Dorking Wanderers report
Match report by James Maw.
Dorking Wanderers obliterated a sorry-looking Kingstonian side, as Leigh Dynan's reign as K's boss was brought to a crashing end in what at least one bus-obsessed fan has dubbed 'the 465 Derby'.
You never know quite what you're going to get in the Isthmian Premier League, but Wanderers' standing at the top of the division, combined with our own recent slump - five straight league defeats going into the match - suggested this could prove a testing afternoon for everyone involved with the club.
Not that we started too badly. In fact, Tommy Brewer had looked like putting us into an early lead, as he stooped to head home Scott Davies' free-kick, only for Dorking defender Sami El-Abd to hook the ball behind at the last second. Louie Theophanous and Elliott Buchanan linked up well, but Dorking's well-organised rearguard prevented us from creating many clear-cut chances, despite some promising interplay.
After that bright start, however, two defensive lapses soon saw us 2-0 down. Dorking broke the deadlock when K's fell asleep defending a corner, with El-Abd left in acres of space and able to calmly nod Wanderers into a 15th minute lead. Things quickly got worse. James McShane rattled our crossbar from close range, and with K's unable to fully clear their lines, Lewis Taylor - completely unmarked on the penalty spot - rifled home to double our hosts' advantage. Davies' then tested Dorking's keeper from range, before Sean Clohessy struck a post from a tight angle, as we went in at the break two behind.
Not disheartened, our fans continued to give full and vociferous backing to the team, who enjoyed a few more promising moments early in the second half. Dean Inman and Mano Gagonas both surged into the Dorking box, but were both unable to get a shot away. It was soon 3-0 when Rob Tolfrey couldn't get a strong enough hand to Tom Richards’ low drive, and 4-0 when Jason Prior sent a looping header over our beleaguered keeper.
Our fans nevertheless kept singing, and were rewarded when Inman nodded home a consolation on 77 minutes. Sadly, not even that morale boost could help stem the tide, with our opponents' continuing their quest to sate a mad lust for goals that had seen them net 19 in their previous five matches.
Unfortunately, that meant wave after wave of attack for the remainder of the match - and three more goals. It was 5-1 when Tom Tolfrey (we assume no relation, but it didn't seem the time to ask) surperbly twisted and turned to play in Richards for his second of the game, and 6-1 when McShane reacted quickest to a loose ball in the box and this time blast the ball (just) under the bar. Tom Tolfrey prodded past his namesake in injury time to both round off the scoring and necessitate the use of brackets on the vidiprinter.
The club confirmed later on Saturday evening that the match would be Dynan's last. The search for a new manager is now underway, with K's next game against Carshalton perhaps the last chance to kick-start our ailing campaign.
Dorking Wanderers: Slavomir Huk, Isaac Philpott, Sam Beard, Sami el-Abd, David Ray, Lewis Taylor, Luke Moore, Matthew Briggs, Jason Prior, Tom Richards, James McShane.
Subs: Rob Sheridan, Reece Hall (for Jason Prior, 71m), Jerry O'Sullivan, Tom Tolfrey (for Lewis Taylor, 76m), Niall McManus (for Matthew Briggs, 60m).
Kingstonian: Rob Tolfrey, Leo Chambers, Manolis Gogonas, Scott Davies, Dean Inman, Tommy Brewer, Andrew Musungu, Josh Huggins, Elliott Buchanan, Louie Theophanous, Sean Clohessy.
Subs: Nathan Minhas (for Louie Theophanous, 76m), Aaron Lamont, Terrique Hall-Anderson (for Andrew Musungu, 70m), Jay Gasson, Josh Kyte.
Goal scorers: Sami el-Abd (17m, 1-0), Lewis Taylor (29m, 2-0), Tom Richards (54m, 3-0), Jason Prior (67m, 4-0), Dean Inman (77m, 4-1), Tom Richards (79m, 5-1), James McShane (81m, 6-1), Tom Tolfrey (90m, 7-1)
Attendance: 713
