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Rainford: Netted the winning goal.

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Rainford goal sends Clarets top

Dave Rainford's sixth goal of the season in only the second minute against Dorset outfit Dorchester Town at the Jewson Stadium ensured the Clarets moved into first place in the table.

City's summer signing added to his recent haul of strikes with an early header to see them leapfrog Team Bath into top spot, and Head Coach Glenn Pennyfather believes a stern rearguard performance was important in claiming the three points.

"We got our goal early doors and then defended really well," he explained.

"It's not always to play pretty football in order to win and today we showed that we can roll our sleeves up and dig out results. Dorchester were one of the better teams we've faced so far and we expected that. They gave us a good game."

Three changes were made to the starting eleven which lost disappointingly by a single goal at home to Bromley the previous weekend.

Andy Duncan returned to the centre of defence to replace Steve Robinson and re-gained the captain's armband in the process, while midfielder Jeff Minton came in for striker Chris Moore and Ricky Holmes was preferred to Jon Keeling out wide.

City caught the home side cold early in the game when Kevin James' corner-kick sailed over the defensive pack to Rainford at the far post who headed home unopposed after 2 minutes to put the Clarets in front.

Holmes and Rainford both sent further Chelmsford efforts just wide before the hosts eventually responded with a through ball from Nick Crittenden which played Wes Fogden into the clear, but the midfielder lost control of the ball and the chance dissolved.

Clarets goalkeeper Danny Gay was to go on to play a major part in keeping Dorchester at bay and he initially maintained City's lead with a splendid save to deny Ryan Moss.

The second half proved more eventful, with Ollie Berquez stooping to head an early Andy Duncan free-kick over the bar for Jeff King's men.

Shortly afterwards at the other end, from a Crittenden corner headed down by Kevin Hill, Gary Bowles then had his own fierce Dorchester effort blocked.

Man of the Match Gay then kept out Crittenden's fine twenty-five-yard drive, while Bowles and Moss both headed good attempts wide.

However, the away team preserved their slender advantage to jump up to first place.

Pennyfather summarised: "The scores elsewhere have made this an excellent day for us and we can only be pleased to have gone top. We want to make it so teams have to catch us and today has helped us towards achieving that ambition."

Referee: C. Powell (Poole).

Assistant Referees: P Heywood (Cullompton) and C. Miles (Southampton).

Attendance: 508.

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