Wanderers narrow the gap- and we now have three Velocity Trophy Semi-Finalists

Dorking Wanderers got back to winning ways- and moved up to second place in the Bostik Premier Division table- by walloping Worthing at Woodside Road last night.

Worthing were forced to field youth team goalkeeper Aaron Relf after injury to both senior keepers, and manager Adam Hinshelwood made a number of other changes to the team that lost at home to Lewes at the weekend. His charges were to fall behind in the 9th minute, Guiseppe Sole with the goal, but got back into the match when Callum Kealy equalised sixteen minutes later. The hosts were given a boost when Wanderers leading scorer Jason Prior had to go off before half time, but three goals in the second half through Lewis Taylor, Niall McManus and Prior’s replacement, Reece Hall made the points safe in front of a crowd of 603.

Wanderers are now five points behind leaders Haringey Borough, but have a match in hand.

We had a massive match at the bottom of the South Central Division, as South Park took on Egham Town. The Sparks fell to last minute defeat at Bracknell Town at the weekend, whilst the Sarnies earned a late point at home to Chalfont St Peter to go level with last night’s opponents. The winner knew that they would climb out of the bottom two, and sadly for former Sparks manager Mick Sullivan, now the number two at Runnymede, it was South Park- these days managed by former Crawley Town, Lewes and Brentford defender Jay Lovett- who took the spoils, a goal in each half from Great Evans and Charlie Pitcher doing the damage. Molesey drop into the bottom two.

We now know three of the Velocity Trophy Semi-Finalists, and by a massive coincidence each of them won their match 4-1- and in each case it was the home side that triumphed. What kind of odds would Ray Winstone have given you on that?

Ronnie Winn (7'), Sean Marks (2) and George Purcell found the net for AFC Hornchurch against Whitstable Town, for whom Ricky Freeman got a late consolation; whilst at Larges Lane Bracknell Town were no respecters of Folkestone Invicta’s recent form, and indeed their triumph was elevated by the fact that they played most of the match with ten men. Ashleigh Artwell got two, and an own goal and one from Joseph Grant added up to four, whilst Johan Ter Horst scored for Invicta. The Robins will travel to the Urchins in the Semi-Final.

The away side in the other Semi-Final will be decided tonight, and either Merstham or Bishop’s Stortford will travel to Enfield Town. The Towners faced Burgess Hill Town last night, and a comprehensive display which included a Joshua Davison hat trick saw them sweep aside the Hillians. Billy Bricknell got the other goal for the home side, whilst Alexander Samizadeh got a last-minute consolation for the Green Elephants.