Dorking Wanderers 0-0 Sittingbourne - With the ambition and the backing they've got down here I will take a point, says Sittingbourne boss Nick Davis

Dorking Wanderers 0 – 0 Sittingbourne
Location	Westhumble Community Ground, London Road, Dorking, Surrey RH5 6AD
Kickoff	22/12/2015 19:45

DORKING WANDERERS  0-0  SITTINGBOURNE
Ryman League Division One South
Tuesday 22^nd December 2015
Stephen McCartney reports from London Road

SITTINGBOURNE manager Nick Davis says his players gave him everything during this  stalemate at play-off chasing Dorking Wanderers.

Sittingbourne arrived at London Road in the bottom four in the Ryman League Division One South table on 25 points from as many games, while Marc White’s side were in seventh-place on 44 points from 25 league outings.

The Brickies went into the game having picked up seven points from their last three games were the better side during the first half but couldn’t beat Gary Ross in the Wanderers’ goal.

Sittingbourne were reduced to ten-men when striker Tony Cornwell was red-carded three minutes before half-time and they were resilient and lucky – Dorking Wanderers hit the post twice in the second half – and went on to claim a deserved point.

“Well considering the circumstances with Miles Cornwell being sent-off, I think we were absolutely outstanding,” said a rain-drenched Davis afterwards.

“Absolutely bravehearts. The boys out there defended fantastically. We created as well on the break in the second half.

“The first half I thought we were the better side. I thought we were much the better side, we created the better chances.”

Referee Matt Eva somehow passed the waterlogged playing surface playable with both goalmouths under cover before the game but the soggy pitch was hit by a barrage of wind and driving rain during the entire match.

“It looked worse than what it was when you were actually out there,” said Davis.

“The game went on. Well, when it went down (the changing room end of the ground) it stopped in the middle, it would’ve been called off if it was half-an-hour before.

“I mean, should the game been on today? I’m not so certain, no!

“They don’t allow the pitches to get like this anymore. This is something from the 90’s wasn’t it? This doesn’t happen anymore, but the ball actually ran quite well for the majority of the game. It didn’t actually stick until near the end.”

When asked if he was up for playing the game despite waterlogging in both goal-mouths, Davis replied: “We’re here aren’t we and we made the journey. If it was called off we’d have to come up here in January or February anyway, so we’re here, we might as well get the game going.”

A crowd of 109 braved the grim conditions but Sittingbourne created more chances than their hosts in the mud during the first half.

Steven Ita swung in a corner from the left towards the near post and Jono Richardson shinned the looping ball into the arms of Ross inside the opening nine minutes.

“He got two on Saturday Jono and he’s a threat,” said Davis, whose side won the relegation dog-fight at Peaceheaven & Telscombe 6-2 on Saturday.

“We are a threat from set-plays.  I don’t know if it’s more of a half chance really that one.

“Ita’s played a good ball in and Jono’s normally in the right place at the right time normally, he was on Saturday.”

Ita then played a short pass inside to holding midfielder Josh Wisson, who drove a 35-yard right-footed drive which skidded off the wet turf and was saved comfortably low down by the Dorking Wanderers keeper.

“Josh does that,” said Davis.

“He’s seventeen years of age, him and Jack Stevenson are both 17. They’re playing in our team which is outstanding for them, they’ve come through our under 21s and he’s fearless and he wants to shoot from distance and he’s done it a few times for us when he played in there.

“He’s played in a holding role for us. We said when you get the opportunity - he’s got a strike on him - why not have a dig with the conditions the way they are, so fair play.”

Sittingbourne’s best chance of the night arrived in the 27^th minute.

Left-back Richardson put Ita through down the left channel and he cut into the penalty area and his angled drive was blocked by Ross at the near post, the ball flashing behind for a corner.

“Steve’s through, he’s got a great strike on him. The keeper’s got a foot to it, it’s gone behind him, it could’ve gone anywhere, that could’ve gone in, nestled in,” said Davis.

