Ruthless Borough finish Magpies’ unbeaten streak

By Connor Steel

GOSPORT BOROUGH bounced back from a two-nil midweek league defeat against Harrow Borough as they travelled to Dorchester Town on Saturday afternoon; comfortably beating their ‘resurgent’ opponents three-nil following a clinical and professional away performance throughout the ninety minutes under dry sunny skies at a packed Avenue Stadium.

The hosts began brightly and created their first chance on eight minutes when they won a dangerous looking set-piece, which was ultimately slammed into the defensive wall. And this proved to be a “missed opportunity” as Borough scored just before the fifteen minute mark when Dan Wooden made space at a corner; the striker nodding home into the goal.

Borough naturally grew in overall confidence and doubled the advantage on nineteen minutes through Harry Kavanagh who advanced forward and hit a rocket inside the right corner from range. Chances then followed across both sides as Shaquelle Gwengwe saw his effort blocked by his own teammate, before Rafa Ramos was denied by Jameson Horlick.

It became three-nil to Gosport on thirty minutes when Jake Cope and Wooden broke into space down the left side, the latter’s cross nestled into the bottom right after initially blasting the crossbar. Dorchester did try to reduce these arrears as Will Fletcher and Corby Moore went close either side of added time; both drives failing to trouble this away backline.

Dorchester resumed the second half with increased urgency as Moore saw his skidding effort saved easily by Borough keeper Toby Steward, who furthermore parried an ambitious shot just minutes later. The young star however saved the best effort for the 62nd minute when he somehow saved a powerful shot over from a former teammate in Jonny Efedje.

Substitutions followed across both teams as Borough dominated possession for a long period, which saw them almost make it four-nil with twenty minutes left. It came as Bradley Tarbuck saw Ramos at the back post and the attacker was off-balance as he sliced inches wide of the right post; Sam Hookey’s delivery intercepted by a defender moments later.

Proceedings appeared to be drifting towards its natural conclusion but there was still time for chances; the home team seeing Moore drag over the bar from 20 yards out after a corner. Down the other end Tarbuck set Lucias Vine through on goal against the Dorchester goalkeeper, who stayed tall and the Borough striker guided wide before the last whistle.

These three points mean that Gosport remain fully in the play-off picture with approximately fifteen matches left to play in the “regular season”; leaders Chesham now running away at the Southern League Summit. Pat Suraci and Joe Lea now face a critical period for the team as they host Salisbury on Saturday, before travelling to Hungerford and Tiverton.

PICTURED BY TOM PHILLIPS: Gosport players celebrate their second goal in a three-nil victory over resurgent hosts.