Dorking  3-4 VCD Athletic
The FA Cup with Budweiser
Extra Preliminary Round
3pm, Saturday 11 August 2012
Meadowbank, Dorking FC
Winning clubs will receive  £1000  from The FA's prize fund
By Jamie Tullett

VCD Athletic survived a brave second-half fight back from Dorking at Meadowbank to win 4-3 and set up a tie with Whitstable Town in the Preliminary Round, as The FA Cup with Budweiser kicked off for another year all across the country.

The game was fast-paced from the outset although the bumpy pitch was causing both teams trouble when trying to keep possession.

The first real chance came in the 15th minute, when VCD’s impressive striker Billy Shinners broke into the Chick’s box before seeing his shot blocked by Tony Manning from the home side. The ball ran out to Billy Bennett on the edge of the area but his drive didn’t trouble Daniel Coles in Dorking’s goal.

With 20 minutes gone the travelling fans, who had made the 40 mile journey from Crayford in minibuses, saw their side take the lead, as a Karl Dent corner was flicked into the net at the near post by Shinners.

However, their lead didn’t last long, as four minutes later the home team were level. Zachary Powell played what seemed to be an ambitious cross into the Vicker’s box but, almost out of nowhere, Reece Jackson charged into the box, meeting the cross with a far post header that sailed past Jack Bradshaw.

However the sides didn’t stay level for long and just after the half hour mark VCD began the dominant spell which let them score four goals in the opening half.

The second of these, which reinstated their lead, came in the 33rd minute and was a piece of individual brilliance from Dent. The midfielder took advantage of Dorking’s loss of concentration after an injury break, driving into the box and sending a shot into the top corner of Coles’ goal.

Five minutes later they had their third and it came once again from a corner kick. This time it was Greg Benbow who put the ball in and winger Uche Ibermere managed to thump the ball into the net in an unorthodox fashion, although the last touch could have come from a defender.

Just before the break VCD got their fourth through Billy Bennett’s low drive from the edge of the box, leaving a hapless Dorking three goals down going into half time leaving the home side with what seemed an impossible task going into the second half.

However, they certainly didn’t give up and in the 47th minute the Chicks clawed one goal back through Jackson. The striker once again beat Bradshaw with a header as the goalkeeper lost out when rushing to claim a Manning cross.

This lifted the mood amongst the home crowd and evidently spurred on the Dorking players as only five minutes later they’d reduced the deficit to just one goal. A free-kick from captain Matthew Males was brought down brilliantly by Jackson who then fired a low stinging shot past the goalkeeper to complete his hattrick and leave his side in touching distance of an equaliser.

But VCD Athletic’s defence was resolute and Dorking couldn’t find an equaliser as possession shifted back to the Kent side’s hands who were now looking to increase their lead.

They perhaps should have made it five in the 76th minute when defender Chris Hill saw his free header from a corner fly narrowly over the bar. But it didn’t matter as the away side successfully kept Dorking at bay all the way up to the final whistle, setting themselves up with a home tie with Whitstable in the next round and winning £1000 in the process.

Dorking: Coles, Hackett, Manning, Powell, Renton-Rose, Brazil, Harmsworth, Males, Jackson, Reid, Gayle.
Substitutes: Warne, Davies, Hines, Pratt, Murrell, Stewart.
 
VCD Athletic: Bradshaw, Asbury, Benbow, Hill, Grass, Dent, Bennett, Collins, Ibermere, Shinners, Duckworth.
Substitutes: Burke, Mitchell, Rogers, Page, Quinnear.