TAUNTON TOWN 2

Holmes 40, Chamberlain 47

DORCHESTER TOWN 1

Koszela 20

DORCHESTER Town suffered a fifth defeat in seven Pitching In Southern Premier South games as Taunton Town claimed an entertaining 2-1 win.

The Magpies really should have taken a point from this encounter as home keeper Lloyd Irish kept his side ahead with a number of important saves.

Chances flooded both ends in the opening exchanges as Owen Howe saw a shot blocked and Toby Holmes fired over before Dorchester’s Tom Bath followed suit from Emile Ngoy’s flick-on.

Weymouth loanee Harry Burns fired over after neat combination play from Olaf Koszela and Bath, but shortly afterwards Dorchester were ahead.

Dorchester’s front three linked up superbly as Ngoy and Bath this time turned provider for Torquay loanee Koszela to fire past Irish in the 20th minute.

On balance it was a deserved lead and the opportunities remained in healthy supply as Koszela and Howe traded off-target shots.

But Taunton edged into the ascendancy and levelled five minutes before the break as former Magpies’ striker Holmes raced onto a long ball and ruthlessly slotted past away keeper Will Buse.

Immediately after the restart, Dorchester suffered déjà vu from Saturday’s 6-1 loss to Salisbury as their opponents netted in the 46th minute.

While Salisbury then bagged their third in the 49th minute, Taunton this time went ahead seconds after the whistle when Ollie Chamberlain’s crisp shot smacked the post and bulged the net.

Last season’s top scorer Bath went close minutes later and Dorchester continued to apply pressure on boss Leigh Robinson’s old club.

Tiago Sa first fired wide midway through the half and Irish then produced a stunning stop to preserve the Peacocks’ lead.

Koszela, proving a real handful for Taunton, created the chance for sub Leighton Thomas, but the winger was denied by Irish’s paw when he seemed destined to score.

Taunton sub Lee Lucas and Holmes both tested Buse late on as Dorchester raided forward in search of a point.

And in stoppage time the goal Dorchester merited was almost forced home only for Irish to keep out Burns’ effort, Koszela then wrapping the follow-up against the post as Taunton survived.

In the end, a much-improved display from the Magpies went unrewarded as the county town side slipped to 19th, Taunton moving into eighth.

Taunton: Irish, Goodall, Foulston (Staley 58), McBeam (Lucas 53), Grimes, Wannell, Chamberlain, Holmes, Sullivan, Guest, Howe (Hill 53). Subs not used: Copp, Short.

Magpies: Buse, Hodges (Hanger 82), Sa, Dunstan, Slough, Wells, Burns, Lowes, Bath (Wilson 72), Ngoy (Thomas 58), Koszela. Subs not used: Bayston, Torniainen.

Attendance: 476

Referee: Jack Clench