Bath City 0 Dorking Wanderers 2

 

BATH CITY (0) 0 DORKING WANDERERS (1) 2 – SATURDAY 12 FEBRUARY 2022 – VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE SOUTH – TWERTON PARK

Bath City (0) 0 Dorking Wanderers (1) 2 – Saturday 12 February 2022 – Vanarama National League South – Twerton Park

Match Report by Mark Stillman.

Nicky Wheeler’s wonder-strike helped rubber stamp a return to winning ways for league leaders Dorking.

The Wanderers wing-back superbly curled past Ryan Clarke from 25 yards just past the hour to kill off a contest occasionally spoiled by the visitors’ insistence at surrounding the referee in numbers.

Darren Oldaker’s first-half penalty gave the visitors the lead to punish City for their profligacy in front of goal during a bright start.

Oldaker’s tremendous goalline clearance denied Alex Fletcher as the Romans failed to find a way through.

City’s Tom Smith had the first shot on target with Dan Lincoln showing superb reflexes low to his left.

Elliott Frear wasted a gilt-edged opening on 15 minutes when he blazed Cody Cooke’s pull-back over from 10 yards during an otherwise encouraging start.

Alfie Rutherford had a goal disallowed before the Wands were awarded a penalty when Zak Delaney was harshly adjudged to have tripped James McShane, when it appeared the Dorking forward had dived in first on the Irishman. Oldaker made no mistake by thumping his penalty into the top left corner.

Oldaker proved his worth defensively after the break when he somehow cleared with Fletcher waiting to pounce after Cooke had fought his way to the byline.

Clarke got down well to deny Matt Briggs’ low drive but was powerless to provide Wheeler’s magnificent finish and give his side breathing space.

Frear tried to follow suit but Lincoln was equal to it as Marc White’s men saw out the scrappy closing stages to maintain their three point lead at the top.

City showed endevour but the away side looked the fresher as the contest progressed to complete a double over Jerry Gill’s men.

Att: 980

City’s Line-Up: Clarke (c), Raynes, Delaney, Batten, Fletcher, Cooke, Smith, Frear, Ball, Rowe (Richards 78), Dyer. Subs not used: Fuller, Holness, Jones.

Scorers: City – none; Dorking – Oldaker (pen 33), Wheeler (63)

City Bookings: Dyer (31), Cooke (57), Delaney (76)

Officials: M Scholes, S Ouchene, C Peters