Dorking Wanderers 3 Eastbourne Borough 3
(Eastbourne win 4-3 on penalties)
Emirates FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round
October 3rd 2020
Dorking exited the FA Cup in a dramatic, action-packed encounter at Meadowbank to start the new season. Having come from behind three times during the course of the game to level the scores, and playing with a man short for the majority of the second half following the dismissal of Barry Fuller, the game was tied at 3-3 at the end of 90 minutes. As per the cup competition regulations for this season, the contest went straight to penalty kicks, where Wanderers were defeated 4-3 in the shoot-out.
Marc White was able to include Matt Briggs and Jason Prior in his starting eleven after injury scares picked up against Sutton United last weekend, but Callum Kennedy and Nick Wheeler were unable to recover, and both missed out on a place in the matchday squad. There would be competitive debuts for Barry Fuller, Wes Fogden, Alfie Rutherford and Kane Wills, playing against the club he left in the summer. Slav Huk would get the nod ahead of Sam Howes in goal, and Niall McManus would start out in the left wing-back position.
The theme of injuries would unfortunately pick up where it left off from last Saturday inside the opening minutes of the game. Debuting Eastbourne full back Nick Arnold went down near the dug-outs after a tussle for the ball, and stayed down showing very limited movement as play carried on. The ball was eventually put out, and following a few minutes of treatment, Arnold was stretchered off and replaced by Emmanuel Folarin.
It was a scrappy opening to the game from both sides; the turnover of possession high, niggily fouls often creeping in, both teams racked by a somewhat nervous energy which forced mistakes. It led to a more direct approach from both, and Eastbourne made the better of it, getting the breakthrough midway through the half. Greg Luer had already dragged the first real opportunity of the game wide, before a few minutes later being brought down by Barry Fuller inside the penalty area. The Wanderers skipper was cautioned, as his opposing captain Charlie Walker stepped up to take the penalty. Slav Huk got down well to his right though, and made the save.
However, Wanderers would be punished just before the half-hour mark. James McShane was pressed on the ball just outside the area by James Hammond, the ball then spilling nicely into the path of Chris Whelpdale, who struck first time from just inside the area, finding the bottom left corner.
Dorking searched for an immediate response, and after Jason Prior couldn't quite make use of Fuller and Isaac Philpot's deliveries from wide, he would then turn provider himself for his strike partner Alfie Rutherford, who got Wanderers level. Latching on to Prior's flick on, Rutherford at the second attempt managed to round the oncoming defenders and goalkeeper, and slotted home.
Whelpdale had been imperious in the air all afternoon for the visitors on his debut, and restored 'The Sports' lead just a couple of minutes later. Ed Harris' deflected clearance came off Luer and hung in the air, Whelpdale going up for it and overpowering Huk to nod home from close range.
Right before the half-time whistle, Wanderers rallied and restored parity going into the break. McShane had dragged an effort wide, before in the next attack Niall McManus was afforded space on the left to accurately pick out Prior in the box, and the No9 guided the ball into the bottom right corner with a deft header.
Half-Time: Dorking 2 Eastbourne 2
Within two minutes of the restart - deja vu struck. Fuller was again found guilty of giving away a penalty, this time for handball. A nightmare start on his competitive debut, the skipper received his second yellow card and was dismissed. This time Whelpdale stepped up to the spot, seeking his hat-trick, but again Huk got down to his right and made the save.
Marc White had to shuffle his pack following the red card, and made a triple substitution. Sam Beard slotted into defence, and Luke Moore and Jake Gallagher came in to bolster the midfield. With Kane Wills, James McShane and Alfie Rutherford making way, Wes Fogden was pushed further up to play nearer to Prior in attack.
The scrappy nature to the game continued but both teams got forward more frequently and went closer to making things happen in the final third. Long distance efforts from Ferry, Rollinson and Hammond via a set piece would fall off target, before Luer would spurn a great chance after a rapid counter attack, snapping his shot just wide of goal. This proceeded Matt Briggs sliding and blocking another effort by Luer in a similar position a minute later.
As the half progressed, Wanderers did take greater command of possession, speared on by the midfield changes, and had their chances as well. Fogden's audacious overhead kick in tight space would go wide, before Briggs was denied brilliantly by Franco Ravizzoli, spreading well to deny the wing-back one-on-one after a great aerial through ball from Jake Gallagher.
