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Dorchester Town 0, Thurrock 1

DAVID Bryant's 63rd minute goal gave Thurrock, who played most of the match with ten men, all the points in Saturday's Blue Square South encounter at the Avenue Stadium.

The first effort on goal came from the visitors in the seventh minute when Greg Lincoln's left foot shot was wide of the mark and four minutes later Dorset keeper Francisco Ramos got his finger tips to the ball to tip over Che Stadhart's header following a cross from Fola Orilonishe.

A free kick in the 19th minute from Jamie Gleeson lead to the Magpies' first effort on goal with Jones Awuah heading just over.

On the half hour mark Thurrock were reduced to ten men. Awuah broke away only to be tripped by Swaine. The referee blew for the foul and then consulted his assistant; most people thinking to ask if the foul was inside or outside the area, instead he came back and showed Swaine a red card having decided that Swaine was the last defender.

The Thurrock defensive wall dealt with the resulting free kick.

As a result of the sending off Kenny Clark moved into the centre of defence, Bai Mas Lettejallow to right back, David Bryant into mid-field leaving Stadhart up front on his own.

Although the home side did the majority of the pressing, recording 10 first half corners it was Fleet who came closest to opening the score when just before half time Bryant's shot from range was pushed over the bar by Ramos.

The second half opened with David Blackmore making an excellent save from Mark Jermyn, whose powerful shot took a deflection but Blackmore still managed to turn the ball away for a corner.

Thurrock's winning goal in the 63rd minute came in a rather peculiar fashion. Thurrock passed the ball back to Dorchester following treatment to one of their players. As keeper Ramos went to gather the ball he fumbled it over the goal line for a corner.

Orilonishe's corner on the right found Clark whose shot was cleared off the line by Dorchester defender Jake Smeeton only for the ball to go back to Matt Bodkin. His centre was met firmly by Bryant's head to send the ball into the net.

Despite pressure from the home side Thurrock held firm to deny Dorchester and leave the Dorset side ten points away from safety in their battle against relegation.

Towards the end of the game a rather ironic cheer whet up or was it even laughter as it was announced that the Dorchester match day sponsors had chosen goalkeeper Ramos as their Man of the Match.

Blue Square South

2:12am Sunday 30th March 2008

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