Venue: Huish Park
Saturday 17th December, 3pm kick-off
Isuzu FA Trophy, 3rd Round
Conditions: Cold but clear
Pitch: Held up well after surviving a late inspection
Attendance: 962 (82 away supporters)
Scorers: None
Bookings:
Yeovil Town: None
Dorking Wanderers: James McShane 45
Referee: Gary Parsons
Yeovil Town (5-3-2)
Substitutes: Andrew Oluwabori (for Owen Bevan, 41), Charlie Wakefield (for Matt Worthington, 78), Malachi Linton (for Alex Fisher, 70) Lawson D’Ath, Louis Britton.
Dorking Wanderers: Lincoln, Philipot, El-Abd, Gallagher, Steggall, Mekki, McShane, Jebb, McManus, Taylor, Seager. Substitutes: Kennedy, Cheadle, Procter, Aubrey, Gale.
Match Report
Yeovil Town went out of the FA Trophy after a penalty shoot out for the second successive season as they went out at the expensive of National League rivals Dorking Wanderers.
After a toothless first half, the Glovers picked up the pace with a late flurry and thought they had won it when captain Josh Staunton turned the ball home, only to be denied by the assistant referee’s flag sending the game to penalties.
New signing Jordan Maguire-Drew scored the first spot kick, but Max Hunt and then Jamie Andrews saw their efforts saved by Dorking keeper Dan Lincoln – whilst the visitors scored all their four and go through to the fourth round.
Here’s how Ian saw it from his position at Huish Park…..
First half
Chiori Johnson started the game down the left, backed up by the returning Jamie Reckord, who missed the goalless draw with Scunthorpe United seven days earlier, with new signing Jordan Maguire-Drew starting down the right.
Alex Fisher played up front on his own supported by Matt Worthington, back after a one-match suspension, with Maguire-Drew and Johnson also pressing forward.
There was very little on show on the pitch to warm a chilly Huish Park
The opening stages lacked any real quality and but for a glancing effort from Max Hunt that wasn’t troubling the Dorking goalkeeper.
Hunt had another half chance from a corner which looped harmlessly over the bar.
Mark Cooper was forced until a change after Owen Bevan and Morgan Williams collided challenging eachother for a header. Bevan couldn’t continue and Andrew Oluwabori came on with Chiori Johnson moving to left wing.
Half time: Yeovil Town 0 Dorking Wanderers 0
Second half
At the start of the second half Yeovil had a good chance to grab an opener through Oluwabori. He opted to head the ball back across goal rather than towards it when it felt like he had time to pick his spot.
Matt Worthington should have opened the scoring in the 55th minute. An inviting cross from Jamie Reckord landed at Worthington’s feet in the box but he couldn’t adjust himself to direct the ball towards goal.
Alex Fisher made way for Malachi Linton in the 70th minute and he nearly made an immediate when he tried to get on the end of Oluwabori’s cross. Dorking cleared for a corner and from that Josh Staunton had Yeovil’s first effort on goal.
As the dreaded shootout loomed, a flurry of half chances fell to Hunt, Staunton and Linton but none could capitalise.
Linton had another good effort moments later, beating a Dorking defender and pulling a low shot wide of the post.
As time ticked away the action got a bit fiery with Yeovil looking more likely to get something and they thought they had it through Josh Staunton in the 90th minute but it was ruled as offside.
Yeovil huffed and puffed but couldn’t find a way through and the game went to a shootout.
Here’s how the spot kicks went…..
Dorking: Ryan Seager – scored (0-1)
Yeovil: Jordan Maguire-Drew – scored (1-1)
Dorking: James McShane – scored (1-2)
Yeovil: Max Hunt – saved (1-2)
Dorking: Jack Jebb – scored (1-3)
Yeovil: Jamie Andrews – saved (1-3)
Dorking: Bobby Joe Taylor – scored (1-4)