January 1, 2024
The New Year’s Day fixtures in the National League are the reverse of those on Boxing Day, so these two sides met again 7 days after Oxford City claimed a much-needed win, emerging victorious 2-0 at Dorking’s Meadowbank Stadium. Two clinically taken late goals on the counter gave The Hoops the three points to close the gap with the other sides at the wrong end of the table.
Today was a match between 4th bottom versus 5th bottom, and a win for Oxford City would take them out of the relegation zone. Dorking had one more point but had played two fewer games.
Since these diaries covered Dorking’s 2-1 home win over Boreham Wood in mid-November, Wanderers had drawn 3-3 at bottom side Fylde, then lost at home to Woking and at Eastleigh, both 1-2, before losing to Oxford City. They did though achieve a comfortable 3-0 home win over Maidenhead in the FA Trophy, and have a trip to Macclesfield, who are now in the Northern Premier League, to look forward to.
https://fatbearssportingdiaries.blogspot.com/2023/11/dorking-wanderers-2-1-boreham-wood-att.html
Matchday Information
The weather at the 15.00 kick-off time was dry and around 7 degrees, although rain was forecast for later during the game.
Dorking’s journey to Oxford was just under 75 miles, which should take approximately 90 minutes, and a couple of hundred of Wanderers fans had travelled around the M25 and down the M40 for the match, which was not segregated.
Bet365 made Oxford City 21/20 favourites, with Dorking at 23/10 and the draw 13/5.
Oxford City made three changes to their side that started at Dorking. Centre-back Seydil Toure went straight into the side after signing on loan from Charlton Athletic, joining Jacob Roddy who had made his debut at Dorking after also joining on loan from Charlton. Alfie Potter and Alex McQueen replaced Josh Parker and Levi Lumeka.
Dorking reacted to losing to Oxford City by making 5 changes, Isaac Philpot, Luke Moore, Dan Gallagher, Harry Ottoway and Seb Bowerman all coming into their XI. Dorking were in their change kit of all Orange with Black trim.
Before the match, Fatbear was interviewed for the Bunch of Amateurs YouTube channel, for their documentary on this game !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqXGfhUmv5c
Match Report
Oxford City made the early running. Reece Fleet picked up a loose ball and played in Potter, whose cross from close to the by-line went straight to keeper Male. Smith then made a strong run into the Dorking area and played the ball across the 6 yard line. Sanderson, with his back to the goal, attempted to back heel, and the ball went just wide of the far post, and although Potter kept the ball in play, The Hoops were forced to play the ball back into their own half as they looked to build again.
With just 5 minutes played the heavens opened, forcing some of the crowd to seek cover.
The Hoops were a tad unfortunate in the 9th minute when Coyle’s threaded through ball should have put Potter clear but the ball struck the forward’s heel as he ran forward and the chance was gone.
Dorking were struggling to get into the game and Gallagher was shown a yellow card after being nutmegged near the half-way line by Sanderson and then brought the Fulham loanee down. Gallagher was withdrawn almost immediately afterwards, although it wasn’t clear if this was tactical to avoid another yellow card or if the midfielder had picked up an injury.
The visitor’s first attack saw Briggs put Taylor in space on the right but the cross was blocked for a throw-in. A long-throw was launched into the home 6 yard box, and after a bit of a scramble, the ball went off for a goal-kick.
Oxford City were soon pressing again. Wanderers’ keeper Male had to rush off his line to prevent Smith getting onto a through pass from Fleet, and then McQueen let a pass run too far and could only chip-cross onto the roof of the net when he should have done much better.
With 22 minutes played Bowerman sent a fabulous cross-field ball behind the Oxford City back-line for Briggs to run onto, and a dangerous low cross saw Ottoway stretch and get a foot to the ball, but Bycroft bravely dived at his feet to make the save for a corner, and was hurt in the process.
With the rain easing off a little, the Oxford City play started to look shaky as Dorking enjoyed a good spell. Toure needlessly headed off a harmless cross for a corner when under no pressure but didn’t receive a call from a team-mate. Giant central defender Hollis headed the corner wide under pressure at the back post.
Bowerman then attempted a header from the edge of the area but it was easily saved by Bycroft, then Toure’s attempted pass to Carroll was poor and went off for another corner. When the ball was crossed into the area Craig fouled Roddy to relieve the danger.
Moore sent a first time 20 yard effort narrowly over the bar as Dorking continued to dominate, then another mistake from the home side almost gifted the opening goal to Dorking. As The Hoops looked to attack, McQueen needlessly turned to play the ball back to Roddy, but the pass was hopelessly under-hit enabling Dorking to swiftly counter, but Carroll put his body on the line to block the shot from Taylor for another corner. After the set-piece was partially clear, Briggs’ weak 25 yard attempt sailed well over the bar.
After this good spell for Dorking, it was then their turn go through a sloppy period at the back as the game swung back in favour of the home side. Male again need to come of his line to gather Potter’s through ball before McQueen could reach it, then a lovely pass from Kirby put McQueen clear on goal, but the winger fatally hesitated, allowing Bowerman to block when the shot was finally attempted.
