Basingstoke Town secured a crucial 3-1 victory over Dorchester Town, ending their opponent's impressive 12-game unbeaten run and boosting their own confidence.

Dorchester threatened at almost every opportunity from the start, but crucially could not breach the Basingstoke goalline.

Luke Pardoe drilled wide in the sixth minute while Drew Eccott-Young followed suit after promising build-up play from Marcus Daws.

Olaf Koszela and Shaq Gwengwe also blasted wide and the big chances flowed as Pardoe was superbly denied by Grant and Billy Upton hooked off the line to deprive the Magpies.

After a breathless 15 minutes the action relented and Basingstoke conjured their first chance when Ferdinand was denied by Horlick.

Dorchester broke after that chance, only for Corby Moore to rifle over, but the Magpies were soon back on top.

Koszela’s fierce drive forced Basingstoke goalkeeper Simon Grant into an adept tumbling save and, from the resulting corner, Moore’s floated delivery picked out 19-year-old Ed James who headed at Grant.

Grant’s work was far from done in the half, though, as Gwengwe fizzed a header at him which required an interception on the line.

However, Basingstoke inched themselves in front as Ferdinand touched a long ball beyond Horlick and bobbled the ball over the line for 1-0 as the hosts somehow ended the half in front.

Koszela and skipper Jordan Ngalo both shot wide early in the second period, prompting Killick into his first change in the 56th minute as Eccott-Young came off for striker Will Fletcher.

His change had the desired effect as Dorchester levelled three minutes later, Turner getting the final touch after Moore’s corner caused a goalmouth scramble. (1-1)

Parity was only restored for four minutes as Dorchester failed to clear their lines and Wilson was there to power a sizzling strike beyond Horlick for 2-1.

Dorchester had no other alternative but to flood forward in the last throes as they looked, at minimum, to preserve their unbeaten run.

Daws and Turner came off late on for Jonny Efedje and Harry Redknapp Jr respectively but Basingstoke proved difficult to dislodge on the 3G turf.

One final roll of the dice saw Horlick go up for a free-kick deep into added time and, when the Stoke cleared their lines, Hodges belted the ball three quarters of the pitch.

Dorchester could only watch on in agony as the ball bounced three times, hit the post and laboured over the line to inflict their first away loss for nearly five months.

'Stoke, placed 12th, will face Hungerford Town away in the last league game of the season.