4th March 2023
Dorking Wanderers vs FC Halifax Town @ Meadowbank - Dorking
National League (Step 1/Tier 5)
15:00 KO
£16 entry
Attendance - 1,508
Half-time score: Dorking Wanderers 0-0 FC Halifax Town
Match highlights can be seen in the link below:
Final Score: Dorking Wanderers 0-0 FC Halifax Town
I was on a long overdue trip to see friends in Surrey, and as ever I was on the hunt for some local football. Being a fan of the Bunch of Amateurs YouTube channel, the moment Dorking Wanderers was suggested I jumped at the opportunity.
I was staying in a nearby town, and the plan was to get the train across to Dorking. Being a bit early for the train, we nipped into the local Wetherspoons where I found a pint of Ruddles County on tap for only £1.71, who says Surrey is expensive? After sinking this, we got the train to Dorking, a bargain at only around £5 return, then walked to The King's Arms pub on the high street, a fantastic old Shepherd Neame pub, founded in 1553.
I had a lovely pint of Master Brew, one I've not had before, before having a fish finger sandwich washed down with a pint of the classic ale, Spitfire, superb.
After this we headed to the ground early to check out the fan zone, it is a modern one with the Surrey FA building attached to it, and bizarrely, also a soft play centre.
On the way into ground I tried to buy a pin badge, but they were all sold out, but I was able to pick up a programme for £3, was a nice glossy thick one similar to the one's in the EFL.
In the Fan Zone, which had both Dorking and Halifax fans intermingling, I had a pint of lager made by the local Dorking Brewery, called Defaulters Lager, and it was a decent, hoppy beer.
We then made our way into the ground, and stood in a sheltered stand behind the goal amongst the loudest Dorking fans to get a feel for the atmosphere, and it was actually pretty good to be fair.
It was a standard British day, grey, calm but a bit nippy, perfect for football. Both teams came out onto the 4G pitch, Dorking Wanderers in their red and white home shirt, and Halifax in their away yellow shirt.
KEY MOMENTS
DW = Dorking Wanderers
HA = FC Halifax Town
8' - HA - Gilmour is threaded through 1-on-1, his shot across the keeper is heading in, but Lincoln gets out quickly and a touch pushes it wide of the goal, and out for a corner.
22' - HA - Stott finds Alli in space, he hits a dangerous shot from the edge of the box, forcing a diving save from Lincoln.
24' - HA - Alli attacks down the left wings, he beats his man and sends a low ball into the box, O'Rourke flicks the ball onto Senior, his reaction effort is heading into the top left corner of the goal, but a fine fingertip save from Lincoln sees the ball tipped over for a corner.
25' - HA - From the resultant corner, Debrah climbs highest at the far-post, his bullet header flying millimeters over the crossbar.
31' - DW - A swift move sees winger Bobby-Joe Taylor in space down the left wing, his effort across the face of goal blocked by a defender.
38' - DW - During a sustained Dorking attack, the ball falls to Tony Craig just outside the area, his snap volley curling to the left-side of the goal, but keeper Johnson gets down well to make a smart save.
45' - HA - Cappello has the ball on the left wing and hits a lightning bolt of a strike from a tight angle 25 yards out, which is tipped over the bar by Lincoln to keep the score 0-0 going into the break. Would have been some goal if it had gone in!
56' - HA - O'Rourke is played into the box, he fires in a shot at the near post, forcing a good stop from Lincoln.
68' - DW - During sustained pressure, the ball falls to Luke Moore on the edge of the area, his half-volleyed effort skids along the ground, but is blocked by a defender and Halifax desperately clear their lines.
69' - DW - In the box, Ottaway turns a snaps a volley, the effort flying just over the goal.
74' - DW - A poor clearance from Alli loops high and drops to Luke Moore, he hits a sweet volley from 20 yards out, it dips over keeper Johnson and crashes into the cross-bar, so close!
84' - DW - Ottaway turns and hits a 25-yard effort, it loops over the keeper but it is just over the bar.
That was my first 0-0 for a while, but I still had a great time, it was a very close game, both teams largely cancelled each other out, and it was a well earned and important point for Dorking in their bid to maintain their place at the top of the non-league tree. A clean sheet was actually a big deal for Dorking, being the most leaky team in the division, having conceded 77 in 33 games, a rate of over 2 per game! Dorking hung on in the first half, it was all Halifax, and keeper Dan Lincoln made two fantastic saves to keep the game at 0-0 going into the second half. Dorking made two changes at the break, with Ottaway and Moore coming on, and the change of personnel had a huge impact on the game, with Dorking on top most of the half, and going close a few times. It felt like a late winner was on to snatch a 1-0 win, but sadly it was not to be. All in all, it was a good day of football, the Dorking story is incredible and it was amazing to see such a good turn out for a football club in a small town in Surrey. I hope they stay up, and continue their incredible story, so I wish them and their fans all the best, and hope to return someday.
Line-Ups:
DORKING WANDERERS: Dan Lincoln, Isaac Philpot, Tony Craig, Daniel Gallagher, Callum Kennedy, Josh Taylor, James McShane (C), Jimmy Muitt, Bobby-Joe Taylor, Jason Prior, Ryan Seager. SUBS: Harry Ottaway, Luke Moore, Alfie Egan, Barry Fuller, Joe Cook
FC HALIFAX TOWN: Sam Johnson, Tylor Golden, Angelo Cappello, Jesse Debrah (C), Adam Senior, Jamie Stott, Jack Hunter, Harvey Gilmour, Milli Alli, Jamie Cooke, Fidel O'Rourke. SUBS: Mani Dieseruvwe, Luke Summerfield, Matt Warburton, Rob Harker, Festus Arthur.
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