Poor control by Pybus gave away a throw-in, then Male’s attempt to pass to Hollis also went off for a throw. Sanderson then put McQueen in space on the Oxford right and his cross was acrobatically palmed away by the Dorking keeper. The ball was reworked back to McQueen, but this time the cross was headed away by the Dorking defence.
The number of yellow cards was evened up when Kirby fouled Carter near half-way and after Moore played the free-kick to the edge of the Oxford City area, the ball was cleared only as far as Taylor whose shot was blocked by Roddy.
As the rain increased in severity again, four minutes of added time were signalled and Potter forced a corner for the Hoops after nice play involving Smith, Roddy and Coyle. The corner was punched away from under his own bar by Male before it could reach Carroll.
It was honours even at the interval which was probably a fair reflection of the play. It hadn’t been a great first 45 minutes, as both sides were guilty of giving the ball away too often.
The home side also made a strong start to the second period of play. After another careless surrendering of possession by Wanderers, a neat flick by Potter looked to have put Coyle clear on good, but a superb tackle by Briggs prevented the chance.
McQueen saw yellow for a foul in the centre of the pitch, but shortly after, Smith ran from half-way and laid off to Sanderson, who cut-back onto his left foot, but shot just over from the edge of the area. Dorking’s response was a left-wing cross from Bowerman going just over the head of Ottoway.
The Hoops’ Coyle was the next player to see yellow for a foul on Briggs near the touchline, described as “a stupid foul” by Carroll, but shortly after Briggs returned the favour on Coyle to get a yellow card for a foul on the edge of the Dorking area. The free-kick in a great position was wasted by Kirby, going harmlessly off for a goal-kick.
Dorking were now under the cosh. Substitute Parker teed up Kirby, but his drive produced a top save from Male, diving to his left to push the ball away for a corner. Sanderson then dispossessed Philpot and had a 2 vs 1. However, he opted to go it alone and Craig made a good tackle to concede a corner, which was again wasted by Kirby, sending the ball onto the top of the net.
At the other end Taylor won a corner for Dorking and after it was partially cleared, the return towards the far post was weakly headed by Hollis for Bycroft to gather.
There didn’t appear to be much danger as Taylor ran across the face of the home penalty area, but his pass found substitute McManus, who with probably his first touch after coming on, took aim, and the ball crept inside the post past the slow-motion dive of Bycroft. 0-1 after 66 minutes.
The Hoops tried to hit back straight away. Parker’s chip over the Dorks back line was too strong for Sanderson to reach, but then Sanderson burst through 2 challenges to be one on one with Male, but the keeper was able to make a block. The loose ball fell to Coyle who could only mis-kick with the goal at his mercy, and although the ball reached Parker, by the time the Antiguan had turned to get into a position to shoot, he had been crowded out by the Dorking defence. It was a great chance squandered.
Male again was the hero for his side, clawing away a header from Toure that was heading into the top corner, and then collided into the post.
Dorking’s McManus and Josh Taylor were both shown yellow cards for awful tackles within two minutes of each other, after which Smith broke into the area but his left-footed drive was again well saved by Male, who held onto the shot.
The visitors were now trying every trick in the book to slow the game down, with Male taking an age taking goal kicks and when Dorking were awarded a free-kick none of their players moved to retrieve the ball, forcing a City player to go and get it for them.
However, this may all have been rendered unnecessary as Dorking scored a second goal. Bobby Joe Taylor got to the by-line and sent a fierce ball across goal which Bycroft couldn’t hold onto, and the ball fell for Bowerman to prod over the line from close range. 0-2 after 83 minutes.
Craig then produced a fine defensive header to Lumeka’s cross with a number of City players queuing up behind him to take advantage. Parker then got past his marker to get to the by-line and his pull-back found Roddy 6 yards out, but the centre-back mis-kicked and the ball trickled to the keeper.
Five minutes added time were to be played, and in the 95th minute, Roddy produced a fine header, matched by Male’s low diving save at the base of his post, but Sanderson reacted the quickest to force the ball over the line. 1-2 after 95 minutes.
However, that just about the last kick of the game, as Dorking held on to take the three points and to move up one place in the table and 4 points ahead of Oxford City, as well as get revenge for last week’s defeat.
Oxford City will again rue another match in which they should have taken something from the game, but the recurring combination of defensive mistakes and poor finishing were again their undoing.
I have now seen Dorking twice this season, and on both occasions, they have won 2-1 without particularly playing well. Perhaps I am a lucky omen for them !
Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHXca2QXcgM
Oxford City : Bycroft – Toure, Carroll, Roddy – McQueen ( Lumeka ), Fleet, Smith, Kirby ( Humphry-Ewers ), Coyle – Potter ( Parker ), Sanderson
Dorking Wanderers : Male – Philpot, Craig, Hollis – Briggs ( BJ Taylor ), Moore, Gallagher ( Pybus ), J.Taylor, Bowerman - Carter ( McManus ), Ottoway
No comments:
Post a Comment