Report: Iron 3-2 Dorking Wanderers

United came from behind to clinch a 3-2 home win against Dorking Wanderers at Glanford Park.

The Iron came into the game having named an unchanged line-up from last week's game against York City. Recent signing Caolan Lavery started on the bench in place of Isaac Fletcher.

The Iron were the ones to get the game underway and immediately they tried to take control of it. However, the first opportunity went the way of the visitors. A good bit of footwork by Nick Wheeler on the left-hand flank saw him beat Jai Rowe and he managed to get his shot off. A strong, low shot nearly caught out Marcus Dewhurst but he managed to get down to his left-hand side quickly and make a smart stop to deny Dorking the opening goal.

Wanderers had another opportunity a few minutes later. Wheeler whipped the ball into the Iron penalty area. It was put into the corridor of uncertainty but Marcus Dewhurst made his mind up early as he came and punched the ball away from the danger. 

The Iron were presented with their first big opportunity of the game when Joe Nuttall made a smart run in between the Dorking defenders. He broke the lines but he was offside by the barest of margins. The Iron striker didn’t know this at the time and he took on a powerful shot which Daniel Lincoln dealt with very well. The outcome of that passage of play would have been irrelevant as the assistant’s flag was up.

Dorking were the ones to take the lead in the game. Ryan Seager picked up the ball on the edge of the Iron penalty area and he was unchallenged and had time and space to size up a shot. He wrapped his right foot round the ball and curled it into the bottom-right-hand corner. Dewhurst was beaten by the precision of the shot. This gave the visitors an early lead in the game.

Wanderers nearly grabbed a second after a precise ball into the box beat Andrew Boyce and George Taft. A Dorking player was first to get their head on the ball, at the back post, and they had time to direct the header. The connection was poor and the ball skimmed off the striker’s head and went behind for a goal kick.

United continued to search for the equaliser and had many opportunities to find it. A succession of corners gave the home side the opportunity to grab a goal back. However, Dorking were the ones to win the first ball every time and eventually they cleared their lines.

After a period of Iron dominance, Reagan Ogle was presented with a great opportunity on the edge of the box. The Iron defender drove into space and he unleashed a low driven shot which went just wide of the right-hand upright. He was inches away from putting United level in the game.

Rowe was the next Scunthorpe player with an opportunity. He found himself in a similar position to what Ogle did a few minutes earlier. The Iron defender had the same thought process and he took on a shot from distance with his weaker left-foot. The shot looked to be heading for the bottom-right corner of Lincoln’s goal but the Dorking goalkeeper got down low and held onto the ball well.

The visitors grabbed a second goal in the 33rd minute after a well-worked counter; The counter attack caught the Iron off guard and the visitors capitalized on this opportunity. Seagar broke away and Dorking found themselves in a two-on-one situation. The wanderer’s number nine and Niall McManus faced Ogle. Seagar played a lovely through ball to McManus who slotted the ball under Dewhurst and put the visitors two goals to the good.

Dorking continued to press on to try and grab a third goal. Seagar was involved again and he took on a shot from the edge of the area. He cut inside on his favoured right-foot and tried to curl the ball into the top right corner but he saw his effort fly over Dewhurst’s bar.

The Iron brought a goal back early in the second half to reduce the deficit. A perfect through ball by Apter to Lavery set the striker free and he chipped the ball neatly over Lincoln to earn himself a debut goal for the Iron. This gave the home side momentum.

In the 55th minute, United got their opportunity to draw level after substitute Sami El-Abd handled the ball in his own area. The referee immediately pointed to the spot and awarded a penalty. Nuttall was the one who took the responsibility. A powerful penalty was placed to the right-hand side of the goal but it cannoned of the upright and went out for a goal kick. 

Jacob Butterfield was the next player to have an effort on goal. He beat several Dorking defenders before aiming a left-footed shot towards the target. It was a low driven shot which was dealt with very well by Lincoln and the danger was over.

The Iron continued to dominate the second half and they grabbed the equaliser through Butterfield. Rob Apter cut inside and laid the ball off to Butterfield who got the ball out his feet quickly and took on a shot from distance. He drove his shot along the ground and it found its way into the bottom-right corner. Lincoln had no chance as it was so far in the corner. A wonderful 25-yard strike brought the Iron back into the game.

Mason O’Malley crafted a chance from one of his trademark crosses. A pinpoint ball into the area found the head of Nuttall and he got a clean connection and managed to direct the ball goalward. The power was there to beat the keeper but the direction wasn’t. The ball grazed the crossbar as it headed out for a goal kick. It was one of the best opportunities of the game.

Dorking responded to this Scunthorpe dominance as they created a good chance of their own. A cross into the Iron area was met by a Dorking head and the ball looked to be crawling into the far corner but it trickled just the wrong side of the post and the scores stayed level.

Seagar produced a stand out performance for the away side and he almost got a second goal when he was played in down the right flank. He took on the shot early and tried to catch Dewhurst out but his effort was high and wide of the target.

The Iron produced a third goal in the 84th minute to go ahead in the game. Lavery had a direct impact in another goal but this time he turned provider. A brilliant lofted ball into the area found the head of Taft who directed the ball goalwards. He turned the ball into the top right corner and gave the Iron the lead for the first time in the game. This completed a brilliant second half comeback.

Substitute Liam Feeney was forced off in the closing stages because of an injury and this meant United had to finish the game with ten men.

Dorking pushed the Iron back in the closing minutes but the Iron stood strong and continued to clear their lines. The visitors couldn’t find an equaliser and the game finished 3-2 to the Iron. A spectacular comeback sealed the win for United.

IRON: Dewhurst, Ogle, O’Malley, Boyce, Beestin (80’ Whitehouse), Nuttall, Rowe (80’ Feeney), Taft, Butterfield, Apter, Marsh (25’ Lavery).

IRON SUBS NOT USED: Foster, Young.

DORKING WANDERERS: Lincoln, B.Taylor (61’ Philpot), McManus, Seager, McShane, Wheeler (61’ Egan), J.Taylor, Gallagher, Fuller, Jebb, Ottaway (53’ El-Abd).

DORKING WANDERES SUBS NOT USED: Kennedy, Mekki.

ATTENDANCE: 2,526.