Super Magpies rock Terras
by David Swain

Tuesday 3rd January 2006

REVENGE couuld not have been sweeter for Dorchester who sent the Conference South leaders packing in front of a gate of over 3,000 at the Avenue Stadium.

Mark Morris's battlers got a goal in each half from Glenn Howes and Justin Keeler and that was more than enough to end the Terras streak of ten consecutive victories.

The Magpies may not be the best footballing side in the division, but when the chips are down few sides at this level can out-scrap them.

Garry Hill's expensively-assembled squad didn't even come close - and their tally of only one tame shot on goal throughout the entire 90 minutes could mean club benefactor Martyn Harrison will need to get out his chequebook again to keep them at the top of the table.

After scoring early when the two sides met at the Wessex on Boxing Day, the Terras went flat out to repeat the dose and for the first ten minutes Craig Bradshaw's goal in front of the visiting fans at the Tesco end was under constant threat.

But it never developed into anything more than a threat with the keeper dealing effectively with a string of crosses and a blanket defence closing ranks at the first hint of a shooting opportunity.

Two mis-hit efforts from Dorchester's Jamie Brown, which sailed yards wide, were all the Magpies could muster in the first 15 which brought a booking for Shaun Wilkinson, presumably for taking a free kick after referee Ron Glanfield had told him to wait.

Mark Jermyn's yellow card for a full blooded lunge that left Trevor Challis needing treatment was less debatable.

Terras' nerves began to show when Roy O'Brien and Jason Matthews dithered over a clearance, the former Magpies defender eventually hacking Ryan Hill's chipped pass away as Matt Groves sensed half a chance.

A high and wide header from Alex Browne was then countered by Andy Harris's snatched shot from distance which sailed high over the bar at the other end.

Steve Clark replaced Lee Elam on 21 minutes, but the Terras continued to run into a brick wall and when Dorchester got their first attempt on target after 27 minutes it was a beauty.

The busy Groves wriggled free from a Challis challenge before driving in a waist high cross from the right and Glenn Howes met it with a precision volley that ripped past Matthews from six yards.

A more convincing shot from Keeler minutes later could have made it two, but his weak effort was easily gobbled up by Matthews.

The Terras keeper was quickly in action again and when he lost out to Groves in a 50-50 challenge the assistant official came to the visitor's rescue by signalling a foul against the keeper - a decision that was met with stares of disbelief from the Magpies striker and howls of derision from home fans behind the goal at the bypass end.

As Dorchester finished the half on top, the same official came in for more stick when Groves appeared to break past Challis only to be halted by the offside flag.

Bound and Wilkinson both failed to hit the target as the Terras made shooting space in a bright start to the second half and when Clark skipped away from Simon Radcliffe on the right and delivered a great cross, Eribenne's feeble finish was easily scooped up by Bradshaw.

With the Terras committing a lot of men to attack, Dorchester hit them on the break and scored a second after 57 minutes.

Keeler picked up a clearance just inside the Terras half and ran 20 yards at a retreating defence with the home crowd willing their top scorer to swing his lethal left foot into action.

When he finally did, it wasn't quite what they were hoping for - but there were no complaints about the outcome. The ball seemed to run down his shin on to his boot, producing the perfect looping strike that cleared Matthews' groping finger-
tips before dipping viciously in under the crossbar.

The rattled Terras might then have gone further behind - and been reduced to ten men in the process - when Matthews appeared to wrestle Groves to the ground inside the area. Referee Ganfield saw nothing wrong with the challenge however.

As Dorchester battled for the killer third goal Matthews could only push away Keeler's 61st minute drive and

when Jamie Brown retrieved the loose ball and chipped back across the middle, a diving Groves saw his header cleared off the goal-line by Bound.

A goal might just have shaken Dorchester's resolve in the last half hour.

But Steve Clark's gentle 20-yarder into Bradshaw's arm was the Terras' only accurate strike as Steve Tully Craig O'Connor, Clark and Harris all failed to trouble the keeper from good positions.