For the fourth time in succession in this fixture, the winners came from behind but unfortunately for the Fleet this afternoon, that turned out to be the hosts. Ben Chapman’s excellent strike had given Josh Wright’s side the lead but Dorking fought back in the second period to take the points.

The Fleet settled quickly and threatened in the early stages with successive corners as Wanderers struggled to find their rhythm early on.

It was a cagey opening 25 minutes with little action in front of goal, the only real chance coming when the hosts threatened a breakthrough but a foul in the area pulled them back.

Dorking did begin to find their feet as they continued to up the pressure but the Fleet back line defended well with Matt Hall making a number of saves and Mustapha Olagunju clearing Charlie Carter’s chance. 

The deadlock was broken on 38 minutes courtesy of Chapman’s stunning goal of the season contender. After a spell of Dorking pressure, Fleet cleared their lines quickly from Josh Passley and Tom Dallison, allowing Chapman to run on to pick out the top left corner leaving Harrison Foulkes no chance.

That lifted the Fleet for the closing stages of the half but they couldn’t extend that lead further as the break came.

Into the second-half and the Fleet could have almost instantly doubled their lead when a cross from Kwesi Appiah picked out Dom Samuel lurking at close-range but an important interception denied him and forced the ball wide for a corner.

It proved costly as the hosts found the equaliser on 49 minutes when Dennon Lewis pounced on a back pass and confusion in the Fleet box to slot the ball home.

Dorking turned the game around 11 minutes later as Brennan Camp tucked away number two when an initial shot by Niall McManus ricocheted off the crossbar to fall into Camp’s path for a second go at the target.

A couple of corners came Fleet’s way as the visitors battled back in search of a leveller and Foulkes was forced into action punching one away over the bar.

Josh Passley met with Chapman’s delivery, climbing high to get some power on a header but he couldn’t keep his effort low enough as the final 15 minutes approached and Charlie Seaman couldn’t convert a promising free-kick.

But Dorking put the game out of the Fleet’s reach in the final moments as substitute and debutant Sam Pearson was on for only a minute before playing a neat one-two and converting with a good shot that arrowed away into the far corner.

EUFC: Hall, Passley, Olagunju, Dallison (Cosgrave 80), Hessenthaler, Seaman, Coker (Wyllie 72), Edser (Coley 87), Chapman, Appiah (Barnes 76), Samuel. Subs not used: Nelson, Kennedy, Sandford.
DWFC: Foulkes, Camp, Norville-Williams (Craig 87), McManus (Pybus 76), Lewis (Lawrence 90), Carter (Pearson 87), F Vincent, Enslin, L Vincent (Sidwell 87), Pinchard, Annesley. Subs not used: Sullivan, Knight.
Attendance: 1,738 (234 away)
Images courtesy of EUFC : Ed Miller/Tom Harris