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- Dorking Wanderers aim to respond to their first home defeat of the season against Walton & Hersha on Saturday, ahead of a bank holiday double header against Truro City.
- Dorking duo Dawid Rogalski and Jack Wood fired the Swans to promotion last season before switching to the Wanderers
- Dorking have slipped to 8/1 for the National League South title after two defeats in four matches, with Dagenham & Redbridge now favourites at 10/3
Wanderers Look To Respond After Difficult Maidstone Defeat
Dorking Wanderers face Walton & Hersham on Saturday looking to put right a home loss to Maidstone that manager Marc White described as their most disappointing performance of the season so far.
It's the first of two matches in three days, with Truro City visiting Meadowbank on the bank holiday Monday.
Walton & Hersham arrive on the back of a torrid start to life in the National League South.
Promoted after winning the Southern League Premier South with 92 points, the Swans have lost all four league matches this season, including a 5 goals to 1 opening day defeat to Folkestone and consecutive home losses to Maidstone and Dagenham & Redbridge.
Two of the players who fired Walton to promotion, Dawid Rogalski and Jack Wood, now play their football for Dorking after scoring 37 and 16 goals respectively last season.
Walton's squad for Saturday is also notable for two footballing surnames: Ikechi Eze, brother of Crystal Palace and England forward Eberechi Eze, and Mitchel Bergkamp, son of Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp.
The two clubs have only met competitively once before in the league, back in the 2015/16 season, when Dorking won both fixtures.
Walton got the better of the Wanderers more recently, though, beating them 3 goals to 1 in the Surrey Senior Cup final at Meadowbank, with Rogalski scoring twice on that occasion.
What Owner and Manager Marc White Said:
Dorking boss Marc White was candid in his assessment of the Maidstone defeat, pointing to two contentious goals despite his side's dominance of the ball.
"The Maidstone game was probably our most disappointing game of the season," White said. "The data actually wasn't that bad, dominant possession, we lost the game with 65% possession. But we didn't deal with transitions very well, and we went a little bit too direct. Ultimately, we were undone by a goal that shouldn't have stood and wasn't over the line, and the second goal was a clear foul."
Availability remains Dorking's biggest headache heading into the bank holiday fixtures. White is hopeful of welcoming Harry Pinchard back into the squad, but confirmed Frank Vincent will miss out with a hand fracture, while Dan Pybus is only expected to be fit enough for limited involvement.
"We had more first team boys on the gantry than we did on the pitch in our last match," White added. "We need to get these boys back on the pitch and, in the meantime, we need to limit our expectations. It's a tough period."
Despite the injury concerns, White expects his side to prove a tough early test for Walton. "I think Walton are still acclimatising to this level. We're probably going to be one of the best sides they've played this season. They'll be looking to get their first points on the board and, obviously, we're looking at it as a game we believe we can get three points."
What Forward George Nikaj Said:
Forward George Nikaj, who has settled in well since his summer arrival, is looking to build on his early goal contributions.
"The first couple of months at the club have been really enjoyable, from the staff, the boys, and the fans," Nikaj said.
"As an attacker you're always pleased to get on the scoresheet, and now hopefully we'll start getting the results with the goals as well. Walton & Hersham is going to be a tough game. There's no easy games in this league, especially when they play against Dorking. We're optimistic to put the previous game right."
What CEO Jonathan Bines Said:
Off the pitch, chief executive Jonathan Bines struck an upbeat tone about the club's progress and the opportunity presented by two matches in quick succession.
"Two games in three days is a fantastic opportunity to create some momentum and get some points on the board, and we look forward to both the trip to Walton and welcoming Truro," Bines said. "The constant focus on finding the 0.1%s of improvement is always there as we keep working towards taking the club forward in every single aspect available to us."
National League South Title Odds
Dagenham & Redbridge have moved into pole position for the National League South title after a fourth straight win took them four points clear at the top, with preseason favourites Torquay slipping to second following a 2 goals to 0 defeat to the league leaders.
| National League South Winner 26/27 | Odds | Probability |
|---|---|---|
| Dagenham & Redbridge | 10/3 | 23.1% |
| Torquay | 7/2 | 22,2% |
| Dorking | 8/1 | 11.1% |
| Chelmsford | 12/1 | 7.7% |
| Folkestone Invicta | 16/1 | 5.9% |
Next Up
Walton & Hersham vs Dorking Wanderers. National League South. Elmbridge Sports Hub. Saturday 29th August, 15:00
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Where To Bet On The Weekend's Action
With Dorking's title odds on the move and two games coming thick and fast, it's worth shopping around UK betting sites before Saturday's kick-off, particularly with plenty of free bets on offer for new customers.
The title odds above come courtesy of bet365, one of the more comprehensive operators for non-league markets, with prices also available on both the Walton & Hersham clash and Monday's visit of Truro City.
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