Manger Charlie Dunne included a number of first year academy students in his matchday squad; defender Chris Ewen and winger Joshua Hebert both making their first B team starts, with defender Jack Wren and midfielder Donny Daniels also named on the bench.

Dominating much of the play through the first half, Wanderers had to be patient for the first goal; Hebert and skipper for the evening James Laws both driving strikes over the bar, Miguel Rodriguez opting for a lower effort which was well blocked inside the area.

Not long before the half-time interval the deadlock was broken and in some style; Wilf Douglas, playing in a more central position than usual for the B’s, driving a superb strike from range which flew into emphatically into the roof of goal.

Keeper Allison made a good save with his legs in first half stoppage time following a Horley counter down the right, but despite Wanderers remaining in command of much of the play after the restart, the away side did get themselves back on terms near the hour, the No10 finding the far corner of goal with a header from a tight angle despite Allison’s best efforts to push it over.

Luca Lepley and half-time sub Liam Manby had both gone close around the time of the equaliser, bending an effort round the post and forcing a save from the Horley keeper respectively, and in the latter stages of the game Wanderers went even closer with Lucas Elliot tapping home from close range only to be denied by the linesman’s flag for offside, Miles Straker having a ‘Gazza’ moment at the back post and coming agonisingly close to getting on the end of a low cross from the right, Zac Cahusac doing brilliantly initially to dribble forward down the right.

With the contest ending 1-1 at 90 minutes, the tie headed straight to penalties.

After Horley blazed their first spot kick over the bar, Wanderers went on to win the shootout 4-3; Allison saving penalty number 4 just before Liam Manby was then really well denied by the Horley keeper at the same stage of the shootout, but successful kicks from Elliot, Laws, Cahusac and the decisive pen from Brandon Engstrom ultimately sealed the victory.

Wanderers B now have this weekend off but will return to league action on Saturday November 2nd, hosting David Ray’s Storrington FC in a 3pm KO at Meadowbank.

Dorking Wanderers B: Sam Allison; Ryan Bonto, Chris Ewen (Jack Wren 46′), Ellis Dunn; Zac Cahusac, Miguel Rodriguez (Donny Daniels 64′), Wilf Douglas (Brandon Engstrom 76′), Joshua Hebert (Liam Manby 46′), Lucas Elliot; James Laws (c), Luca Lepley (Miles Straker 55′)

Thank you to photographer Matthew Bill for capturing the action on the night.