Victory at Last
Never has there been a more welcome win. It has been a tough season for this group of players, with just one point from nine league matches and a cup defeat. Today, the drought ended.
The opening minutes were scrappy but Loxwood showed early signs of an ability to get behind the Dorkinian's defence. Harry Hunter broke free on the left but had his shot well saved. Minutes later, Hunter was put through again, but this time dragged his shot just wide. Rowan Stewart, joining us from the U13 squad, was relentless in chasing through-balls and pressuring the Dorking defence, but it was Ben Hicken who put the Magpies in front. Another excellent pass split the Dorkinians defence, Hicken raced through on goal and calmly slotted past the advancing keeper. Loxwood defended well, but Dorking began to threaten, and Keegan Pafford was forced into a smart save before the Magpies extended their lead. Louis Horsley, who worked tirelessly in midfield, drove through the defence and was dragged down in the box. He stepped up and smashed his penalty emphatically into the back of the net to make it 2 - 0.
The second goal injected renewed energy into the Dorkinians and they began to force their way back into the match. Pafford was forced into another save, before Stewart tested the Dorkinian's keeper at the other end. The visitors eventually got a goal back before half time. A fine piece of skill beat two Loxwood defenders and a well struck shot was brilliantly saved, but crept over the line.
The second half went much the same way as the first, with a fairly scrappy start. Dorkinian's attempted to defend a high line and force the play into the Loxwood half. It worked on a few occasions, but the pace of Hicken and Stewart proved too much. Stewart broke through but had shots saved or narrowly missed the target. Eventually he got his reward. Hicken beat the offside trap and looked set to score, before feeding Stewart with an easy tap-in to extend the lead. A minute later, Hicken turned provider again, this time breaking on the right, pulling a cross back across the face of goal for Stewart to sweep home. Loxwood were in total control and looked to have extended their lead further just a few minutes later. Stewart was the provider this time and Hicken the beneficiary, but he was deemed to have been offside in the build-up and the goal was disallowed.
To their credit, the Dorkinians never gave up. Will Dixon pulled off an incredible last-ditch tackle to prevent an almost certain goal and Pafford saved well low and to his right, before Dorkinians got a goal back a minute before the end.
It was an excellent team performance that will have done a lot to boost Loxwood's confidence. Toby Chandler played very well in midfield and the defence dealt with much that was thrown at them.
Team: Keegan Pafford, Josh Arnold, Will Dixon, Mikey Arlett, Theo Rawlins, George Lillywhite, Tom Pearce, Louis Horsley, Toby Chandler, Harry Hunter, Ben Hicken, Rowan Stewart.
Goals: Rowan Stewart (2), Ben Hicken, Louis Horsley
MoM: Rowan Stewart
The second goal injected renewed energy into the Dorkinians and they began to force their way back into the match. Pafford was forced into another save, before Stewart tested the Dorkinian's keeper at the other end. The visitors eventually got a goal back before half time. A fine piece of skill beat two Loxwood defenders and a well struck shot was brilliantly saved, but crept over the line.
The second half went much the same way as the first, with a fairly scrappy start. Dorkinian's attempted to defend a high line and force the play into the Loxwood half. It worked on a few occasions, but the pace of Hicken and Stewart proved too much. Stewart broke through but had shots saved or narrowly missed the target. Eventually he got his reward. Hicken beat the offside trap and looked set to score, before feeding Stewart with an easy tap-in to extend the lead. A minute later, Hicken turned provider again, this time breaking on the right, pulling a cross back across the face of goal for Stewart to sweep home. Loxwood were in total control and looked to have extended their lead further just a few minutes later. Stewart was the provider this time and Hicken the beneficiary, but he was deemed to have been offside in the build-up and the goal was disallowed.
To their credit, the Dorkinians never gave up. Will Dixon pulled off an incredible last-ditch tackle to prevent an almost certain goal and Pafford saved well low and to his right, before Dorkinians got a goal back a minute before the end.
It was an excellent team performance that will have done a lot to boost Loxwood's confidence. Toby Chandler played very well in midfield and the defence dealt with much that was thrown at them.
Team: Keegan Pafford, Josh Arnold, Will Dixon, Mikey Arlett, Theo Rawlins, George Lillywhite, Tom Pearce, Louis Horsley, Toby Chandler, Harry Hunter, Ben Hicken, Rowan Stewart.
Goals: Rowan Stewart (2), Ben Hicken, Louis Horsley
MoM: Rowan Stewart
