWN 3
Parker 35, Smith 47, 59
WALTON & HERSHAM 3
Parkes 90+2, Powell 90+4, Hubynets 90+5
Walton & Hersham produced a scarcely believable comeback in second half injury-time to draw 3-3 against Dorchester Town at the Avenue Stadium.
On a balmy summer's afternoon in Dorset, the Swans scored three times in just four minutes to leave the Magpies stunned.
Dorchester boss Tom Killick made three changes to the side that started in Tuesday's defeat to Tiverton Town, with defenders Will Spetch and Jack Dickson returning from suspension and injury respectively.
Summer signing Charlie Wooding was also handed a first start in midfield as Cameron Murray dropped to the bench alongside Brooklyn Genesini, who was announced as a Magpies player before kick-off.
There were no places in the matchday squad for either Ollie Haste or Ieuan Turner, who both missed out with Gerard Benfield, Wes Fogden and Marcus Daws.
Walton, who themselves were looking to bounce back from a midweek away loss to Hanwell Town, made two changes to their starting eleven, with captain Joey Jones and new signing Riley Horan coming in for Thabo Kuaho and Diamond Edwards.
In the opening minutes, Walton striker Dawid Rogalski looked to have robbed Dickson of possession and be clean through on goal, only for referee Jack Bronham to award a foul, much to the ire of the Walton bench.
Minutes later, Jack Wood forced Dorchester goalkeeper Josey Casa-Grande into the first save of the match, after cutting inside Corby Moore and firing low towards goal.
As the half progressed, it was Walton who dominated much of the ball and territory, with the Magpies seemingly content to defend compactly and hit the Swans on the counter attack.
It was a tactic that would prove fruitful for the hosts in the 35th minute, as the Magpies took the lead with their first effort on goal.
Tom Smith whipped a ball in behind the Walton defence for striker Joe Parker to chase and, when faced with the onrushing Jos Barker, produced a deft lob over the Walton goalkeeper, with the ball hitting the near post before nestling in the back of the net.
Halftime arrived without any further chances of note for either side and the Magpies with their noses in front.
Dorchester got off to a dream second-half start as Luke Pardoe knocked the ball past his opponent on the Magpies right flank and floated a cross towards Smith, who, from just outside the six-yard box, dispatched a header low to Barker's right to make it 2-0.
Parker was next to go close for Dorchester, but his shot, from the left-hand side of the Walton goal, could only find the side netting. Meanwhile, at the other end of the pitch, Mason Obeng was unable to trouble Casa-Grande, after good play between Wood and Lucas Defise presented the Walton attacker with a headed opportunity inside the Dorchester penalty box.
In the 59th minute, things got even better for the Magpies as Smith grabbed his second and Dorchester's third goal of the contest. The midfielder received the ball from the ever-industrious Luke Roberts before cutting inside from the Magpies left wing and unleashing a right-footed curling effort beyond the grasp of Barker.
As the second-half drew on, both sides made a number of substitutions, with each bench looking to affect the game in their favour, and, as the match clock hit six minutes of added time, it appeared Dorchester were on the brink of a well-earned first win of the season.
That was until the second minute of added time, when Stefan Parkes arrowed a superb finish into the top-left corner of Casa-Grande's goal to reduce the deficit for Walton and spark the most unlikely of comebacks.
Barely two minutes later and Walton were within touching distance of levelling the scores, when Jones drove into the Magpies penalty box and squared for Johl Powell to slot home.
A quite stunning recovery was complete just a minute later when another Walton substitute, Danylo Hubynets, got on the end of Edwards' cross to finish past Casa-Grande and leave the Avenue Stadium shellshocked.
Magpies: Casa-Grande, Dickson (Genesini 77), Spetch, Wright, Pardoe, Moore, Wooding, Roberts (Hutchinson 84), Buse, Smith (Murray 90), Parker (Robinson 88). Subs not used: Pitman.
Walton & Hersham: Barker, Horan, Bolger (Parkes 63), Jones, Light, Defise (Nuur 63), Obeng, Rogalski (Hubynets 88), Powell, Wood (Edwards 63), Bolton. Subs not used: Alfalahi.