Welcome To Poole
Related Articles
CHURCH-CHRIST 0
DORCHESTER Town claimed their first pre-season victory with a complete 5-0 victory over Christchurch at Avenue Stadium.
Sam Bayston’s brace gave the Magpies control at the break before a magnificent move was finished with aplomb by Dylan Walker for 3-0.
Sam Davidson added a fourth goal with his first goal at Dorchester before former Magpies midfielder Ollie Davis deflected a George Calverley cross into his own net.
Dorchester will be pleased with the outcome against opponents who knocked them out of the FA Cup last season.
However, at times thirsty passing and movement director Robbie Herrera has disappeared – understandably perhaps in stifling conditions.
The warm temperatures were accentuated by the Avenue 3G pitch, which acted like a cauldron, but that didn’t stop the Magpies from opening the scoring in the seventh minute.
READ MORE: Dorset motorcycle stars win double podium at Knockhill
New signing Christos Papakonstantinou deprived Christchurch of possession in his third game, the winger left with the simple task of advancing and lining up for Bayston to score 12 yards.
Dorchester’s strong start continued as Tiago Sa drifted into the center of the Priory defense to obediently shoot goalkeeper Suk.
Between two drink breaks, Suk was called in for a superb double save from Oakley Hanger, who first shot powerfully on the right edge of the box before seeing his follow-up denied at a tight angle.
Christchurch began to force his way into the game finding attractive combinations in midfield, but their only chance to score in the first half came when Sammy Chillman brushed against a wide header.
Instead, it was another Dorchester press who scored a second goal, with Bayston attacking Charlie Martin on the signing before jumping into the six-yard box and passing Suk.
Bayston nearly repeated the trick for his hat trick in first-half injury time as he again caught Martin taking a nap to slide his shot away from the far post with the goal in his hand. thank you.
At halftime, Herrera replaced Hanger and Charlie Madden with Walker and Jack Lovell, with the changes taking less than four minutes to make an impact.
Dorchester leapt onto the counter after clearing a Christchurch corner, Walker sweeping a nice ball towards Papakonstantinou on the right.
The former Bournemouth man raced towards the retreating defense before crossing for Walker, whose first touch was flawless, allowing him to strike high into the roof of the net for 3-0.
Shortly after Papakonstantinou left for Joel Hewitt, the Magpies had four when Sa’s corner was pushed home by a Davidson ducking two yards.
Billy Lowes also rocked the post in the 58th minute as Dorchester threatened a fifth before the introduction of young defenders Connor Callow, Josh Phillips, goalkeeper Tyler Coombes and Calverley.
Harry Hodges, goalkeeper Alan Walker-Harris, skipper Ashley Wells and Davidson were the men to give way.
To their credit, Christchurch never gave up and really should have scored when Davis threw an effort off the bar following a kickback clearance from Callow.
Davis attempted to catch Coombes out of his line with a finicky chip before Dorchester substitute Ben Symes lost a good chance at 12 yards.
Dorchester continued to support, helped by the enthusiasm and ability of six young players on the field.
One of them, Calverley, provided the cross for the fifth goal as Davis’s clumsy attempt to clear resulted in an own goal.
Davis later had the misfortune of not scoring consolation with a plunging free kick that allowed for a fabulous Coombes save that preserved the Magpies’ clean sheet.
Dorchester will host the next Western League Premier League Buckland Athletic at Toolstation on Saturday (3pm).
Magpies: Walker-Harris (Coombes 60), Hanger (Lovell 46), Sa, Wells (Phillips 60), Davidson (Callow 60), Madden (Walker 46), Hodges (Calverley 60), Purrington (Fowles 74), Lowes, Bayston (Symes 74), Papakonstantinou (Hewitt 51).
Christchurch: Suk (Pickup 46), Smith (Hiscock 21), Power, Gleeson, Martin (Spillane 68), Davis, Chillman, Batista (Nixon 55), O’Donalled (Hatch 68), Steer, Toland.
Arbitrator: Nat Wormleighton
