Dorking Wandering
The Dorking Wanderers FC Fans Forum
We start the first of two away games in just over 48 hours with a trip to Eastbourne Borough on the south coast. Eastbourne went full time last season and were expected to challenge for play-offs but ended up narrowly avoiding relegation. They're considered play-off contenders again this season and currently sit one place below us in the table courtesy of goal difference.
Our last trip to Priory Lane back in March 2022 (just a few days after the famous Alfie in goal game) saw us take an early two goal lead thanks to goals from Rutherford and Oldaker, before Eastbourne made the comeback and securing a late 3-2 victory to put a big dent in our title hopes that year.
McShane, Kuhl and Moore all definitely miss the game this time, while we await news on injuries to Francomb, Rutherford and Murphy. Bobby-Joe Taylor will presumably start a 3 game suspension but Norville-Williams is expected to return to the side.
Eastbourne 0-1 Dorking (Carter)
1,239 att. (134 away)
Foulkes
Camp Craig Fuller
Muitt McManus Pybus Bowerman
J.Taylor
Prior Carter
Subs: Norville-Williams, Gallagher, Briggs, Rutherford, Murphy
I don't think JNW will be rushed back from the start and will probably be rotated with Seb or Fuller. I expect Rutherford and Murphy to make the bench but not sure how many minutes they will actually play in this one. Bit of a worry that we don't really have any centre mid options on the bench (Gallager at a stretch) and really hope we make a loan signing in this area.
JNW was doing some running before the St Albans game and looked alright, he will probably feature at some point over the two games
I remember going to a hastily arranged (free!) midweek friendly at Eastbourne since the last league game there - remember Cheadle playing!
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
I'm going for;
Eastbourne (1)2 Dorking (0)2 (Prior 2)
1,599 (160 Wanderers making loads of noise having been sat on the seafront drinking for a couple of hours...)
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
I think Eastbourne are in a bit of a flattering position with their 3-1-1 start, with two of their wins coming against the two rock bottom sides. They also only managed to draw 1-1 at home to Chesham who themselves only have 1 win in 5 and look like they will struggle.
I have the lads down for a 2-0 win.
Mark needs to bring in a forward on loan though...
Sounds like Murphy, Francomb and Norville-Williams all miss the game. Shame that we won't get to see JNW for another week.
Joel Brown and Ollie Rawlins will be involved though!
Think we might need another 'injury' thread....for instance, when will be see McShane again?
@adeb I believe McShane is expected back in October although I will be surprised if he doesn't do a month on loan somewhere, probably Bognor.
Very tough watch that today, to be honest I thought it was godawful. Scrappy game, rarely got any rhythm going, any time we tried to get moves going they fouled us. Injuries galore, which led to unofficial team breaks.
Whilst we were 4 mins away from all 3 pts, a draw was a fair result, just feel sorry for any neutrals watching it, it was borderline unwatchable!
Hugely depleted squad now, I suppose credit to all players that are still currently fit to play. Although how much more Prior can give with these Sat-Mon double headers I dunno!
Positives about Aveley - it's a new ground for most of us and they haven't won yet. But negatively they got a point at Torquay!!
What a long hard season this is going to be.
Still love it though, can't beat real football, and every game is a chapter in the story.
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
PS - Best wishes to Brennan Camp
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
Yep, that was not a great watch at all. We lacked the control we had for large parts of the game at Torquay and once again, hardly any chances created. The balls flashed across the box are not being read or pounced upon by the strikers. The first goal was a gift and the second was a decent attack before a lucky finish (own goal surely?).
Sad to see Camp go off in obvious pain. Hopefully the return of Jordan and Francomb will lesson the blow of his absence. A good defensive display in general with one superb save from Foulkes and both Craig and Carter were excellent throughout. Hopefully Murphy will be back for Monday because without him, we do look very short of goals at the moment. Agree that some more cover up front is needed.
Murphy is an absolute class act, but needs to be used sparingly, he is fragile. My understanding was that he would be rotated with Prior, who is also not a spring chicken.
Trouble is every time Murphy is injured it means Prior has to do full 90s, at the moment twice a week
Luckily we are now passed the 'second midweek game' for the next month, as long as cup games don't go to replays
Dislocated shoulders take 12 weeks min to heal, which is not great
I personally think that as long as Briggs is good for the wing, why not try Muitt up front alongside Alfie as a striker. I vaguely remember Muitt saying he would love to play striker, and he has scored some great goals over the years - see Maidstone away a few years ago, Hartlepool home etc
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
Feels like we are making the same mistakes as last season by not bring in players, at the very least on loan, to cover these injuries. There is absolutely no way Gallagher is ready to start but looks like he is going to have to tomorrow...
Anyone get the attendance at Eastbourne. It wasn't on their twitter, it's not on either teams match report and it's not on 'Football Web Pages'
Getting a bit annoying not getting this sort of info as standard!
"Why would I leave to join a League Two club? We're going there anyway!" - Marc White
