DORCHESTER TOWN 3 PARLEY SPORTS 2

A LATE Dan Smith penalty sent the Magpies through to the third round of the Dorset Senior Cup tonight, though they made hard work of overcoming a resolute Parley outfit.

The Dorset Premier League side twice came from behind before Smith converted from the spot, but only after Jack Odam appeared to be brought down outside the visitors’ box.

Dorchester were without the likes of Nick Crittenden, Jake Smeeton, Ben Joyce and Andy Robinson for the clash, though they began the game with six players who started the Bristol Rovers clash three days earlier.

And when the tie got underway in a blanket of fog at the Avenue it was the team from the Southern Premier Division that took the lead.

Micky Hubbard swung over a free-kick five minutes in, Sam Lanahan deflected the ball on to the crossbar and Nathan Walker buried the rebound.

But the goal didn’t do anything to dampen the spirit of the visitors and, after Sports’ keeper Sam Jones had saved well from Odam, defender Lee Milton fired home when Dorchester failed to clear a corner.

However, just after the half-hour mark, the Magpies went back in front, this time through a Hubbard free-kick that flew past Jones.

The away side didn’t deserve to be behind at the break and they drew level thanks to a moment of magic from skipper Matt Newbery.

Magpies’ right-back Ryan Murray had just been booked when Newbery, picking up the ball a few yards inside the hosts’ area, produced a delightful chip that dropped over Alan Walker-Harris.

The first 15 minutes of the second half were nothing to write home about, with both sides struggling to create anything of note in the attacking third.

Then a glorious opportunity fell the way of Parley striker Toby Holmes.

The forward took the ball around Walker-Harris following an under-hit back pass by Mur-ray, only for the Dorchester defender to recover and block Holmes’ goal-bound effort.

Newbery went close to making it 3-2 on 72 minutes, before Oakley Hanger picked up the second booking of the match.

It was then Dorchester’s turn to threaten when Smith tested Jones twice in quick succession and substitute Keiron Parrett put a shot past the upright.

The tie looked to be heading for extra-time when, with 88 minutes on the clock, Odam was adjudged to have been brought down by Milton in the Parley box.

However, the challenge was at least two yards outside the area, something referee James Durkin clearly missed when awarding the spot-kick.

Smith sent Jones the wrong way to win the contest for the hosts.

Magpies: Walker-Harris, Murray, Hanger, Gleeson, Walker, Oldring, Hubbard, Lanahan (Parrett 67), Odam (Brookes 88), Godfrey, Smith. Subs not used: Murphy, Williams, Rolls.

Parley: Jones, Cook, Williams, Milton, Mardy, White, Bosley (Pratt 84), Hiscock, Newbery, Holmes (La Ronde 83), Wilson. Subs not used: Hayward, Rainer, Gilbert.

* Elsewhere in the Dorset Senior Cup tonight, Bridport lost 1-0 at home to Sherborne Town.

* A fans’ forum has been arranged for Monday, November 17 (7pm) in the lounge bar at the Avenue. Manager Graham Kemp and the board of directors will be there to answer questions .

* Dorchester’s reserve-team fixture against Andover New Street scheduled for tonight has been postponed.