Dorking Wanderers 3 Hemel Hempstead Town 2
Vanarama National League South 12th October 2024
Written by: Allan Mitchell
An away visit to the Meadowbank Stadium is always a tough ask and despite a slow start to the current campaign, Dorking are a side who will undoubtedly be there or thereabouts at the end of the season.
The Tudors were still sitting at the top of the table despite last weekend's defeat at Truro and Manager Bobby Wilkinson had a strong squad to choose from, with several players returning from injury. Dorking had also been inflicted by the injury hoodoo but they also came into the game at pretty much full strength and it showed as they came out of traps very quickly, forcing the visitors back from the start.
Hemel just couldn’t get any foothold early doors and a warning shot was fired when Charlie Carter ran unchallenged into the box before driving his effort narrowly wide in the 5th minute.
It was the impressive Carter who put Dorking in front after just 9 minutes when some slick football created some space for the Wanderers Skipper and he made no mistake this time, slotting past Craig King.
Photo credit: Club Photographer - Jemma Sear / @_photosbyjem
Just six minutes later it was 2 – 0 when Alfie Rutherford was sent clean through and he tucked the ball past a helpless King as the Hemel back-line struggled to get back after pushing up.
Jason Prior almost added a third, flicking a cross just past the post and the Tudors faithful were starting to fear the worse as they watched their team forced back by the pace of Dorking’s attack and the fluidity of their passing.
It was a full 30 minutes before Hemel had a shot on target when, in rare attack Alfie Cerulli cut inside before curling in a shot that Harrison Forbes did well to save on the stretch.
Both Rutherford and his strike partner Jason Prior had chances to add to Wanderers lead before the interval, Prior heading over when it looked easier to score and Rutherford smashing a shot against the post and it was some relief to the Hemel fans when the referee brought an end to the first half.
Wilkinson is not a manager who is shy to ring the changes when things aren’t going according to plan and he made four at the break, bringing on Saleem Akanbi, Connor Kurran-Browne, Kai Woolard-Innocent and Max Hemmings in an attempt to get something out of the game.
For the first 15 minutes of the second half it didn’t appear to have made much difference as Dorking continued to pile forward, Jimmy Muitt screwed a shot wide when well placed before Prior finally got onto the scoresheet when he arrived unmarked at the back post to slot home a third in the 56th minute.
Photo credit: Club Photographer - Jemma Sear / @_photosbyjem
There really looked no way back for the Tudors now but they kept going and started to put some passing movements together. They were rewarded for their efforts after 70 minutes with a goal that came out of the blue, Saleem Akante received the ball some 25 yards out and with some space in front of him he curled a superb effort into the top corner.
Ricardo German then had a chance to pull another goal back when he was put through the middle but Foulkes shut him down superbly, injuring himself in the process.
With ten minutes on clock, Hemel did reduce the arrears when Akanbi was unceremoniously bundled to the ground by Tony Craig and the referee wasted no time in pointing to the spot. Craig received a second yellow for his sins and Dorking were reduced to ten men. Mr Reliable, Joe Iaciofano stepped up to send Foulkes the wrong way and the Tudor Army sensed an unlikely comeback was on the cards
Photo credit: Club Photographer - Jemma Sear / @_photosbyjem
Dorking kept their ten men behind the ball as the remaining minutes passed and restricted Hemel to a couple of long range efforts. Indeed, with the visitors pushing forward in numbers they really should have made it 4-2 in injury time when Jimmy Muitt was found completely unmarked at the back post but with the goal gaping he somehow managed to skew his shot wide.
Manager Bobby Wilkinson reflected afterwards that whilst he was bitterly disappointed with the first half performance he was very proud of the way his side finished and felt that if the game had gone on for a few more minutes they might have nicked a point. Regarding the substitutions he said it was a gamble but one he was prepared to take and it almost paid off. He’s slightly relieved his side have been knocked off the top spot as he feels it gives sides an extra incentive to try and ‘knock you off your perch’.
So we may have dropped to second place but it’s still been an excellent start to the season and its Chippenham next, the third tough away game in a row and one Bobby feels we can get back on track with.
Attendance: 1214
Mitch's Man of the Match: Kyle Ajayi
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