Dorset Senior Cup Quarter Final (Tuesday 3rd December 2019
Hamworthy United: S Cooper, T Cooper, R Watkins, B Randall, A Costello, T Rolls, O Davis, L Francis (c) (H Cooper 75), C Munn, A Pope, J King (D Malik 60).
Unused Subs: D Randall, C Cocklin, D Cann
The Magpies compete in the Southern League Premier Division South, two levels above that of the Hammers. Despite their poor league position, they would be expected to be clear favourites in this County Cup encounter at the Clayson Stadium. Hammers' boss Tim Sills used the opportunity to look at some his fringe players. Meanwhile the Town, whose manager Callum Brooks moved over from Hamworthy only last season, fielded a strong team which included ex-Hammers Nick Hutchings, Sean Wright, along with substitute Eder Batista..
The match soon went to script. With only five minutes on the clock, Kyle Egan's superb run had taken him to the right bye-line. His neat layback found Tom Purrington who had no trouble slotting the ball home between Shane Cooper and the right post. The Town continued to create chances and doubled their lead on 20 minutes. Adam Costello tried to play his way out of trouble on the left by-line, but was unfortunately dispossessed by Klaidi Lolos. Lolos's pinpoint cross teed up a header for Tom Bath at the far post, which Cooper did well to claw out, but he had no chance with Bath's follow up shot. A little later, a fine diagonal ball by Magpies' Sean Wright found Tom Blair in space on the left. His well executed shot curled in towards the far post before nestling on the roof of the net. Dorchester added a third goal on 32 minutes .
A thunderous strike by Kyle Egan from 25 yards found the net via the underside of the bar, giving Cooper no chance to save. The Magpies remained in complete control until the interval, Shane Cooper doing well to keep out a deflected strike by Lolos, while an overhead kick by Callum Rose passed just wide. This had been a difficult half for United against tough opposition. They had been in the game until the second goal, but the pace of Town's movement, once they had gained possession, was at times too much for them.
The Town continued after the break where they left off. Cooper managed to get his body behind a powerful shot by Blair, but could not hold on the ball, and was relieved to see Lolos's follow up hit the side netting. Bath then fired just wide, before Costello bravely diverted the ball for a corner, just as Blair was about to pull the trigger. United' misery however worsened on 59 minutes in bizarre fashion. Rose's free kick from the near the half way line caught Cooper off his line, the ball sailing through the air and straight into the net. Ten minutes later Bath received the ball from Lolos on the edge of the area before beating Cooper with a crisp curling far post shot for the Town’s fifth goal. With the Magpies' pressure mounting, Cooper did well to eventually keep hold of a high cross which he almost dropped as he tangled with the bar, some Town players appealing the ball had crossed the line. Although the Hammers did start to show some guile in the final 20 minutes, Dorchester's scoring spree came back to roost in the closing period. In the 85th minute, the Town made it six, Tom Purrington from close range drove the ball home after being played through by Eder Batista.
Four minutes later Dorchester completed the rout. Purrington took the ball off a defender before dispatching it for Town's seventh goal, and his hat-trick.
In the final moments of the game, Cam Munn, arguably the Hammers' best player on the night, fired in a glorious long distance effort that passed just over the bar, and was duly applauded by the spectators. Despite the adverse score line, the Hammers can at least reflect on a few positives. It presented an opportunity for a young team to gain valuable experience, while 17 year old Munn did his first team credentials no harm with his tireless running and nice touches.
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