Dorking Wanderers 4 Tonbridge Angels 1

Match 17/25/2360 - Monday, 25th August 2025 - National League South

Dorking Wanderers (2) 4
Tonbridge Angels (1) 1
Attendance: 860
Admission: Pass
Mileage: 104/1,131

Tonbridge Angels endured a chastening August Bank Holiday with a comprehensive defeat at Dorking Wanderers.

Two goals down in the opening 10 minutes, the home side added two second half goals to render Bobby Unwin’s first competitive goal for the club nothing more than a consolation.

Craig Nelson, who took the post-match interview alongside assistant Bryan Nzinga, reflected: “Giving anyone a two goal lead is going to be difficult to come back from, away from home at Dorking is going to be even tougher. It is a shame that in those two moments of needing to be better in our box, we didn’t make them work hard enough to score against us.”

On a hot afternoon in Surrey, Craig made two changes from the starting XI against Chesham United. Scott Wagstaff and Bunmi Babajide came in for Matty Warren and Eddie Simon, who took places on the bench.

Dorking set the Angels on the back foot from the outset with only a last ditch tackle from Nazir Bakrin denying Alfie Rutherford within the first minute, but the reprieve was short-lived as the ball was given away in a forward area for Dorking to sweep forward for Rutherford to steal in at the near post to convert a cross from James McShane.

In the 10th minute the lead was doubled as a cross from Josh Taylor was lifted over the heads of the Tonbridge defenders to find Charlie Carter, who had time and space for a comfortable finish.

The Angels managed to stem the tide and created a couple of chances of their own with a surging run from Bradley Williams and a shot across the face of goal that narrowly went wide.

Williams was getting some joy down the right and an early second half cross was cut out with a low save from Harrison Foulkes as Martell Taylor-Crossdale closed in.

The game was effectively put beyond the reach of the Angels just past the hour with the ultimate route one goal when a punt forward from Foulkes was headed on by Jason Prior and as the ball was allowed to bounce eight yards out, Rutherford looped a header over Jacob Adams.

The 153 Angels supporters that had made their way to Meadowbank were given something to cheer within a minute when Jordan Higgs fed a pass to the left side of the Dorking area, from where substitute Unwin slotted into the far corner.

But any hope of a Dagenham-type comeback was snuffed out on 73 minutes when Dorking added a fourth with Brennan Camp sweeping home a cross.

Profligate finishing from Josh Hebert allowed Tonbridge to escape from Meadowbank without the scoreline worsening.

Craig looked forward: “We don’t stay down too long, there is nothing they can do about the game today now, so they can sit and wallow in that for a day, but Tuesday evening they need to be bright, bushy tailed and ready to go for Thursday.”