We shared the points with Tonbridge Angels on a cold Saturday afternoon, after the hosts came back from behind twice in the match to snatch a 2-2 draw in Kent.
A late first-half penalty cancelled out Patrick Casey’s early goal, until James McShane regained the advantage in the second-half only for it to be levelled again soon after.
Despite us starting this match with few first-team attackers, Charlie Carter got our afternoon underway with an energetic first 10 minutes to assist our front-line.
His enforced pressure on the hosts led Tonbridge Angels to make a crucial error on the 11-minute mark, as Carter picked up a loose back-pass to go through on goal. The captain then cut it back to the in-form Patrick Casey who hammered the ball into the top-right corner to put us ahead. 1-0
A goal-hungry Casey then unleashed another right-footed effort soon after, as intricate work on the edge of the box found a route for him to fire. However, his shot blazed over the crossbar from a tight angle.
Straight down the other end, Harrison Foulkes was called to action, as he palmed away Frankie Baker’s shot for the hosts. The resulting corner produced more danger for Baker in our 18-yard box, with Carter miraculously blocking his second attempt on goal.
Chances then amounted in abundance for Tonbridge Angels, with Foulkes continuing to make countless stops to thwart a first-half equaliser. However, five minutes shy of the interval, that string of saves concluded, as Bailey Akehurst converted a penalty to level the affair.
Half-Time: Tonbridge Angels 1-1 Dorking Wanderers
Encouraging work down the left-flank from substitute Jake Lawrence kickstarted the second-half; his shot from a narrow angle tested goalkeeper Laurie Shala five minutes after the restart.
Returnee Seb Tauta-Caballero was then called to action in our defensive third, after his foot was the last to block Bumni Babajide’s strike goalwards following the hosts’ progressive attack.
With 23 minutes to go, Patrick Casey cooked up a chance against the tide; his drilled effort was stopped on the line by the hosts, only for James McShane to poke in the follow-up to reinstall our lead.
Unfortunately, the advantage only lasted a matter of minutes, after Tom Leahy found the net with the last touch of goal-mouth pinball 74 minutes in, granting Tonbridge their second equaliser of the match.
The game then fizzled out, ending all square despite a late penalty claim from the hosts.
Full Time: Tonbridge Angels 2-2 Dorking Wanderers
We now look ahead to our next fixture at home to Hornchurch next Tuesday, following a well-earned break.