Kevin Hill stuck with a winning formula and sent the same XI out to battle this afternoon in our first home fixture of 2007 hoping to continue the unbeaten run that has been accumulated away from home since the turn of the year.

The Missioners started well and as they had in the previous two victories took the lead within the first ten minutes. Stafforde Palmer and Daniel Dyer had already combined with the latter's effort being easily dealt with by keeper Simon Evans when Ryan Ashe won possession just inside the Dorchester half. The midfielder then moved upfield before threading a throughball into the area where Michael Bartley held off a challenge from Danny Seaborne before firing across the advancing Evans into the far corner.

The visitors were stung by this early setback but soon started to pressurise the Hayes goal, a corner from the left by Justin Keeler was met by Mark Robinson who was denied by the fingertips of Kevin Davies with another corner the result. Keeler played the ball into the box, this time from the right, Robinson flicked on to former Missioner David Town at the far post but his effort was wide.

Still the Magpies pushed forwards, striker Sonyo Da Mata received the ball in a race against Adam Logie, the defender doing an excellent job of forcing the striker wide and he could only fire over the bar. The Missioners soon went close to doubling the advantage, Bartley, Ashe and Dyer moving the ball forwards at speed with Dyer's cross finding Palmer who was not far wide with an audacious flick around the back of his legs.

Keeler then fired wide for the Magpies after Davies had tipped on a Barry McConnell cross and another flowing Hayes move saw Will Hendry, Feeney and Bartley combine before Palmer stepped over the centre leaving Ashe to strike for goal but he was off target on this occasion. Ten minutes before the half time cuppa, Davies was again at his brilliant best twice denying the visitors in thirty seconds. Another Keeler corner was met by skipper Mark Jermyn with Davies palming the ball away before it was hacked away for a throw, the throw quickly found its way to Keeler who fired a dipping volley from 25 yards that Davies did well to hold.

Still the action continued in front of Davies, a Keeler cross was met inside the six yard box by Town, Davies blocking at point blank range before a half cleared the ball fell to Keeler, his pass finding Jamie Gleeson whose piledriver from the edge of the area was tipped onto the bar by Davies and then as the ball came down from the sky and Gilbert Nuako cleared the visitors vociferous calls for a penalty were rejected by referee Mr Woolford.

Just as we were all looking at the watch wishing the referee would bring the action to an end we found the net again. The impressive Jomo Faal-Thomas played the ball forwards, Bartley caused a nuisance as Jermyn tried to clear, and the ball fell nicely to Ashe who fired past Evans from just inside the area.

The start of the second half saw a bonus for the Missioners as the Magpies replaced the always dangerous Keeler with Guy Lopez, we assume this was due to injury as Keeler was far and away the best Magpie in the first period.

Chances were not as frequent at the start of the second period, Davies was not really tested and at the other end centre-back Jack Haverson twice went close, heading wide and then missing a chance inside the six yard box, both from Feeney corners. Still we pressed for a third, Hendry played the ball down the right side where Palmer gave chase, beating Terry Parker to the ball and at the same time taking it past Evans who had come flying from his goal, sadly the youngsters efforts came to nothing as only yellow shirts were in the area when he cut the ball back from the bye-line.

Twenty minutes remained and again it was Davies that kept the Missioners goal intact, a Hayes throw was given away to McConnell who headed the ball to Robinson who struck an instantaneous dipping volley that deserved a goal only for Davies to tip it over the bar at full stretch. The corner was taken quickly and played directly to McConnell on the edge of the box, his shot being cleared off the line by a well positioned Nuako.

Once again having survived at the back, we moved forwards and found the net. Hendry and Feeney exchanged passes before Bartley was brought into the game, his perfect pass put Feeney through on goal and he curled the ball into the top corner with the outside of his right foot.

Still the Magpies would not lay down, Da Mata worked his way into the box on the left, Davies again playing the impenetrableforce as he palmed away his shot to safety. Minutes later it was 4-0, a score that equals the Missioners best Conference South result. Ryan Ashe received the ball on the edge of the area and turned provider by threading it through to Palmer who beat Evans to net his second goal in only his third start for the club.

With one teenager having found the net, it was another that we had to thank less than a minute later for keeping the Magpies at bay, former Exeter striker Steve Flack's shot from a tight angle was played off the line by Logie and fell perfectly into the path of McConnell who looked to have the easy task of placing it into the net only to be denied by a superb last ditch tackle by Jomo Faal-Thomas.

Report by Kevin Watts. Photos by Ray Peploe.