Dorking Wanderers 1-0 Greenwich Borough - It's just disapointing that we can create so many chances and we can't put one away, says Greenwich Borough player-boss Gary Alexander

Dorking Wanderers 1 – 0 Greenwich Borough
Location	Westhumble Community Ground, London Road, Dorking, Surrey RH5 6AD
Kickoff	13/08/2016 15:00

DORKING WANDERERS  1-0  GREENWICH BOROUGH
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 13^th August 2016
Stephen McCartney reports from Westhumble

GREENWICH BOROUGH player-manager Gary Alexander says he’s feeling frustrated after his side missed their chances to win on their Ryman League Division One South debut.

Dorking Wanderers, who finished runners-up to Folkestone Invicta but failed to win promotion after losing 2-1 at home to Faversham Town in the play-off semi-final, grabbed victory through Tom Tolfrey’s stunning strike ten minutes into the second half.

Not many teams will come to the picturesque Westhumble ground and create as many chances as newly-promoted Greenwich Borough did today, but they just couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net and it was Marc White’s side that claimed the three points on the opening day of the new season.

“Obviously we’re disappointed, we don’t want to lose any game but we always knew it was going to be a tough test,” said Alexander afterwards.

“But anyone who was watching the game, we could probably have been out of sight in the first 20 minutes!  We had two kicked off the line and we missed some clear cut chances but there’s positives so we’re not going to moan about that.

“Yes, of course I’m frustrated, my players will be frustrated. We’ve come here against a team that finished second in this table, just seen what we’re about, seen how many chances we’ve created.

“I don’t think we’ll have another game like that again where we had 10 clear cut chances and didn’t take one of them!

“Do you know what, fair play to Dorking, they’re very good in possession, a good side and they will be up there, no doubt about it, but again it’s just disappointing that we can create so many chances and we can’t put one away!”

Dorking Wanderers gave right-back Rob Sheridan and striker James McShane their debuts, having signed the pair from Molesey, while Alexander gave debuts to Glenn Wilson (Margate), Remi Sutton (Thurrock), Lewwis Spence (Thurrock) and Rob Denness (Hollands & Blair).

Dorking Wanderers created the first chance after only 263 seconds but hardly troubled Craig Holloway in the Greenwich Borough goal.

Kev Terry threw the ball to McShane, who set up Anthony Oaks, who drilled his shot harmlessly high and wide from 25-yards.

But Greenwich Borough winger Mohamed Eisa was to be twice denied by Dorking Wanderers’ central defender Ben Dyett.

Peter Sweeney played both corners short to Eisa, who cut inside on both occasions and Dyett made two brilliant headed goal-line clearances to prevent Greenwich Borough scoring their first goal in the Ryman League.

“It’s situations that we’ve put ourselves in to create great chances and we’ve got to be braver,” said Alexander.

“We’ve got to put ourselves on the end of things and put the ball in the back of the net. It’s a game of scoring goals. If you don’t score goals, you don’t win games and that’s the classic example today.”

Greenwich Borough started with a 4-3-3-formation and they lost right-sided central midfielder Patrick O’Connor to a knee injury.

O’Connor was seen to kick McShane in an off-the-ball-incident as the home side broke forward and O’Connor was fouled by Terry in retaliation. 

O’Connor was screaming in agony after a second retaliation challenge by McShane (which escaped a card) and was forced off on a stretcher that has seen better days. Referee Michael Ryan kept his cards in the pocket on each occasion.

Alexander, who walked on to the pitch to assess the injury when his stricken player was being treated, said: “We’ll have Pat assessed later on. Hopefully it’s not too bad. It’s disappointing when one of your players goes off after 18 minutes in a game and it seems really bad but we’re praying it’s not.”

O’Connor’s replacement, Amadu Waritay, who was released by Dartford in pre-season having played for Crystal Palace and Reading’s Academies, whipped in an inch-perfect cross from the right wing but Power planted his free header over after 24 minutes.

A frustrated Alexander said: “Again, he has to score! Shaggy knows he has to score! It’s not a half-chance, it’s a great chance and that’s what we’re going back to, relating back to we’ve probably had seven, eight, or nine clear cut chances. They’ve had three or four good opportunities as well but when you’ve had seven, eight or nine clear cut chances, you have to put the ball in the back of the net!”

Dorking Wanderers took 31 minutes to call Greenwich Borough keeper Craig Holloway into action.

Jerome Beckles played a diagonal pass out of their defence and found Tolfrey down the right. He played the ball inside to Oaks, who cut the ball back to Jake Beecroft, whose right-footed angled drive from 20-yards was tipped around the post by Holloway, diving to his right.

