STAND-IN stopper Billy Maybury was the star of the show as Wimborne Town climbed off the bottom of Southern Premier League South following a 1-0 home win against Tiverton Town, writes Graham Dunn.

After Dan Bartlett had given Magpies the lead on 20 minutes, James Stokoe’s 10 men spent an hour heroically defending their slender lead after keeper Gerard Benfield was dismissed by referee Adrian Harris.

With no replacement keeper on the bench, Maybury donned the gloves and put in a sublime display to help Wimborne seal victory with a clean sheet.

Tiverton were almost gifted an early goal when Callum Chugg's back-header was not where the advancing Benfield expected, but the big stopper got down well to save.

The home side's first attack saw Lewis Beale send a cross from the right into the danger area only to be cleared.

In the next attack, Benfield's long clearance fell to Bartlett who instantly volleyed inches wide of the far post from the edge of the area.

After Beale had drilled a low cross from the right, and Connal Morrison had chipped over the bar as he fell backwards, Tiverton's centre-forward Matt Wright failed to take their best clear-cut chance of the game.

A perfectly-weighted through ball down the inside-right channel left the big striker one-on-one with Wimborne's stopper, but he poked the ball agonisingly wide of the far post.

That proved to be a costly miss, as the home side took the lead with their next attack.

Harry Morgan won the ball in Tivvy's half for Jez Bedford to cross low into the centre of the area where Bartlett fired into the net from 10 yards.

Ten minutes later came the sending off. After giving a free-kick to Wimborne on the edge of their penalty area, referee Harris took exception to something Benfield said and showed him a red card.

With no keeper on the substitutes bench, centre-back Maybury stepped up to go in goal. He had to make just one save before the interval, at close range from Andrew Watkins.

When Maybury came out to claim a 47th-minute cross, an enormous cheer went up around New Cuthbury.

Playing towards the estate end, Wimborne did create a couple of chances.

Beale ran 50 yards with the ball but could not find a killer pass, Morgan's shot was blocked, and Jack Torniainen's inviting cross found no taker.

Maybury then punched away a high cross, made a sprawling save from Dan Hayfield's 25-yard strike and then he stooped to catch a low centre.

With the home crowd cheering every Wimborne save, block, tackle, clearing header, interception, and thump into the car park, referee Harris gave a final long blast on his whistle after four minutes of additional time.

The three points lifted the Magpies off the bottom of Southern Premier South above Merthyr Town.

Magpies: Benfield, Torniainen, Chugg, Maybury, Morrison, Bosma, Bedford (Cann, 87), Bartlett, Morgan, Young (Henry, 82), Beale (Mason, 90+1). Unused subs: Arnold, Jamison.