SWINDON SUPERMARINE 1

Campbell 65

DORCHESTER TOWN 0

DORCHESTER Town were unable to add to their solitary point of 2020 in the BetVictor Southern Premier South as a battling performance went unrewarded in a 1-0 defeat away at promotion hopefuls Swindon Supermarine.

Ryan Campbell’s second-half strike at the Webbswood Stadium condemned Dorchester to a fourth league defeat in a row since drawing at home to Blackfield & Langley on New Year’s Day.

It also extends the Magpies’ winless league run to a 14th game and keeps them at the foot of the table.

Dorchester boss Leigh Robinson was forced to shuffle his pack in Wiltshire, making three changes to the side that started the heavy defeat to Hayes & Yeading at the weekend.

Illness forced Tom Bath to miss the match, while Tiago Sa and Luke Winsper were ruled out through injury as Jack Torniainen, Harry Gardner and Neil Martin came in.

Marine mustered the first sight of goal as Conor McDonagh got his head to Joe Shepherd’s cross but sent the effort wide under pressure from Jamie Laird.

Dorchester were fearing the worst midway through the half when a ball over the top bounced up onto the arm of the back-pedalling Nathan Walker. Fortunately, referee Ryan Saward deemed the offence to have taken place outside the box.

Town keeper Shane Murphy was called into action for the first time at the resulting free-kick and dived to his right to push away Michael Hopkins’ strike.

The save sparked Dorchester into life and a good run into the Marine box by Harry Gardner was not accompanied by a finish in kind as Harry Warwick sliced at fresh air after receiving the lay-off.

Further good chances were at a premium as a goalless first half wound to a conclusion, although a wicked deflection almost handed Marine the lead as Jamie Edge’s free-kick cannoned off a defender before bobbling across goal and wide.

Again, there was not much action of note as the second half got under way and the hour mark had passed by the time Marine broke the deadlock.

Hopkins’ neat pass split the visiting defence and Campbell pounced to drill a low first-time effort into the bottom corner of the net.

Dorchester were in no mood to roll over, though, and Billy Lowes was inches away from an equaliser when his curling effort dipped a fraction too late and landed on the roof of the net.

Marine sought to make the points safe in the closing moments and the lunging Harry Williams could not quite stretch to meet Stuart Fleetwood’s cross as Dorchester failed to galvanise themselves into one last meaningful push.

Supermarine: Horsell, Shepherd, Hopkins, Edge, M Williams, Liddiard, H Spalding, Hooper, H Williams, McDonagh (Fleetwood 77), Campbell. Subs not used: Hill, Coupe, L Spalding, Downer.

Booked: H Spalding (68)

Magpies: Murphy, Torniainen, Martin, Laird (Morris 57), Walker, Wright, Clarke, Lowes, Warwick (Batista 65), Rowthorn, Gardner. Subs not used: Hutchings, Toland.

Booked: Walker (34), Laird (56)

Referee: Ryan Saward

Attendance: 217