For the second time this season the battle of the Dorset Magpies ended all-square in front of a four-figure crowd – it was 1-1 at The Wyatt Homes Stadium back in November, attendance 1,001. On this occasion the goals came in the first-half: Olaf Koszela with a 20th minute penalty for the hosts, Matty Burrows replying five minutes later.

After two gruelling games in the previous week, manager Tim Sills made just one change to his starting XI: Will Fletcher up front for Toby Holmes. But the formation changed to a 3-5-2 with Matty Burrows given a free role alongside the big centre-forward.

On a beautiful Spring-like afternoon, with both defences putting in dominant displays, clear-cut chances would be at a premium. It was Matty Burrows who was first to come to prominence: on four minutes his speedy run ended with a low cross which was scrambled away; next he won the ball in midfield and scampered away into the Dorchester half; and then, taking Jez Bedford’s pass on the right, he twisted and turned to create space for a shot which went narrowly wide. Despite this early promise, it was Dorchester who opened the scoring on 20 minutes. Referee Whittington deemed Owen Roundell-Prince’s tackle on Fogden just inside the right-hand corner of the box to be illegal and awarded a penalty. Wimborne’s players were incensed, and your match reporter has sympathy for their view. Koszela slammed the penalty into the corner of the net.

It was a cruel blow for the visitors after such a bright opening. But five minutes later they were back on level terms. A miss-placed defensive pass fell to Burrows 30 yards out in the middle of the pitch; he controlled the ball and raced forward before coolly slotting the ball past keeper Lee. Play flowed from end-to-end for the rest of the half with defences dominant – Drew Eccott-Young, skipper Sam Jackson, Sam Roberts and Harvey Wright were in commanding form at one end, Spetch at the other, with neither keeper having to make a save. The nearest we came to another score was on 40 minutes when Wimborne’s wall jumped to block Daws’ 25-yard free-kick.

Wimborne had the better start to the second-half too. After Roundell had stopped Fogden shooting, from the right Burrows whipped a dangerous free-kick into the box which came off a defender’s head for a corner on the left. The winger’s second delivery in seconds was on the money too and Jackson’s goal-bound header was cleared off the line by Moore. But gradually the home team gained the ascendancy: twice Bedford intercepted and cleared attacks; Fletcher dived to head a free-kick clear; Ross Flitney and Roberts collided as they bravely cleared a low cross; Flitney saved Moore’s shot; Josh Carmichael intercepted to clear another attack; Bedford cleared twice more.

Although Matt Neale’s 89th minute free-kick was scrambled into the net only for the linesman to raise his flag for offside, it was the hosts who asked questions of the visitors’ defence for the rest of the game – and, to a man, the boys in blue answered with magnificent defiance. A plethora of corners, delivered with precision by Moore, were dispatched out of the danger area. After five minutes of added-on time referee Whittington turned again to the centre-spot, and Tim’s team had earned themselves another well-deserved point. That’s a very creditable five points in eight days against two teams in the play-off places and a local derby. Wimborne remain 15th, but now six points clear of the drop zone.

Dorchester had gone 17 league games unbeaten, and only lost once at The Avenue this season. So that tells you that this point against the team 5th in the table was a very good one. There were really good performances throughout the team from Flitney to Fletcher, but a special mention for Jez Bedford who put in a terrific shift as a wing-back.

Wimborne: Flitney, Eccott-Young (Walker 71), Roberts, Wright, Jackson, Roundell-Prince (Carmichael 64), Morgan, Munn (Neale 78), Bedford, Burrows (Holmes 76), Fletcher (Lovell 89)

Attendance: 1,021

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