MATCH PREVIEW: Dorking Wanderers vs Chippenham Town | National League South | Saturday 17th August 2024

The #Bluebirds look to turn around their Opening Day defeat to Farnborough as they head East this weekend to Surrey to face Dorking Wanderers in Match Day 2 of the 2024/25 National League South.

The opening day of the new season for Gary Horgan’s squad concluded with defeat as they fell to a 2-1 defeat to Spencer Day’s Farnborough in-front of 663 at #TheTSStadium.

Both sides started off the gate with a flurry of chances going the way of Chippenham as new signing Rex Mannings got off to a start with a few shots on-target that only went wide of Jack Turner between the sticks. Before the biggest chance coming in the 32nd minute as a long throw-in from Luke Haines found Matt McClure who’s header deflected off the crossbar and the ball found Matt’s feet moments later but a further low driven shot on-target from a wide angle is hit off the bar again in what was the turning point of the game for Chippenham.

However just before the half, Farnborough took the lead on 42 minutes with a potential Goal of the Season for them already as a superb strike from Ricky Holmes outside the box arrows into the top corner and past Will Henry. The visitors nearly had a second chance to double their lead on the end of 1st half as Mason Bloomfield’s shot close to goal is blocked off the line by Nat Williams before an eventual clearance by Freddie Grant wraps up the first 45 minutes.

The second half went to the visitors almost straight away as a routine goal-kick from the box involving Andrews and Haines gives Bloomfield the chance to pounce and find Holmes who doubles Farnborough’s lead after the break. Farnborough nearly had a third as Young and Smart combined with a effort but Will Henry stepped in to block away from goal.

The #Bluebirds with their biggest chance of the final 45 came to fruition as great play from Harry Parsons and Joe Andrews found the recently subbed on Tom Owen-Evans who chipped the ball over Turner in goal and into the back of the net to give Chippenham the chance to get back in the game with minutes remaining. The Farnborough keeper held the ball almost immediately after the goal causing TOE to attempt to get the ball away from him. The referee issued both players a yellow card for the afters that ensued.

Chippenham’s final chance came moments before full time as a throw-in from Haines and a battle in the box found Will King who was brought down by Millar Matthews-Lewis for our final free-kick of the game, but it came to nothing as Caine Bradbury’s free kick is blocked before Tyreke Johnson fires over for the conclusion of the first game which puts Chippenham 18th at the time of writing.

Gary said in his post-match interview, “A tough result to take but i thought we played well, to say it’s a game of fine margins is probably right. We made a mistake with a clearance and they scored from 25 yards out in the top corner, other than that we were on top of the game in the first half“.

You can listen to Gary’s post-match interview on YouTube here.

Onto the hosts for this weekend Dorking Wanderers, otherwise known as “The Wanderers” spend their first season back in the National League South after being relegated from the National League at 23rd position.

Formed in 1999 by a group of friends as a recreational amateur team playing grassroots football, the club began life in the Crawley & District League and went on to win twelve promotions in their first 23 seasons, reaching the National League via the playoffs in the 2021/22 season, where they remained for two seasons before suffering their first-ever relegation this past season. Having played for the club in its earlier years, club founder Marc White continues to be the chairman and first team manager to the present day.

Our hosts for Saturday, kicked off their 2024/25 National League South campaign with a 2-1 win against Truro City on the road in Cornwall last week, with goals from Charlie Carter and James Muitt to send Dorking up to 4th in the league table at the time of writing.

Both sides have met already in the past in league completions with the last meeting at Meadowbank back in April 2022 ending in a 3-0 win for our hosts, this match was notable for being Gary Horgan’s first game as Chippenham manager following the departure of now Gloucester manager Mike Cook a week earlier.

Chippenham fans will of course remember the match at #TheTSStadium in December 2021 when the #Bluebirds ran out 4-1 winners with a first half hat-trick from former Swindon Town loanee and now permanent signing Harry Parsons scoring a first half hat-trick (31st, 34th and 38th minute to be precise), before the visitors got one back with Matt Briggs before the half. Former loan player from Swindon Town and now York City player Ricky Aguiar getting the fourth before full time.

Dorking, despite being relegated last season, have plenty of talented players who will be ones to watch out for this Saturday, the first being of course 35 year old striker Jason Prior, the former Bognor Regis Town, AFC Wimbledon and Dartford striker, in his second stint for Dorking scored 11 times in 36 appearances, playing 2799 total minutes of football.

Dan Gallagher is another for Dorking as the 27 year-old midfielder has been part of Marc White’s squad since 2019 and his surname is noted well as he’s the older brother of England international and potentially moving to Atletico Madrid (still at Chelsea as of time of writing) midfielder Conor Gallagher.

The final is 27 year old Club Captain Charlie Carter, the former Woking Academy graduate enjoyed stints at EFL clubs Chesterfield, Stevenage and National League side Eastleigh before moving to Dorking on Oct 16th 2023, last season he bagged 8 goals in 25 appearances, playing 2132 total minutes.

We look forward to welcoming all Bluebirds supporters who are planning to join us in Surrey this weekend, a brief reminder that there will be NO supporters coach going to due to low numbers, with the next planned coach being away to Salisbury FC next month, we will of course have the latest info available on our social media channels and the official club website.

Tickets can be purchased online via Dorking’s ticket portal but be advised that Away supporters will need to click Away Tickets when purchasing, as the game will be segregated as per Dorking’s match day arrangements.

Ticket prices are as follows: (Adults £18, Concession £16, Under 18’s £9, Under 8’s £5) – Please note: Disabled tickets fall under the concessions bracket, if a carer is required they will enter the ground free of charge but you must contact info@dorkingwanderers.com to arrange your ticket and also that tickets must be purchased for all ages under 18.

Finally be advised that there will be NO Radio Match Commentary available on BlueArmy TV & Radio for this fixture, but we will have full 90 minute updates available on our X account from 2:45pm and we will also have all the latest reaction and action with our post-match reaction and match highlights available on YouTube.

COME ON YOU BLUEBIRDS!!