Town end nine-hour goal drought in defeat to Dorchester

STRATFORD Town ended a six-match goal drought but could not avoid a sixth defeat in seven games against Dorchester Town on Tuesday night.

First-half goals from Charlie Davis and Toby Holmes saw the visitors claim a 2-1 victory at the DCS Stadium.

Richard Gregory smashed home a late deflected effort for Town, ending the club’s barren run of more than nine hours without a goal.

Dorchester started the better of the sides and deservedly went ahead on 21 minutes.

Davis turned neatly inside the area before his shot wrong-footed Town goalkeeper Andy Kemp.

Town had decent chances to equalise through Mark Magee and Liam Francis within the space of a minute.

But Dorchester remained on top and went 2-0 ahead nine minutes before half-time.

Marcel Simpson misplaced his pass back to Kemp and Toby Holmes took full advantage, taking the ball around the Town goalkeeper before calmly slotting home.

Town came out with more purpose in the second half and they were unlucky not to equalise on 54 minutes when Gregory’s rasping 25-yard drive had Alan Walker-Harris beaten, only to see it cannon off the underside of the bar.

Four minutes later, Dorchester almost went 3-0 up when Mark Jermyn’s shot from inside of the area was cleared off the line by substitute Simeon Tulloch.

Gregory’s late effort added some cheer to an otherwise disappointing night for Town, for whom the end of the season can’t come soon enough.

Stratford Town: Andy Kemp, Aaron Stringfellow, Kieren Westwood (Simeon Tulloch 17), Marcel Simpson, Liam Francis (c), Jack Roberts, Aaron Moses-Garvey, Michael McGrath, Mark Magee, Richard Gregory, Jamie Sheldon. Subs not used: Tyrone Fagan, Dior Angus, Charlie Faulkner.

Dorchester Town: Alan Walker-Harris, Ben Walker, Neil Martin, Mark Jermyn, Henry Lander, Chris Dillon, Charlie Davis, Luke Holmes (Oakley Hanger 69), Nathan Walker (c), Toby Holmes (Simon Proffitt 76), Bradley Tarbuck (Jason Brookes 85). Subs not used: Shane Murphy, Nick Crittenden.

Full report, reaction and more pictures in this week's Herald