Alexander said: “That’s what Craig’s there to do! I’ve got one of the best goalkeeper’s in the league and I’m more than happy he’s there to make saves and he has to make saves. There will be days where he doesn’t make saves but today he’s been called into action and that’s what he’s paid for.”

Holloway thwarted Dorking Wanderers again just 125 seconds later when Terry cut in from the left wing, slipped Tolfrey in behind and McShane’s shot was smothered by Holloway, who had advanced off his line to make the block at his near post.

But Greenwich Borough missed a gilt-edged chance in the 38^th minute through striker Rob Denness, who scored for Hollands & Blair in their FA Cup debut – a 3-2 win at Horsham YMCA last weekend.

Michael Power threaded a low through ball to put Denness in behind the Dorking Wanderers defence but his low shot was poor and Slavomir Huk made a comfortable save.

“The pitch was a little bit dry, but again another clear cut opportunity,” said Alexander, now sounding like a broken record as another chance went begging.

“I can’t say anything else other than these chances we’re having are clear cut opportunities.

“Is it the decisions we’re making? Have we got it right in our head what we’re going to do with the ball, or are we thinking too much?

“We have to just got to hit the target and score goals. It’s a game of scoring goals and if you don’t score goals you lose and I relate it back to that.”

Denness was having a bad time of it in front of goal, but Alexander was pleased with the striker.

He said: “He done well. He’s got chances, done well, battled well. He causes problems for anyone. He put his body around and he’s going to be a massive handful and he will have chances.”

A run through the heart of the pitch from Beecroft saw him play the ball out wide to McShane on the right and his low centre should have been tucked home by Tolfrey, the loose ball being collected by Holloway inside the six-yard box.

Rob Gillman’s long ball out of defence released Power charging down the left and his deep cross sailed over Huk’s head, who was unsure whether to come out or stay on his line.  The lively Eisa retrieved the ball from the right and played the ball back into the box but Denness’ shot was blocked by Huk’s outstretched right-leg.

Dorking Wanderers had the final chance of the first half. Tolfrey received the ball on the right hand side of the penalty area, cut inside but his weak shot rolled into Holloway’s hands for a comfortable save.

The score was, somehow, goal-less at the break.

Alexander said: “We’re here, we’re against a good side who are one of the favourites for the title and we’ve created – I said how many chances we’ve created.

“You said Craig made a save on 31 (minutes) but how many chances have we had before that?

“The game could’ve been put to bed after 20 minutes, we could have been 3-0 up but again I can’t say much else apart from if you don’t score goals, you don’t win games.”

Power clipped the ball over the top to release Eisa down the right and his centre was chested down by Denness at the far post and bounced across the face of goal from four-yards out.

Dorking Wanderers should have done better when Briggs’ lofted the ball into the Greenwich Borough box but Tolfrey lashed his shot high and wide.

But Greenwich Borough should have opened the scoring with another great chance.

Eisa sprinted down the right again and once inside the box he centred low for Power, who fluffed his lines, the ball got stuck underneath the sole of his boot inside the six-yard box and Huk bent down to gather the loose ball.

“But then we’ve spoke about that one and that’s decision making there,” said the Greenwich boss. 

“I’ve just said to Mo at the end of the game, can you lay that ball off because they were clear, they had a chance to tap it in.  Can you pass that ball how you want to receive it? He’s smashed it across the box and tried his best to get on the end of it but it wasn’t to be. But again, it’s a situation where we should be scoring a goal!”

Despite Greenwich Borough being the better side and creating the chances, it was Dorking Wanderers that grabbed the victory in the 55^th minute.

Tolfrey - who scored 37 goals for Dorking Wanderers last season - turned Gillman on the edge of the penalty area and smacked a stunning right-footed drive into the top right-hand corner from 25-yards.

“I hold my hands up, it’s a great finish,” hailed Alexander.

“Rob’s got him on the edge of the box, he’s turned and he’s hit one. It’s gone straight into the top corner so well played that player,” said Alexander.

“But going out for the second half we could’ve had two goals before they’ve even scored so that’s what’s disappointing. We can create so many chances!”

The goal stunned Greenwich Borough, who lost their attacking threat for a while.  Peter Sweeney floated in a free-kick but Eisa glanced his header wide.

Huk was called into action to frustrate Greenwich Borough in the final 18 minutes.

Right-back Glenn Wilson and debutant sub Amadu Waritay linked up well down the right and seconds later Denness cut in from the right and his angled drive was tipped around the far post by Huk, diving low to his right.

