MATCH PREVIEW | THE BLUEBIRDS
Easter Double Bill Pt. 1 - Good Friday
After a fortnight's break, Dorking return to National League South action this Easter weekend with two games in the space of four days. Chippenham Town are the visitors to Meadowbank on Good Friday, ahead of Wanderers hitting the road on Bank Holiday Monday to face Welling United.
Wanderers had been on a run of three games without a win ahead of delivering a comprehensive 5-0 victory at home to Slough Town the Saturday before last. Jimmy Muitt and Isaac Philpot's early goals got Wanderers off to a perfect start, establishing a 2-0 lead with ten minutes on the clock. Luke Moore could have further extended the score before half-time, missing from the penalty spot after Alfie Rutherford was brought down by keeper Jonathan North. Goals from Dan Gallagher, Alfie Rutherford and substitute Jason Prior rounded out the win through the course of the second half, Prior back on the scoresheet in his first home appearance since November. Back to winning ways with five different goalscorers and a clean sheet, Marc White will be hoping his side can carry that momentum into the final six games of the campaign.
The win over Slough had kept the gap at the top of the table to 4 points behind leaders Maidstone, but whilst Wanderers were not in action last weekend, the Kent side were.They defeated tomorrow's opposition Chippenham Town 1-2 at Hardenhuish Park, extending their lead at the summit to 7 points. Hak Hayrettin's side do head into this Easter weekend with just the one game scheduled however, which is away at Dartford on Bank Holiday Monday.
Ahead of the Easter weekend, Marc White has not confirmed any new injury concerns.
Wanderers opponents for their upcoming Surrey Senior Cup Semi-Final were confirmed this past Tuesday night. After drawing 1-1 at the end of ninety minutes, the Quarter final contest between Balham and Ashford Town went straight to a penalty shoot-out. Balham won it 6-5, and will face Wanderers at Meadowbank on Tuesday April 26th.
The Bluebirds
Chippenham Town will arrive at Meadowbank tomorrow as one of several clubs still vying for the final play-off place in the division. Currently sat in 11th spot, they are just two points away, and with six games remaining, will be very much looking to boost their late push with a positive result on Friday. Despite being in such an encouraging league position at this stage of the campaign, the club did part ways with manager Mike Cook by mutual consent last weekend following their home defeat to leaders Maidstone. On Monday it was confirmed that former player Gary Horgan will take charge through to the end of the season, his tenure beginning with tomorrow's fixture. Ahead of the narrow loss to Maidstone, 'The Bluebirds' had started the month with a 0-1 away win at Billericay Town. One defeat in the month of February proceeded a mixed run of results in March though; defeats on the road at Tonbridge Angels and Braintree Town falling either side of an impressive 4-2 defeat of Dartford at Hardenhuish Park. Following the successful loan spell of Swindon Town attacking midfielder Ricky Aguiar concluding midway through the season, 'The Bluebirds' managed to replace his goal threat quickly. Jordan Young was signed on an initial loan from Gloucester City back in early January, the 22-year old making his switch to Wiltshire a permanent move in February and weighing in with several goals so far. On the final non-league transfer deadline day in March, the club bolstered their midfield options with the loan signings of Tom Mehew from Bristol Rovers and Zaid Al-Hussaini from Crawley Town. The duo made their debut's in the victory over Billericay, with Mehew scoring his first goal for the club in style during last week's defeat to Maidstone. Further transfer business with Swindon Town has also been completed in recent weeks; Mo Dabre and Harrison Minturn extending their loan spells, plus youth players Callum Winchcombe and Levi Francis also joining 'The Bluebirds' until the end of the season. #Throwback The sides last met at Meadowbank in September 2019, having not faced each other at all last season due to the early curtailment. A Matt Briggs goal on the hour was enough for Wanderers to secure a 1-0 win under the lights in a midweek league matchday. In the reverse fixture at Hardenhuish Park back in December, an eight minute hat-trick in the first half from Harry Parsons sent Chippenham on their way to a 4-1 victory, a bad day at the office for Marc White's side. Matt Briggs pulled one back just before the interval, but Wanderers were unable to salvage anything through the course of the second half, and Ricky Aguiar managed to add a fourth goal in the last minute of regulation time.