NICK Crittenden’s 25-yard rocket proved decisive as Dorchester condemned Poole Town to back-to-back league defeats for the first time this season.

After an entertaining first half in which home striker Ben Watson and returning Dolphins winger Luke Burbidge exchanged early goals, the visitors turned in a jaded second-half performance.

And once veteran Crittenden had latched on to keeper Nick Hutchings’s punch from a corner to blast the Magpies ahead, Poole flattered to deceive en route to a damaging 2-1 derby setback.

Matters were further compounded by Southern League leaders Corby picking up a 2-1 win at Histon to move five points clear at the summit, although Tom Killick’s men do have three games in hand.

The Tatnam boss named three changes to the side that lost 1-0 at Chippenham for the second of three games in a hectic five-day spell for Poole.

Burbidge came through a late fitness test to earn a recall alongside Cherries loanee Joe Quigley and Will Spetch. Matt Butcher and Mason Walsh dropped to the bench with full-back Lewis Tallack unavailable.

After a low-key start, Dorchester nudged in front on eight minutes when Jamie Gleeson’s cross to the far post was nodded back into the danger zone and Ben Watson got the better of Michael Walker to loop a deft finish over Hutchings.

But Poole levelled matters within three minutes when Quigley flicked on at the near post for Burbidge to steam in and carefully nod past Alan Walker-Harris.

Burbidge’s trickery almost handed Dolphins a 15th-minute lead when he jinked through and fizzed a low centre across the face of goal which just evaded Luke Roberts and Harrison Gilkes.

And Poole’s wide man was at it again moments later as his swinging centre found the head of skipper Jamie Whisken, who could not generate enough power to seriously trouble Walker-Harris.

Dorch continued to threaten at the other end with a long throw that dropped invitingly for Crittenden to fire over the crossbar from 18 yards.

Steve Devlin’s deflected effort from distance bounced kindly for Will Spetch to side-foot against the base of the post for Poole, while Quigley showed sublime skill in a give-and-go with Roberts but his on-target effort from 20 yards was tame and easily held.

At the other end, Poole failed to deal with another long throw with the lurking Crittenden again finding a pocket of space only to have his shot blocked by Burbidge.

Devlin’s drifted corner was glanced over the bar at close quarters by Quigley but it was the home side that spurned a golden opportunity nine minutes before the break as Lewis Morgan sprang the offside trap but fired agonisingly past the far post.

The frenetic pace of the first half was not repeated after the interval and sluggish Poole were made to pay when Hutchings’s punch clear from a corner landed for Crittenden to drift inside and despatch his long-distance cracker which flew into the bottom right corner on 58 minutes.

The goal prompted Killick to make his final two changes with Keith Emmerson and Butcher deployed with 27 minutes to play but despite seeing most of the ball, Poole struggled to make an impact in the final third.

Devlin’s rasping low free-kick was deflected wide 10 minutes from time, while the midfielder’s crossed set piece drifted away from Michael Walker and substitute Richard Gillespie at the far post during the dying embers.

Magpies: Walker-Harris, Lanahan, Smeeton, Morgan, N Walker, Dillon, Tarbuck (Murray, 90), Gleeson, Watson, Irvine (Brookes, 68), Crittenden (Smith, 63).

Unused subs: Horsburgh, Godfrey.

Booked: Smeeton, N Walker.

Dolphins: Hutchings, Lindsay, Spetch (Emmerson, 63), M Walker, Whisken, Pettefer, Burbidge, Devlin, Quigley, Roberts (Gillespie, 53), Gilkes (Butcher, 63).

Unused subs: Lowes, Walsh.

Booked: Roberts.

Referee: Matthew Rushton (Pewsey).

Attendance: 824.