Barcelos at the double as Puritans book place in next round

United won only their second game in ten years seasons in the competition with a convincing 3-0 victory at Dorchester Town in Saturday’s first qualifying round tie. Ricky Johnson also got on the score sheet with his 50th goal for the Puritans

Jack Self shot just wide while Mario Mateus was also off target at the other end before United made the breakthrough in the 31st minute. Barcelos fed Leam Howards who was upended in the area by keeper Shane Murphy and Johnson converted the ensuing spot-kick.

Moments later a great move down the right involving Barcelos, Self and George Nash set up Callum White but the full-back shot well over the bar.

Dorchester did not threaten as the half progressed but a minute before the break they nearly equalised when Matt Oldring got his head to a wayward shot 12 yards out but Jack Harding was equal to the effort with an excellent save, tipping the ball away at full stretch.

Dorchester dominated the early play after the restart and Nathan Walker failed to connect properly with his shot from ten yards out when he should have done better. And it was against the run of play that United doubled their lead in the 54th minute when a cross from the right by Mark Janes was met by Barcelos eight yards out and though Murphy got his hands to the Brazilian’s effort he couldn’t stop it trickling over the line.

Two minutes later and Barcelos got his second goal with a superb strike from the edge of the area which flew past Murphy into the far bottom corner of the net.

It was effectively over as a contest and although Dorchester had a lot of the ball in the final half an hour United defended well to see the game out. They could even have made the scoreline more emphatic when Darius Browne put Janes through on goal but from the edge of the area he shot just wide as Murphy came out to narrow the angle.

In stoppage-time Mateus went close to getting a consolation, firing just over the bar from the edge of the area.