SHAYMEN DISCOVER A WINNING FORMULA

FC HALIFAX Town returned to winning ways and earned their first three points of 2024 after defeating a disappointing Dorking Wanderers at Meadowbank.

Andrew Oluwabori got the Shaymen off to the perfect start, netting after just four minutes, before Charlie Carter pulled the Wands level.

Max Wright’s low strike from range put the visitors back in front on the stroke of half-time before the lively winger wrapped it up with his second and Halifax’s third eight minutes from time to earn Chris Millington’s side only a second league victory since November.

Dorking enjoyed the lion’s share of possession in the second half but lacked a cutting edge.

The result saw the Wands slip into the relegation zone. Disappointed boss Marc White said: “Our home form has been wretched this season, that’s our 10th defeat this term, it’s just not acceptable.

“There are a number of things we need to look at, we ultimately didn’t get our set up right today and I’ve got to credit Halifax, they exposed us man-for-man and on the counter, which they set out to do.”

With the game just three minutes old, Dorking were caught cold by a long ball over the top from Wright. Jamie Cooke did well to stay onside and latch onto the ball inside the right channel before squaring for Oluwabori to tap home from very close range – his first Halifax goal.

The electric Oluwabori caused Dorking problems all afternoon with commanding dribbling from central midfield, and went close to doubling the Shaymen’s advantage with a deflected effort.

But, on 24 minutes, White’s men were back on terms when a cross-turnshot from the attacking left was turned in on the goal line by Carter for his third goal in four matches.

Tom Blair spurned a golden opportunity to put Dorking in front soon afterwards, blasting a Carter cutback over the bar, and Wright duly punished the miss just into the opening minute of first half stoppage time, shifting into a central position and driving a low strike into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

Dorking began brighter after the restart, Jordan Keane providing a brilliant intervention on the goalline to deny Blair, who went close with a couple of further efforts, including bending a setpiece just wide of target.

In similar fashion to their defeat last weekend against AFC Fylde, the game was put beyond Dorking’s reach via a counter attack. Adan George held the ball up well initially and flicked it into the direction of Cooke, who raced into space and squared for Wright to score his second of the afternoon.

Dorking keeper Harrison Male produced an excellent double save to prevent further gloss being added to the scoreline but the damage had been done.