BISHOP'S STORTFORD 4, Midson 8, Morgan 12, Pearson 30, Mason 65, DORCHESTER TOWN 3, Robinson 54, Gleeson 64, McCallum 72, Dorchester produced a battling second half performance and came close to clinching their first ever point at Woodside Park but the size of the task after a disastrous first half hour in which they conceded three goals without reply proved too great.

Dorchester boss Mick Jenkins was forced to recall Scott Morgan due to the hamstring injury sustained by Simon Browne and opted to give new keeper James Hussey what proved to be a busy debut.

Hussey was first called into action after two minutes to scoop up a cross whipped in by Roy Essandoh then watched anxiously as a cross-cum-shot by Tim Langer from the opposite flank dropped just over his crossbar.

There then followed a moment of controversy as Scott Morgan's last-ditch tackle to deny namesake Danny Morgan a clear run on goal was harshly adjudged to have been unfair by referee Sean Feerick.

Under the circumstances the Dorchester centre half was perhaps fortunate to escape with just a yellow card and there was then further relief for Dorchester when Hussey saved the resultant free-kick which was driven goalward by Dave Collis.

Having to play for 84 minutes with a caution had an inevitable inhibiting effect on Morgan who failed to cut out a long ball from Blues' skipper Gareth Gwillam or make a challenge on recipient Langer which enabled the Stort-ford winger to cross to Danny Morgan who fortuitously sliced his shot to team-mate Jack Midson at the far post who found the roof from six yards.

Four minutes later another through ball, this time from Langer, set Danny Morgan in the clear but as he looked to fire to the far post he suddenly changed shape to find the narrowest of gaps between Hussey and his near post.

Martin Hayes' side continued to play some attractive fast-breaking football with plenty of movement which sluggish Dorchester struggled to contain.

Unmarked Danny Morgan should have added a third goal in the 15th minute and probably would have done so if he had not fallen over as Essandoh's cross was fired over.

There were 16 minutes on the clock when the Magpies conjured their first attempt on goal but Jermyn's shot from 18 yards proved an easy catch for keeper Andrew Young.

Then in the 23rd minute Jermyn fired over after Liam Cockerill's cross was only half cleared.

Hussey won the race with Danny Morgan to cut out a long ball from Paul Goodacre but when Jason Mason played a delightful short ball inside for Danny Morgan, his well-timed pass enabled substitute Greg Pearson to drive low past Hussey to give Stortford a commanding lead.

Hussey saved the next Blues attempt with his knees to thwart Max Porter who had raced on to a through ball from Pearson who then fired the rebound opportunity over the crossbar.

The Magpies had offered very little up front for much of the first half but a rasping drive from Gavin McCallum required a tipover save from Young which visibly lifted Dorchester spirits. But the Blues still had plenty to offer. Mason sent a 20 yard effort just over whilst Hussey cut out a Morgan centre then saved with his feet to deny Pearson who had raced on to another astute pass from Danny Morgan.

Jenkins replaced Jermyn and Cockerill with Justin Keeler and Ryan Hill at the start of the second half and the changes seemed to give Dorchester some much needed spark.

But before the Dorchester fight back started, there was further defending to do although Hussey must have known little about his save to deny Danny Morgan whose shot from a wayward Hill clearance seemed to bounce off the Dorch-ester keeper.

Then an off target Mason effort took a deflection taking the ball toward goal but fortunately for the Magpies without sufficient momentum to trouble Hussey.

But in the 54th minute, Dorchester scored their first goal with a precision pass from Gavin McCal-lum which enabled Mark Robinson to run through and slot past Young. Jamie Gleeson then further reduced the arrears from six yards in the 64th minute when Robinson's ball was laid off by Matt Groves. But just as a complete Dorchester fight back seemed a distinct possibility, The Magpies suffered a further setback when Pearson broke away and found Danny Morgan whose cross was swept home by Mason to restore the Blues two goal advantage. Back came Dorchester and a delightful one-two between McCallum and Groves resulted in the on loan Yeovil striker beating Young with a firm 18 yard drive. Set up by Groves, substitute Sonyo Da Mata then had a similar strike pushed around the post by Young while Da Mata turned porvider for McCallum whose next effort was blocked on the 18-yard line.

But the Blues' defence held firm and the home side finished strongly with Hussey pulling off saves from Ashley Fuller and Collis while Hill inadvertently turned a fierce but wayward Fuller shot towards his own goal forcing Browne to clear off the line.

Looking ahead to today's game with Yeading, Jenkins hinted at a possible defensive change.

"Scott looked like he was treading water. He's obviously not played a lot of football and that showed. He's got to start getting his fitness back. Simon Browne will probably come in to my thinking on Monday.