Dorking Wanderers B 2
Worthing United 0
Southern Combination Division One
August 10th 2024
Getting off the mark for 24/25 with victory over Chessington & Hook in midweek, the Wanderers B team had to dig deep to register their second win of the campaign on a hot afternoon at Meadowbank.
Visitors Worthing United won last season’s corresponding fixture 1-2 back in February, and went on to finish 5th in the league standings for 23/24. Opening this campaign with two wins from two games, the West Sussex side demonstrated their good form early on, taking the game to Wanderers in the opening exchanges.
Richardson provided a timely clearance inside the six yard box with just a few minutes on the clock, before a Worthing attacker ran through on goal after Laws accidently tripped on the ball, Dunn with a brilliant recovery block to shut down the impending strike at goal. Charlesworth saved comfortably from Brad Hunt as play was recycled afterwards, and the keeper provided a top class save at point blank range to deny Liam Appleton finding the net with a deft finish.
Fulco and Richardson made timely interventions in the penalty box as Worthing kept up the pressure, but in the lead up to half-time Wanderers started to find their passing range and get forward, Laws strike well saved by Nathan Bryson after being played in by Wooster down the right channel, before the award of a penalty a few minutes before the interval enabled Wanderers to get in front.
Attacking midfielder Manby surged into the penalty area from a central position and was caught by the Worthing defender, referee Oscar Cotton pointing to the spot decisively despite the opposition protests. Todman stepped up and opened his account for the new campaign with a calmly struck penalty, sweeping the ball confidently to Bryson’s left.
H/T: 1-0
With Luca Fulco forced off injured at the break, captain Neo Wooster deputised in the back three as sub Wilf Douglas took up position on the left wing.
Wooster slotted in and led by example immediately to ensure the resolute defensive efforts continued, and just before the hour, Wanderers safety net was strengthened further by the addition of a second goal.
Only on the field for a few minutes, last season’s top scorer Ollie Rawlins made it two goals in as many games after shielding the ball at the edge of the box before nonchalantly driving a clinical low effort into the bottom left corner.
Undeterred, Worthing continued to push on and create opportunities; sub Harding Taylor beating the offside trap and hammering a strike over the bar, not long before forcing Charlesworth into a save with an outstretched leg as he raced through one-on-one.
Laws, Holland and Douglas all went close with strikes in the latter stages as Wanderers took advantage of the game becoming more open, but it was the resounding defensive efforts of the team that ultimately won out in the end, securing maximum points and a first clean sheet of the season against a Worthing side likely to mount another play-off push in 24/25.
Not back in league action for a fortnight, attention now switches to the Peter Bentley Cup 1st Round this Tuesday evening for the B’s as they make the short trip across Surrey to Alfold FC for a 7:45pm kick off at the Recreation Ground.
Dorking Wanderers (3-5-2): 1 Harry Charlesworth, 2 Jay Richardson, 5 Luca Fulco (17 Wilf Douglas 46′), 3 Ellis Dunn; 7 Neo Wooster (c), 4 Joel Brown, 6 Mason Myles, 8 Liam Manby (15 Ted Sullivan 46′), 11 Brandon Engstrom (16 Max Holland 67′); 10 James Laws (14 Luca Lepley 84′), 9 Jacob Todman (12 Ollie Rawlins 55′)
No Unused Subs
Goals: Todman 42′ pen, Rawlins
Yellow Cards: Fulco 11′, Richardson 25′
Worthing United: 1 Nathan Bryson, 2 James Younger, 3 Luis Sa Castro, 4 Luca Slaney, 5 Andrew Slaney, 6 Alex Webber, 7 Danny Kingston, 8 Jaden Sparks, 9 Marcus Puddephatt, 10 Brad Hunt, 11 Liam Appleton
12 Josh Maher, 13 Moe Pannell, 14 Brendan Hanley, 16 Hadleigh Devall, 17 Harding Taylor
All Subs Used
No Yellow Cards
Referee: Oscar Cotton
