Town score twice in three minutes to down Dorchester

STRATFORD Town completed the double over visiting Dorchester with an ultimately comfortable 2-0 success, writes Bryan Hale.

The Magpies were first to threaten with Stratford keeper Louis Connor making a smart save from Billy Lowes in the sixth minute followed by Archie Collins having a fierce effort deflected behind off Liam Francis.

Stratford settled down and went close to talking the lead in the 25th minute when Will Grocott crossed to Ben Stephens, who shot against Magpies' keeper Chris Weale with Edwin Ahenkorah’s follow-up attempt being scrambled clear.

Weale then kept his side level on 32 minutes as he stretched to tip over a rasping drive from Eli Bako before Stratford stunned the Magpies with two goals in the last three minutes of the first half.

Firstly, Ahenkorah beat the offside trap to run on to a Francis pass and slot past Weale and then after had Weale pushed another Ahenkorah shot against the bar, Grocott fired home the rebound.

Some resolute Stratford defending snuffed out any prospect of a Dorchester comeback after the restart with Sam Lanahan volleying over their best chance, while only a goal line clearance by Kyle Egan prevented Mike Taylor extending Stratford’s advantage.

But the afternoon ended on a sour note for Taylor as he was sent off in the third minute of added time after picking up a second yellow card after an incident near the corner flag.