With the game entering the final ten minutes, Eastbourne edged ahead again. From a corner kick, Whelpdale secured his hat-trick, running in and powerfully heading beyond Huk, who did manage to get a hand to the ball, but not enough to keep it out.
Again, the home response followed swiftly, and just three minutes later, it was Wanderers turn to be awarded a penalty. Isaac Philpot had attempted a dink from distance which was saved well by Ravizzoli, tipping it on to the bar and out for a corner. Prior was fouled at the back stick after the resulting delivery, penalty awarded. The man himself would step up, and made no mistake with a cool chip down the middle.
Sub Emmanuel Folarin then got his marching orders after collecting a second yellow card of the afternoon, going in heavy with a tackle on Fogden in the middle of the park, levelling the sides up for the remaining minutes.
Fogden would strike just wide as we entered stoppage time, and Dorking survived a couple of late scares as the visitors searched for a late winner. Harris did really well to block Whelpdale's effort from the left side of the area, before Walker nearly punished some poor play and a foul just outside the Dorking box, his direct free kick striking the outside of the post.
With the game level after 90 minutes, we went straight to penalties. Surprisingly, the two strikers Prior and Whelpdale would both miss, as Moore, Harris and Jake Gallagher, and Hammond, Walker and Kendell would respectively convert their kicks for each side. Wes Fogden would then be denied by a really good save from Ravizzoli, as Kai Woolard-Innocent made no mistake with his strike, sending Eastbourne through to the next round. The sides will meet again on Tuesday at Priory Lane in the opening game of the league season.
Marc White spoke to Gary Pascoe after the game:
"Well you've got to be disappointed, we obviously went out at the same stage last season. It was a typical first game of the season, but the difference is it's a cup game! You would take a point in a league situation, but what a game for the neutral though. Really happy with the subs we made, changed the game, did the things we should have done first half and had more bite. Credit to Eastbourne for being doggered, but I felt we dominated the last half hour despite being down to ten."
Daniel Stobbart
Dorking Wanderers (3-5-2): 1 Slav Huk, 2 Issac Philpot, 5 Ed Harris, 6 Niall McManus, 8 Matt Briggs, 9 Jason Prior, 10 Alfie Rutherford (3 Sam Beard 51'), 11 James McShane (18 Luke Moore 51'), 15 Kane Wills (14 Jake Gallagher 51'), 22 Barry Fuller (c), 23 Wes Fogden
Unused Subs: 7 Jimmy Muitt, 19 Guiseppe Sole, 13 Sam Howes (GK), 20 Dan Gallagher
Goals: Rutherford 37', Prior 45+', Prior 85'
Yellow Cards: Fuller 21', 47' Jake Gallagher 59', Moore 90+'
Red Cards: Fuller 47'
Eastbourne Borough (4-4-2): 1 Franco Ravizzoli, 2 Nick Arnold (18 Emmanuel Folarin 6), 3 Kai Woolard-Innocent, 4 James Ferry, 5 Mitchell Dickenson, 6 Steven James, 7 Joel Rollinson (14 Dean Cox 62'), 8 James Hammond, 9 Greg Luer (12 Charley Kendell 80'), 10 Charlie Walker (c), 11 Chris Whelpdale
Unused Subs: 15 Daniel Blackmore, 16 Charlie Lambert, 17 Leone Gratua, 21 Luke Glover (GK)
Goals: Whelpdale 29', 35', 82'
Yellow Cards: Folarin 74', 86'
Red Cards: Folarin 86'
Penalty Shootout:
Dorking (went first): Prior (missed), Moore (scored), Jake Gallagher (scored), Harris (scored), Fogden (missed)
Eastbourne: Hammond (scored), Whelpdale (missed), Walker (scored), Kendell (scored), Woolard-Innocent (scored)
Referee: Paul Johnson
Man Of The Match: Slav Huk (Sponsors Selection)
Stats:
Dorking Eastbourne
3 Goals 3
4 Shots (on target). 7
6 Shots (off target) 9
4 Corners 3
16 Fouls. 12
19 Crosses. 8