“Steve’s been absolutely outstanding since he’s come. He’s got four goals in five games for us. He’s set two up on Saturday and he’s been an absolute revelation for us. He’s enjoying his football here and I thought he was a constant threat in the first half.”

Sittingbourne skipper Tom Brunt then smacked a wild right-footed drive sailing over the top of the far post from 35-yards after Dorking Wanderers cleared the ball out to the right-back.

More good wing play from Ita set up a chance for striker Dan Hughes, who hit a shot on the turn which flashed past the far post.

But Dorking Wanderers rode the storm and created their first opening with 32 minutes on the clock.

Former Sittingbourne midfielder Jake Beecroft threaded a free-kick along the deck into striker Tommy Hutchings, who dragged his shot past the far post from 20-yards.

But the home side’s best chance of the first half arrived four minutes later.

Hutchings released 20-goal striker Tom Tolfrey in behind Brunt and George Crimmen but he steered his week left-footed shot straight at Adam Molloy, who made a comfortable save.

Davis asked: “Do you remember too many saves that Adam Molloy had to make tonight?

“They’ve got Tolfrey up front, he’s scored bundles of goals for them. They’ve brought in Hutchings, they’ve got Terry, they bring in Dane Luchford.  They’ve got a lot of quality in their side.

“Yes, it was an opportunity. We weren’t tight enough. We switched of but I think for the majority of the game we were outstanding defensively.”

Sittingbourne were reduced to ten men when referee Mr Eva pulled out his red card after consulting with his assistant (Steve Scott) following Cornwell’s sliding tackle on Dorking Wanderers right-back Thomas Gilbert right in front of the home dug-out.

“Their bench has just gone up and their manager is on the pitch,” said Davis, after hearing loud appeals from the home bench to his right.

“Look, he’s touch has taken him away. He’s gone in and hit him with his momentum. He’s got no malice at all. He’s an honest lad. He works himself in the ground Miles Cornwell and I feel sorry for him there.

“We were the better side but I hope the lad’s not injured. He may well have caught him. Is it a red card? I’m not sure. I don’t think the ref would’ve given it. It was the linesman that gave it.”

When asked about his thoughts at the break, Davis said: “We were the better side there, with a bit of pace we have on the break.

“Bankole in (central midfield) was absolutely immense. He just breaks it up and does the ugly stuff really well, doesn’t he?

“I said, look as a defender myself what an opportunity to get ourselves a point or to get something from the game. It was backs against the wall.

“It’s still hard to break down when you’re well-organised and you’ve got two banks in front of you. They didn’t have that final ball tonight because our shape was good, so that’s credit to us. We stayed in the game.”

But Sittingbourne were resilient – and lucky on a couple of occasions – during a poor second half, which was played in deteriorating weather conditions.

Dorking Wanderers should have broken the stalemate inside the opening five minutes.

Matt Briggs picked the ball up in midfield and drove forward straight down the middle and was given time and space to drill a right-footed shot from 30-yards, which screamed past Molloy and pinged the outside of the right-hand post.

“They’re entitled, aren’t they, to have a couple of chances,” said Davis.

“They hit the post twice. I don’t think Adam Molloy’s had a save to make. He got to a couple in the box.

“A good run from the lad really. That looked like the only way they were really going to get at us because there wasn’t that threat. He’s shot from distance and luckily it’s hit the outside of the post.”

The game then turned into a midfield battle in the mud for long parts of the second half before chances were created during the final 20 minutes.

Richardson picked the ball up and went for goal himself, hitting a shot harmlessly wide of the far post for Sittingbourne.

Briggs showed desire to maintain possession when he slid the ball inside to Tolfrey, who cracked a first time left-footed drive sailing just over the crossbar from 20-yards as Sittingbourne were pegged back.

Dorking Wanderers were awarded a free-kick some 30-yards from goal which Hutchings’ dipping shot narrowly cleared the crossbar.

