The Magpies claimed a deserved point on Saturday as they came from a goal down to draw 1-1 against Bracknell.
The point sees Tommy Killick's side sit in fifth place ahead of their visit to Gosport on Wednesday night. There were two changes to the side that suffered a 1-0 defeat at Swindon seven days prior as Will Spetch returned from suspension and Luke Roberts was handed a start up front. Matt Buse and Marcus Daws were the men to make way. The side also received a boost as manager Tommy Killick returned to the dugout following his absence last weekend.
After an impeccably observed two minutes silence for Remembrance Day weekend, both sides started the game in cautious fashion with forays into either attacking third being a rarity. Roberts had the first Dorchester effort of any note, his effort going harmlessly over the bar, with Sam Ashton doing the same for Bracknell moments later. There was little between the sides and it took a moment of individual brilliance to bring the game to life.
A ball over the top of the Dorch defence found Joel Rollinson who took a touch with his chest before arrowing an effort into the far corner past Gerard Benfield. The goal seemed to open the game up a little with Wes Fogden and Jack Dickson both having efforts on goal, the latter comfortably saved and the former blocked, and Ashton missed a golden chance to double the hosts' lead as he failed to get his effort from close range on target following some penalty area pinball. There was one final chance before halftime as some excellent buildup play involving Fogden and Roberts set Olaf Koszela away one on one, but his finish was uncharacteristically wayward, with his effort rolling agonisingly wide of the far post. That was just about the final piece of action as the referee brought the half to a close, Bracknell leading 1-0.
Neither side made any changes at the interval, and the game remained very close for the first 15 minutes. But once the hour mark was reached, the pace picked up drastically. Benfield produced an excellent save down low to his right and would have been totally unaware of the assistant's flag for offside in the build up, his handling passed another test soon after as Bracknell looked to get a second. Back came The Magpies as Daws was introduced in place of Roberts, and his direct running made an immediate impact as Fogden saw a goal-bound effort cleared off the line. Dorch were starting to increase the pressure and their efforts were helped as George Knight received his second yellow card with 20 minutes to play as the hosts were reduced to ten men. Ollie Haste and Kyran Samadi came on in place of Ieuan Turner and Tom Bragg as the search for an equaliser intensified, and Dorch got the goal they craved with 79 minutes on the clock.
Daws once again was at the heart of things as his effort from just outside the area wasn't held by the Bracknell keeper, with Wes Fogden turning the loose ball in from all of six yards to level the game at 1-1. A big final ten minutes followed as Bracknell saw a headed chance only succeed in warming Benfield's gloves, Fogden saw his header from a Pardoe ball in flash just wide, and each side had scrambles in the penalty area come to nothing. As the six minutes of added time began, the home side were reduced to nine men as last man Anthony Cheshire hauled down Samadi after he'd been set clear of the defence, but despite having all the possession, Dorch couldn't fashion the chance they needed to win the game, the end result of a draw probably being the right one as two good sides were unable to be separated.
Attention now turns to Wednesday night with a trip to 16th placed Gosport, Tommy Killick's side knowing they can move fourth with a victory.
Starting XI: Benfield; Bragg (Haste), Spetch, Turner (Samadi); Dickson, Moore, Ngalo, Pardoe; Fogden, Koszela; Roberts (Daws). Subs not used: Buse, Holmes.
Attendance: 378
Written by: Stuart Voss