“Rob’s again causing problems, got his turn off and he’s brilliant at doing that,” said Alexander.

“The keeper’s made a great save so there’s nothing we can do about that! He’s hit the target but that’s something he’s made himself. We go back to the clear cut chances we actually had…”

It was a shock when Alexander dropped talented Jake Britnell to the bench but the attacking midfielder was agonisingly close to scoring the equaliser that Greenwich Borough deserved in the final six minutes.

Holloway’s big kick sailed straight down the middle of the pitch, Alexander (who came on for the last 10 minutes) flicked the ball on and Britnell rode a challenge (he could have so easily gone down and won a penalty) but he stayed on his feet to smack a left-footed drive crashing against the crossbar from 12-yards out.

“We brought Britnell on and he caused them a few problems,” admitted Alexander, who must play Britnell on Tuesday night.

“We’ve got a squad and people have got to be used to being in a squad game. We’ve got players here who want to play, we got players that are playing so everyone’s got to fight for their place and that’s what a good team is – and that’s what we are!

“It sums it up by that point. You think are we ever going to score a goal? I thought Jake might’ve had a penalty when he first came on.”

If that was bad enough, striker Alexander knew it wasn’t going to be his day when he had an equaliser ruled out for offside.

Sweeney floated in a free-kick, the ball was headed across the face of goal by Danny Young at the far post and the flag went up after Alexander slotted his shot across keeper Huk into the bottom far corner from four-yards out.

“It’s just about sniffing out the opportunity. A few of the boys there were saying I’m not offside. I don’t think it’s on camera or anywhere? You’ve got to sniff those chances out and be active. That’s what I was, I put it in and I thought I equalised but it wasn’t to be – it sums our day up!”

Dorking Wanderers almost added salt into the wounds at the end of the game on the break.

Beckles released debutant sub Gareth Chendik through the middle and he swept the ball out to Beecroft, whose 20-yard drive deflected off Gillman and only just flashed past the foot of the far post.

These two clubs will certainly be in the running for the top five promotion places at the end of the season and Alexander is not panicking after losing their first game.

He said: “We can mix it with the best. We can create chances against the best so it’s rather a positive and we can cause problems and that’s what we plan to do.”

“Fair play to Dorking today, they’ve had their opportunity and they’ve scored an absolute worldy!”

Newly-promoted Horsham – who lost 3-1 at home to Carshalton Athletic today – arrive at the DGS Marine Stadium at Middle Park Avenue in Eltham on Tuesday night.

Alexander said: “We go away, we’ll prepare right. We don’t get time to see the boys again now before Tuesday but they know to prepare right and we expect another tough game. We don’t expect any game to be light in this league and we’ll get used to it.

“There’s 45 to go, no league is won on day one!”

Star striker, Charlie MacDonald, 35, remains on the sidelines with a slight groin strain and he watched  this game from the stand.

“Charlie MacDonald will hopefully be back in a few weeks,” revealed Alexander.

“He was given some wrong information in terms of his injury, but we’ve had it assessed and he should be back in the next few weeks.

“Hopefully, he does all his rehab properly. He’s a top professional so we’ll be making sure he’s right within the next few weeks but he’ll take his time with that one and when he’s ready, he’s ready. It will be like a new signing, he is a new signing but it will be like a new signing.”

Dorking Wanderers: Slavomir Huk, Rob Sheridan, Dean Gunner, Jake Beecroft, Jerome Beckles, Ben Dyett, Kev Terry, Anthony Oaks, James McShane (Chris Boulter 67), Tom Tolfrey (Gareth Chendik 62), Matt Briggs (Jake Hill 62).
Subs: Kris Richardson, Daniel Mahony

Goal: Tom Tolfrey 55

Booked: Ben Dyett 35, Dean Gunner 88

Greenwich Borough: Craig Holloway, Glenn Wilson, Remi Sutton, Peter Sweeney, Robert Gillman, Daniel Young, Patrick O’Connor (Amadu Waritay 18), Lewwis Spence, Robert Denness, Michael Power (Gary Alexander 80), Mohamed Eisa (Jake Britnell 67).
Subs: Lewis Clark, Ronan Forde

Booked: Peter Sweeney 45, Gary Alexander 88

Attendance: 147
Referee: Mr Michael Ryan (Littlehampton, West Sussex)
Assistants: Mr Jamie Collumbell (Littlehampton, West Sussex) & Mr Jamie Wells (Worthing, West Sussex)

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