Dorchester Town 1, Redditch United 5

Redditch bounced back from a frustrating couple of weeks with a resounding victory that re-ignited their title challenge.

The Reds headed to Dorset on the back of a three-match winless run having also seen three points sliced off their tally – the final punishment following the mayhem of the Kings Lynn game two months ago.

Those things had contrived to see Liam McDonald’s side relinquish top spot to Poole Town with the big-money south coasters inserted as title favourites.

And when Dorchester took a first minute lead on Saturday. United’s wretched luckless run looked set to continue for another week.

But with the Reds dominating in midfield, led by the excellent George Carline, they had nosed ahead by the break and made certain of victory with three second half goals.

Nathan Walker fired in Dorchester’s opener from distance after just 24 seconds but the Reds rallied and after Ashley Sammons and Carline had gone close, it was home defender Neil Martin who levelled the scores on 18 minutes when he sliced a clearance past his own keeper.

Two minutes later the visitors were ahead when Luke Shearer headed in from close range and it was one-way traffic from then on.

A Sammons free-kick was turned on to the post by Magpies keeper Alan Walker-Harris and Jim Mutton was denied by a last ditch challenge from Walker.

It only seemed a matter of time before the Reds would extend their lead and they duly made it 3-1 four minutes into the second half when Walker-Harris did well to keep out a Simeon Maye shot only for Sam Merson to fire home the rebound.

Merson was involved in his side’s fourth on 72 minutes when his shot struck and Carline was able to tap in the rebound.

It was a similar story as Redditch rounded off the scoring six minutes later. This time it was Eli Bako’s shot that was parried by the Dorchester keeper and Will Richards was on hand to score his side’s fifth.

Reds: Veiga 7, Cullinane-Liburd 7, Flanagan 7, Maye 8, Mutton 7, Richards 7, Merson 8, Bako 8 (Young 78), Shearer 8 (Thompson-Brown 70, 6), Sammons 7 (Johnson 75), CARLINE 9. Subs (not used): Loveridge, Bridgewater