DORCHESTER SPORTS 4

GILLINGHAM TOWN RES 3

A REMARKABLE comeback win in stoppage time meant Dorchester Sports claimed all three points against Gillingham Town Reserves, in a dramatic finish at the Avenue.

Former Weymouth man Jamie West got a hat-trick in the final 15 minutes of the encounter, scoring what proved to be the winner in the second minute of time added on – a goal from Adam Steele also helped the hosts to victory.

Sports made changes from their defeat against Swanage by bringing in Stuart Beasley, Brandon Heal and Danny Critchel. Jamie Symes was also back to partner West up front.

The game started scrappily with both teams trying to take control but it was Sports who created the better chances.

Gills’ keeper Josh Lucas, who signed from Sports earlier this season, was determined to keep the home team out with some sharp saves, first from Heal, Steele and then from Jamie Samways, who also blasted wide from close range.

The game then changed in the 41 minutes when Critchel’s hefty challenge left himself on the floor and he could not continue.

On the stroke of half-time, the away side forced a free-kick on the edge of the box and Elliott Bevis stepped up and put the ball into the corner to give the away side the lead.

Sports looked to the bench to try and change things with Luke De La Haye coming on for the injured Critchel but his first action was to bring down Bevis on the edge of the box.

Again Bevis stepped up and fired his free-kick past Beasley on 50 minutes for 2-0.

Dorchester were all over the place at this point and, when a collision at the back between two Sports’ defenders allowed Bevis to run free and square to Ryan Schouton to tap in, the game seemed all but done on 55 minutes.

Struggling at 3-0 down, Sports made a double change by bringing on Sam Pashen and Jamie Rawlings and the switches worked as the hosts started to gain some momentum. Pashen’s clever pass found West, who slid his shot past Lucas to pull a goal back.

Six minutes later, West had his brace when a long ball wasn’t dealt with by the away side and the former Terra lobbed the ball into the net from 25 yards out.

It was then 3-3 when Rawlings’ shot was parried by Lucas into the path of Steele, who converted from close range.

But Sports were not done yet.

With the Gills rattled, Pashen played in Symes down the right and his cross found West who shot low into the corner to complete an incredible comeback victory.

The win means the county town side sit sixth in the Dorset Premier League at Christmas, with 32 points from 17 games.

Sports: Beasley, Heal, Webb, Lochrie, Critchel (De La Haye 46), White, Samways (Pashen 57), Beasley (Rawlings 57), Steele, Symes, West.