RESULT | AFC MOUSEHOLE 1 DORKING WANDERERS 2
Dorking continued pre-season preparations this past Saturday afternoon in Cornwall after coming from behind to defeat AFC Mousehole at Trungle Parc.
The home side took an early lead through Jack Symons rising effort struck from several yards out, Wanderers woes compounded in the opening minutes of the match when goalkeeper Harrison Male had to leave the field of play for medical attention after an innocuous collision with the boot of Barry Fuller left him requiring head stitches. With no substitute goalkeeper part of the travelling squad, George Francomb donned the keeper's jersey and gloves for the remainder of the game.
Just before half-time Bobby-Joe Taylor got Wanderers back on terms after a terrific solo effort, cutting in from the left and firing the ball clinically beyond the goalkeeper's dive to find the far corner of the net. Midway through the second half Marc White's men then managed to get themselves in front; Luke Moore striding forward well from midfield and entering the box before shifting the ball across to Harry Ottaway, who made no mistake slotting home to score his first goal of pre-season.
A competitive game from the outset, Wanderers held on to their narrow lead to take victory and remain unbeaten so far through pre-season. It was an afternoon where Josh Taylor played his first minutes of after recovering from a hip injury, and following the Advertiser Trophy win last Tuesday evening, Academy midfielder's Jack Saunders and Matt Hay again featured alongside recent signing Jaevon Dyer and B team regular from last term Spike Steggall. Having received stitches for his early head injury, with no further damage sustained goalkeeper Harrison Male is likely to return to action shortly.
Reflecting on the game and occasion post-match, manager Marc White said:
"It's difficult to know where you are in pre-season really, we don't test ourselves very hard, it's more about providing games and fitness opportunities for players, but we do play in matches which tend to be competitive."
"We've really enjoyed the trip down to Newquay, Mousehole are a fantastic club with fantastic people and volunteers, and are going places as well. On the field, they were as good as they were off it, they were excellent, really well drilled side. Overall it has been a really memorable trip."
"We probably need to have a stronger second half of pre-season compared to the first half. I'm looking forward to Bognor Regis this weekend, we enjoy playing teams we know really well, Jack Pearce and the team down there, it's a great big wide open pitch at the Nye Camp so we are looking forward to the test fitness wise."
Wanderers will travel down to West Sussex this Saturday afternoon to face Bognor Regis in a 3pm kick off, before returning to Meadowbank next Tuesday night to host Horsham at 7:45pm. Tickets for the final home game of pre-season are on sale now:
https://dorkingwanderersfc.ktckts.com/event/dwpre3/pre-season-horsham