First Team
National League Sat 3 February Meadowbank Stadium
Dorking Wanderers
  • Briggs (96')
1
AFC Fylde
  • Ustabasi (37', 46')
  • Barrett (71')
3
1-3

Report by George Taylor

Marc White came into today’s encounter on the back of an emphatic victory away to Boreham Wood and made just two changes to last week’s line up as a result. Bobby Joe Taylor returned to the side for the injured Bowerman, having pulled his hamstring in our last encounter. Jimmy Muitt, an unused substitute last weekend, would also be introduced in place of captain Tony Craig, allowing Haydn Hollis to pick up the armband.

The opening exchanges saw both sides create crossing opportunities but providing very little in front of goal itself. On the half hour mark, Charlie Carter, goalscorer of the third last time out, was presented with the best opportunity of the half having received the ball in front of an open goal, only to blast over from close range.

Carter’s missed opportunity proved crucial minutes later, as Fylde capitalised on an error at the back to take the lead. Male’s attempt to punch the ball away from danger instead caught Joe Westley and created a collision in the box, with Ustabasi tapping home the loose ball beyond a bewildered Dorking backline.

Fylde’s opener took the sting out of Dorking’s attack, allowing the visitors to capitalise and convert a second just before the break. A quick move from Fylde opened up a pocket of space for Ustabasi to cut inside, eventually sending a shot across goal and into the far corner.

HT 0-2

With no changes made at the break, Dorking looked to kick on and claw their way back into the encounter. In a period of sustained pressure, the Wanderers came close through oncoming substitute Ottaway and Prior, both of which unable to trouble the defiant Richardson in between the sticks.

With twenty minutes left to play, Fylde hit Dorking for three through Connor Barrett. A quick counter from the coasters created space for Barrett to brush into the box and strike low past Male, undoing any efforts from the hosts to grab a goal of their own.

Dorking did pull one back late on through Briggs following tidy work from Harry Ottaway. A knock-down from the centre forward following a good build up played Briggs through on goal, in the end firing past Richardson for his first goal of the campaign.

The visitors eventually hung on for all three points, denying Dorking an opportunity to climb towards the top half of the table. Instead, the Wanderers slip to 19th in the National League, ahead of another away day in the form of Altrincham on Tuesday night.