Rodari clean through for the 3rd, and not a single player back, again from a counter attack in their half. The coaching of Dorking this season is an Abomination. How is having no one back at all at 2-0 down, good coaching? Surely you have no one back only if its 1-0 down and you need a draw to win the league but that is about it. 

If this is your idea of "professional" go back to semi, the team was way better in 2022 and 2023 than it is now in 2025. 

@robh Learnt fuck all from the week before didn't they, as they conceded two goals exactly the same as the first game. Does anyone at all work on defence in Dorking's coaching set up? It looks like they are all frustrated strikers coaching a team, goals being shipped for them and losing games looks like an accident perhaps... who knows.

Surprised we started with Morro and without Louie Storey

Mooro was excellent to be fair.

The defence were not.

Toothless up front. Hebert was good when he came on. No good having all the ball if we don't do enough with it in the final third.

Hard sell getting tickets sold for Tuesday night at home after that 'display'.

(Horsham-Worthing was a sell out by the way, so will be interested on CrawleySth's feedback on facility's within the segregated away bit if he saw those)

@robh Defence seems a problem with some teams today. Crawley are the same - worst defence in League last season, no changes. Just concentrated on bringing in more attackers so hopefully score more (they are not) and wonder why they concede two a game to silly defensive mistakes on the break.

Posted by: @dorking-eagle

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(Horsham-Worthing was a sell out by the way, so will be interested on CrawleySth's feedback on facility's within the segregated away bit if he saw those)

Over 2100 at the game. Worthing fans on dugout side (nearest turnstile). They had their own bar/food kiosk and two portaloos. Looked plenty of room, but also some away fans in home seating (without colours, so some obviously bought home tickets). Cook, and Beard (captain and scored) started for Worthing (won 4-3) plus Wheeler came on as sub for Worthing, and Murphy and Philpot came on as subs for Horsham. Very physical game especially from Worthing.

Painful, that one.

Too many sides just come to Meadowbank to stop us playing, and too many succeed because of stupid defensive errors.

We need to get that underdog spirit back, which is tricky, because we are no longer the underdog, we are quite clearly a target. Thanks in part due to the sucess of BoA, but also the past sucesses.

Not sure what the answer is, but I have absolute faith that Marc and the management will get it right.

I have said this many times over recent years, but are we almost too open and honest about injuries, formations etc?

The updates are too honest about who is fit, who is injured, if you follow all the media, and do you homework you will know how we are going to play. It's no surprise people see something that worked for Chippenham and replicated it today.

I love the comms and openness, but is it time to keep our cards closer to our chest? 

There are still tons of exciting things that Marc or Scouse Mick can talk about and share with us, but maybe we need to be a bit more wily?

@dorking-eagle I saw they were charging Worthing fans 6.50 a pint and the home fans only a fiver

Posted by: @gary-munnery

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@dorking-eagle I saw they were charging Worthing fans 6.50 a pint and the home fans only a fiver

Beer prices at Horsham vary depending on the type of beer, and not all beers were available from each bar. Also members, and some Season Ticket Holders who paid an extra premium, get 10% of bar prices. There is also a £1 returnable deposit on the re-usable plastic glasses (not always explained) which may explain difference in prices. I was home fan and was charged £6 as I had the more expensive Work Ethic (cheaper beer available in club house).

Look forward to seeing the match stats but I’ve never seen a more one sided first half, but still could’ve been 2-0 down.  

Obviously the defence needs sorting as people have said, but more worrying perhaps was all the possession and no goals. Some poor quality delivery in the final third but need some more ideas than whacking over crosses when there is a packed defence.  Hang it up accurately for JP to attack. Or quick one twos through the middle. 

Sod’s Law - having got rid of two quality left backs over the close season Jordan out for 6 weeks. Some quick thinking required to fix things. 

Another issue (once again) - the pitch.

It's clearly getting worse, the bounce is horrendous, it sticks under attackers feet, it's slow - and uneven.

Yes it's the same for both sides but so is a mud bath pitch - it's a leveller and almost impossible to play fast flowing football on.

So it's absolutely perfect for the many sides who come to Meadowbank and don't want to play football. Defend in numbers, keep the ball in the air, and hoof it clear to wait for an inevitable mistake.

Think of the difference in football quality at (for instance) Borehamwood or Torquay.

Problem is, it's not going anywhere anytime soon so we're stuck with it for at least another full season of home games.

Not going to comment too much on the game and the goals as it is much of the same but it was clear that an overhaul in the Summer was needed and it did not happen. The signings we made (not including Annesley) were below par in the league above and they look the same in this one. We look a bit devoid of ideas up top and there is nowhere near enough pace in the backline. We also desperately need an athletic defensive midfielder in the side.

Obviously still very early days but it does look this might be a bit of a rebuild season. Marc did mention about lowering expectations pre-season due to how tough the division is and it looks like that might have to be the case. That being said, a win tomorrow is an absolute must.

The stats from the game are utterly ridiculous and maybe the most dominant we've ever recorded 11 v 11:

Possession: Dorking 77% - 23% Hampton

Shots (On Target): Dorking 24 (6) - 4 (3) Hampton

xG: Dorking 2.90 - 0.33 Hampton

Duels Success: Dorking 65% - 35% Hampton

Accurate Passes: Dorking 422 - 76 Hampton

Top Performer (Dorking): Luke Moore [7.8]

Amazing Dorking lost 3-0 with stats like that. Can understand why Marc was fuming in his post match interview.

@calvertskans 

The incoming Annesley as a CB with Pubus coming back as the DCM was the key to us getting off to a good start and to stop being mugged off by quick balls forward on turnovers. 

We went into the season in a situation where every team we played was going to spam the living (insert expletive) here out of that tactic regardless.

By failing to add any pace to our back line and by going into the season without a DCM at the level of the league. It feels like it’s lambs to the slaughter unless players are brought in or brought back as soon as possible. 

It shouldn’t need highlighting to anyone that after 2 seasons solid of being rinsed out by a very basic tactic that has led to a terminal decline in results, and now having the worst personnel available we’ve had to deal with it since this spiral first started. 

That urgent attention is required: either people are brought back from injury early and play injured or we need new bodies in the building. The existing players available at defence and DCM aren’t good enough.