Men
Isthmian Premier Division Tue 15 January The Crucial Environmental Stadium
Worthing
  • Kealy (25')
1
Dorking Wanderers
  • Taylor (65')
  • Sole (9')
  • Hill (89')
  • McManus (70')
4
1-4

Discomfort in KP’s knee meant only a second Senior appearance for youth team ‘keeper, Aaron Relf, while James Crane returned to action in place of Jasper Pattenden, who reverted to the bench. Otherwise, it was the same team that completed the Lewes epic on Saturday.

A training ground routine in the very first minute, saw Darren Budd play his left-sided corner back to a waiting Ricky Aguiar, lurking just outside the penalty area and he missed the far post by a fraction.

Wanderers hit back, with Giuseppe Sole dragging his low free-kick wide of the near upright, after he’d won the set-piece himself for a foul by Jalen Jones.

Jason Prior then pounced on a poor pass from Joe Clarke in midfield and raced away from Joel Colbran and Will Miles. Relf came out to deny the former Bognor striker who got lucky with the rebound, simply laying it off to Sole and he side-footed home, despite the best efforts of Miles on the line.

Lewis Taylor fired wide from just outside the ‘D’ before Colbran’s sliding challenge proved to be enough to put off Sole, who shot the wrong side of the post, eighteen yards out.

The hosts equalised on twenty-five minutes, as Aguiar’s flag-kick was met on the half-volley by an incoming Callum Kealy.

Despite this, a largely impotent home attack saw precious few chances in the opening period.

Sami El-Abd took the ball down on his chest and unleashed a surprisingly tame volley, which gave Relf a comfortable catch, as Sole earned a booking for his subsequent challenge.

A fairly tepid and uninspiring half drew to a close with Ollie Pearce pulling a snatched effort away from the near stick and Reece Hall – on for the injured Prior – bringing down a delightful long pass, turning and firing an attempt straight at a well-positioned, Relf.

Pavillion Glass were within a ‘phone call of coming out when Sole smashed a shot dangerously close to a neighbour’s upstairs window, a few minutes after the restart.

James McShane elected to aim for the goal but found Relf ready to palm over the bar at the expense of a corner.
Woking legend, Sole went somewhat nearer to putting his side back in front moments later, as he spun and drove towards the target, only to be kept out by the woodwork, as his effort clipped the upright.

A rare home foray forward broke down and lead to Hall, on the break, finding Niall McManus, who was denied by Relf at his left-hand post once more.

An assistants offside flag ruled out Hall’s far post finish, with Jones going almost as close when he glanced Aguiar’ free-kick agonisingly wide, at the other end.

Two goals in four minutes suddenly sealed Red’s fate.

Miles was adjudged to have felled Luke Moore; Taylor sending Relf the wrong way from the spot.

Goalscorer then turned goal provider, as his long, raking ball sent McManus scampering away down the left, where he made his way into the box, checked back onto his left foot and beat Relf, who couldn’t prevent the ball sneaking in at the near stick, despite getting his hands to it.

In between times, Ollie Pearce had been set free in the inside-right channel, only for his delivery to evade an onrushing Kealy and drift harmlessly away from any potential danger.

Another breakaway move resulted in a fourth for The Greens, with Hall advancing rapidly along the left flank before coming inside, tormenting Miles with his twisting and turning, then finding the bottom corner of a deflated Relf’s net.

A demoralising defeat for Worthing, of whom worryingly little was seen in an attacking sense, as they too often gifted possession to their rampant opponents. Much to work on in training and much more cotton wool required for an ever-growing injury list.