Wisson whipped in a free-kick into the Dorking Wanderers penalty area but substitute Kerry Kedzi failed to get the ball from underneath his feet at the near post and the ball bounced harmlessly wide.

Dorking Wanderers continued to press and they went close to breaking the stalemate when Terry released Tolfrey, who twisted and turned on the right-hand side of the penalty area, cut the ball inside for Briggs to hit his first time drive just over the bar.

Good wing play from Sittingbourne substitute Kedzi saw him dance past his man to cut into the penalty area but his shot took a deflection and looped up into Ross’s hands above his head at his near post.

With the swirling rain lashing down from menacing black skies above, Sittingbourne rode their luck for a second time with five minutes left.

Terry put the ball in from the left, the ball pin-balled around the sticky Sittingbourne penalty area and came out to substitute Dane Luchford, who drove his right-footed shot through a crowd of players against the foot of the right-hand post.

“It’s an old fashioned scramble, wasn’t it?” said Davis.

“The ball got stuck right in the mud. If that was half-an-hour before and that downpour that would’ve been called off because that was just unplayable in there. The game was so far it had to finish, didn’t it?”

Another chance went begging for the home side when Tom Familton came up from the back to plant his free header just past the post following a right-wing corner from Hutchings.

Sittingbourne substitute Jordan Wells had the last chance of the game, hitting an angled drive over the crossbar from 25-yards from the right-hand side.

Sittingbourne defended for their lives in awful sticky conditions and held on to claim only their second league draw of the campaign.

“Against a side that invest a lot of money in their side, they invest and they’re ambitious and they score a lot of goals (51 league goals in 25 games), it was one of our first clean sheets in a long time so very pleased with that,” said Davis.

“To be the better side, to take five points out of the last three away from home, really pleased.

“With the ambition and the backing they’ve got down here I will take a point. Look where we are, we’ve got eight points from 12 from our last four games, I’m taking that all day long!

“I’ll come here and take a point on a cold Tuesday night. I said to the boys give me everything and enjoy your Christmas and that’s what they did!

“What pleased me, I thought our shape in the first half was fantastic. I felt we looked a threat and I think the togetherness and the desire – with 10 men – was absolutely fantastic – against a side what are supposed to be competing for the league.”

Sittingbourne are now three points clear of the relegation zone and have 20 league games left to play this season.

And if they battle like they did today and create and take some chances at the other end of the pitch then the club should retain their Ryman League status at the end of the season.

“It looked a little bleak a few weeks back,” admitted Davis after his side suffered 13 straight league defeats on the spin, which was started by Dorking Wanderers at Woodstock Park on 22 September.

“We’re not a bottom three side. You saw us tonight. We competed with a side that are competing for a play-off place in the league and are scoring a lot of goals and we’ve got a bit about us at the minute. We’ve got players that want to be here and hopefully we can really kick on from here.

“We want to get past 42 points which will be enough to keep us in the league, which has been for the last ten years and we can see where it takes us.”

Dorking Wanderers: Gary Ross, Thomas Gilbert (Dane Luchford 44), Harry Shipton, Chris Boulter, Tom Familton, Tony Oaks, Jake Beecroft, Matt Briggs, Tommy Hutchings, Tom Tolfrey, Kev Terry.
Subs: Sean Findlay, Tom Davis, William Hearn, Harry Evans

Sittingbourne: Adam Molloy, Tom Brunt, Jono Richardson, Jack Stevenson, George Crimmen (Bill French 60), Josh Wisson, Stefan Wright, Ollie Bankole, Miles Cornwell, Dan Hughes (Jordan Wells 68), Steven Ita (Kerry Kedzi 77).
Sub: Nick Davis

Booked: Jack Stevenson 78

Sent Off: Miles Cornwell 42

Attendance: 109
Referee: Mr Matt Eva (Farnham, Surrey)
Assistants: Mr Steve Scott (Brookwood, Surrey) & Mr Kwame Hinson (Aldershot, Hampshire)