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Dorking Wanderers 1 Faversham Town 2 - match report

Charley Robertson fired an 89th-minute winner as Faversham came from behind to beat Dorking Wanderers and advance to the Ryman League Division 1 South play-off final on Tuesday night.

Wanderers - who finished second in Division 1 South - took an early lead as Town - who sneaked in to fifth on the final day of the season - struggled to assert themselves.

However after the break Ray Turner's side dominated for long spells and John Scarborough glanced home a header to bring them level before Robertson stabbed home with extra-time looming to book a Final date at Worthing on Saturday.

Ray Turner
Ray Turner

After a cagey start Town created the first chance on eight minutes when an inswinging George Monger corner was dropped by Wands keeper Gary Ross, who recovered in time to block a scrambled low drive from Liam King.

The opening goal arrived two minutes later at the other end when a cross from the right was deftly volleyed home past Will Godmon by Luke Hackett.

Town were rocked and Tony Oaks headed a similar cross over Godmon's bar six minutes later, though the lively Josh Stanford did prod a half-volley at goal from 20 yards out soon after, only for Ross to get behind it,.

Big Wands midfielder Jerome Beckles bustled through two tackles just before the half-hour, only to send a stinging 25-yard drive straight at Godmon.

Faversham enjoyed a good spell with Stanford's delicious left-wing cross just evading Luke Harvey and Scarborough and Robertson being freed down the right, only to see his low shot stopped by the sliding Ross.

King spurned a good chance to level moments before the break when he skewed wide from eight yards from an inviting right-wing cross.

The game bubbled to life after the break and Town got back on terms on 57 minutes when a deep free-kick from Monger was glanced in at the far post by Scarborough.

Seconds later Matt Briggs latched onto a weak back-header but guided his volley over the bar of Godmon, who held a sliced clearance from Stanford under his own bar too.

Luke Harvey fizzed a cross-shot across the face of goal while 20 minutes from time Tom Tolfrey grazed the bar with a fierce drive after Scarborough had sliced a clearance in his own box.

Stanford saw an angled drive held by Ross and sub Dean Grant curled inches wide from the edge of the box as Town pressed and with extra-time looming Scarborough battled to win the ball from a cross into the Wanderers box, Robertson pounced to prod home from 10 yards to send the travelling fans wild and banish the memory of last year's semi-final exit on penalties to Merstham.

Faversham: Godmon, Cooper, Tenyue, Carrington, Scarborough, Bourne, Robertson (Dawodu 90mins), Monger, King (Grant 79mins), Harvey (Campbell 80mins), Stanford. Subs not used: Brown, Maxted.

Dorking Wanderers: Ross, Hackett (Gunner 79mins) Boulter, Dyett, Beckles, Oakes (Brayley 90mins), Beecroft, Hill (Evans 90mins), Briggs, Tolfrey, Terry.

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