WEAKENED SAVIOUR
WANDERERS overcame their personnel crisis to hold off a spirited Needham Market in a five-goal thriller
The hosts were short of six injured and two suspended firstteam players but recovered when the visitors drew level after halftime and withstood a late Marketmen rally.
The visitors were virtually unchanged from their midweek match and started brightly with a scrambled shot just rolling past the post.
Wanderers new signing Lewis Taylor, who joined this week from Kingstonian, soon put his mark on the game and drew a good a save from visiting keeper Daniel Gay after ten minutes.
His second effort however, after 18 minutes, gave him a debut goal to put the home side ahead.
The visitors responded well putting more pressure on keeper Josh Pelling who made several routine saves.
The increasingly slippery conditions creating errors and a shot by Wanderers’ Sam Beard was spilled by Gay but Guisseppe Sole couldn’t steer in the loose ball.
Luke Moore and Taylor dominated the midfield and were constantly creating openings but it remained 1-0 at half time.
Needham Market forced an equaliser on 51 minutes with a well-taken strike by centre-forward Jamie Griffiths.
The visitors continued to press but Wanderers edged back in front seven minutes later with an assist from Luke Moore creating a chance for James McShane who buried a great strike beyond Gay’s reach.
And on 70 minutes Stan Beard cut in from the left to score with a low shot and make it 3-1.
Needham pulled one back five minutes later when superb passing move which carved open the Dorking defence and set up Griffiths for his second of the day.
It was a tense final 15 minutes as the visitors pushed for an equaliser. Wanderers Sam Beard and skipper Chris Boulter both having to clear off the line.
Josh Pelling’s goal was bombarded but Wanderers held on for a valuable three points.
Marketmen scorer Griffiths for told The NLP: “It was disappointing to concede three and I felt we created enough to get a point.
“Having three shots cleared off the line sums up how things are for us at the moment.”
Dorking manager Marc White was “delighted to secure the three points today considering we only had 12 fit players.
“All our goals were good team efforts, we were great defensively and we probably shaded it.”