HARTLEY Wintney held off a late rally from home side Dorchester Town to win by the odd goal in five to claim all three points in Dorset.

The Row started the brighter but it was the Magpies who recorded the first effort on goal after fove minutes, Billy Lowes was able to deliver a cross from the right and the header from Samuel Lanahan brought out a comfortable save for the well positioned Hartley keeper Luke Williams.

Hartley started to get a stranglehold in midfield and pressed for the opening goal.

On 13 minutes, a crisp move down the right saw Sal Abubakar and Mickel Platt combine to feed Josh Webb who set up Tom Bird who went close with his effort.

Abubakar was at the heart of many Row moves down the right and teamed up well with his two fellow youngsters in attack Dean Rule and Mickel Platt.

Hartley forced a number of corners as they dominated proceedings but were just unable to get the breakthrough.

In a rare Magpies attack on 32 minutes. Antonio Diaz delivered a cross which Lanahan managed to reach and forced a good save from Williams.

The Row resumed on the attack and the pressure finally told on 44 minutes.

A Josh Webb corner on the right found the head of Alex Albert at the back post and his header found the net despite the best efforts of Dorchester goalkeeper Shane Murphy to keep it out.

Hartley almost doubled the lead on the stroke of half time when Platt chased a long ball and saw his parting effort go just wide.

Hartley continued where they left off in the first half. On 47 minutes a fluent move down the left saw Webb and Bird combine well down the left and the latter’s cross found Abubakar who saw his effort go wide.

However, the second goal was delayed by just one minute.

A left wing corner from Webb found Jack Ball at the back post and his header back across the goalkeeper found the net.

On 53 minutes, a good run from Dean Rule saw him combine with Abubakar whose cross found Webb who shot wide when well placed to score.

Six minutes later, another Webb corner on the left again found Ball whose header was just over the bar.

The Magpies started to edge back into the game with Thomas Blair giving them an added threat for goal.

On 67 minutes, a cross from Kyle Egan for the Dorch on the right found Callum Rose who brought out a good save from Williams.

On 70 minutes, the Row made the game safe with an excellent third goal. Abubakar coming in from the right found Jack French.

The midfielder laid the ball off to Tom Bird who fired in a fierce shot from 25 yards which went into the top corner of the net leaving Murphy with no chance of stopping.

There was a long delay for the game to resume as Callum Rose for the Magpies required treatment to a neck injury following a collision with a fellow defender.

The defender was able to walk back to the changing room and was replaced by Luke Winsper.

The home side pressed hard to get back into the match and on 73 minutes a cross from the dangerous Blair was just missed by Tom Bath as it sped across the face of the goal.

Constant pressure from the Magpies was rewarded.

Winsper fed Blair on the left who cut in to the penalty area. The substitute made space for a shot and rifled home from 15 yards.

The Row almost restored their two goal cushion a minute later when a snap shot from French went just wide.

The home side buoyed by the goal piled on the pressure and forced several corners.

However, the Row held firm and on 90 minutes Nathan Smart fed Platt who turned quickly and saw his parting shot well saved by Murphy.

Due to the long injury to Rose and other breaks in play nine minutes were added. In the last of the added time minutes the Magpies scored a second goal.

Egan made good progress down the right and into the Row box.

His cross found Bath who shot home from close range, but that was as close as the home side got.

Hartley manager Anthony Millerick said: "I felt for 70 minutes we completely dominated the game. Dorchester played well in the last 20 minutes and put us under some pressure. For most of the game we looked solid and played much good football.

He added: "Sal Abubakar had probably his best game for Hartley and continues to improve apace.

I was pleased that at long last we converted two goals from corners. The deliveries have been good and we have been unfortunate on occasions not to score.

"This is one of our better performances so far this season and probably should have won by a greater margin.