Woking 3 Dorking Wanderers 3
Vanarama National League
25th October 2022

Woking’s new signing Rhys Browne scored a late equaliser to deny Dorking Wanderers in a frantic first Vanarama National League meeting between the Surrey clubs.

Both sides took the lead in an entertaining match, with Dorking going ahead early on through a Ryan Seager penalty which was cancelled out by man-of-the-match Padraig Amond’s first league goal for Woking.

The Cards then took the lead with Amond’s second of the game, after excellent build-up play led by Browne, but a Rohan Ince own goal and a James McShane close-range effort put Dorking back in front.

But in the closing stages Browne tucked in James Daly’s low cross to level things again to ensure both sides gained a point in Woking’s first home draw of the season.

The point and results elsewhere saw the Cards move up to sixth in the league table, level on points but with a superior goal difference to Bromley.

Darren Sarll made three changes to the starting line-up from the victory at Gateshead, with Joe McNerney coming in for Scott Cuthbert in defence, while it was first starts of the season for Jake Vokins and Rhys Browne respectively who replaced Kyran Lofthouse and Reece Grego-Cox.

Despite an attacking start by the Cards, they fell behind early when McNerney brought down James Muitt in the penalty area, with Ryan Seager coolly dispatching the spot kick down the middle.

Woking were unperturbed by going a goal behind, with both James Daly and Browne having shots deflected narrowly wide in the opening 20 minutes.

Sarll was forced into an early substitution as Luke Wilkinson picked up a knock and was replaced by Cuthbert, who immediately made his presence known on the game with a fierce but fair challenge on Seager.

As the half wore on, the forward play wasn’t clicking for the Cards until the wide players switched flanks, Daly coming to the left and Vokins on the right, and it almost had an instant impact. Browne worked himself space on the edge of the box and his low strike was tipped on to the left-hand post by Daniel Lincoln, with the ball recycled to Vokins who shot straight at the goalkeeper when he looked destined to score.

Woking’s resilience paid off on the stroke of halftime as Amond scored his first league goal of the season, poking in after a scramble from a corner by Josh Casey.

Half-time: Woking 1 Dorking Wanderers 1

Sarll’s halftime team talk clearly put Woking in the right mindset as they started the second half how they finished the first, with Amond doubling his league goals tally for both the season and on the evening.

Vokins started the attack by feeding Browne who weaved between two Dorking defenders before slipping the ball to Amond, free on the inside-right channel, who composed himself before firing low across the goalkeeper into the bottom-left corner.

But Woking’s lead lasted barely five minutes, as Rohan Ince mistimed a header from a cross which dropped into the net with Craig Ross dumbfounded.

The next gilt-edged chance fell to the Cards, as smart work by Jermaine Anderson saw the ball fall to Vokins but his fierce shot was cleared off the goal line.

Woking continued to have the best chances, Browne forcing an impressive save from goalkeeper Lincoln, but it was the visitors who took the lead for the second time in the match. Sebastian Bowerman was put through by a ball over the top and beat Dan Moss to put in a low cross which substitute James McShane slotted in.

Despite the lack of rivalry between the teams, the Surrey derby sparked with controversy with 15 minutes to go in an off the ball incident involving Amond and Jordan Cheadle, with the Dorking player booked by referee Aaron Bannister. It triggered both sets of fans into life, with Woking pushing for another equaliser.

Woking’s third duly arrived, as Browne got his first goal for the club tapping in a Daly cross from close range, after excellent work by Daly to beat a defender and make space for the cross.

That set up a frantic finale, with both sides pushing for a late winner, but in truth both sets of players looked spent as neither side could carve out a clearcut chance.

Therefore the points were shared in a thrilling game, with Woking ruing mistakes which cost the victory in the end.

Woking have started a run of four consecutive home games in the league and FA Cup, as Sarll’s team welcome Eastleigh to Kingfield on Saturday.

Woking: 13 Craig Ross; 3 Josh Casey ©, 5 Joe McNerney, 6 Luke Wilkinson (4 Scott Cuthbert 25’), 12 Dan Moss; 8 James Daly, 23 Jermaine Anderson (17 Jim Kellerman 61’), 24 Rohan Ince, 29 Jake Vokins (7 Ricky Korboa 68’); 14 Rhys Browne, 10 Padraig Amond

Unused subs: 1 Ethan Wady

Goals: 10 Padraig Amond 45’, 51’, Browne 83’

Bookings: 23 Jermaine Anderson, 12 Dan Moss, 8 James Daly

Dorking Wanderers 1 Daniel Lincoln; 3 Bobby-Joe Taylor (14 Jordan Cheadle 52’), 4 Sami El-Abd ©, Edward Harris, 6 Niall McManus; 7 James Muitt, 9 Ryan Seager (11 James McShane 52’), 17 Joshua Taylor, 23 Jack Jebb; 25 Dan Quick (24 Harry Ottaway 52’), 30 Sebastian Bowerman

Unused subs: 16 Nicky Wheeler, 18 Luke Moore

Bookings: 6 Niall McManus, 17 Joshua Taylor, 14 Jordan Cheadle

Goals: 9 Ryan Seager 6’ (pen), 24 Rohan Ince 57’ (OG), 11 James McShane 74’

Referee: Aaron Bannister

Attendance: 2923 – 493 Dorking Wanderers supporters

Man of the Match: Padraig Amond – Two goals and a menace to the Dorking defence all night.

Thank you to our match sponsor, To You Loos, and ball sponsor, BLG Development.

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