Recap

Abdulai Baggie hits 95th-minute winner as Weymouth sink nine-man Dorking

WEYMOUTH 2

Williams 17, Baggie 90+5

DORKING WANDERERS 1

Buchanan 42

ABDULAI Baggie struck a dramatic last-gasp winner to end an absolute corker of a Vanarama National League South contest that saw visitors and play-off rivals Dorking finish with nine men.

The yellow card had been brandished a staggering 12 times over the 90 minutes, including a booking apiece for both managers.

Ill-discipline was to cost Dorking dearly in a feisty match they could easily have won but, once Isaac Philpot had been shown a second yellow in the 83rd minute and his side were down to nine, there was just enough time for Weymouth to take full advantage and nick a winner with Baggie’s 10th league strike of the campaign taking him to the top of the Terras’ goalscorers’ list.

An even first period had seen the hosts forge in front, largely against the early run of play, through Brett Williams’ header only for Wanderers to level just before the break through Elliott Buchanan’s close range finish.

The game became increasingly niggly in the second period and, after a flurry of bookings, it was no surprise that the visitors saw two players dismissed – having stacked up nine bookings overall – before Baggie netted the late winner from close range.

The home side unsurprisingly fielded just four starters from the midweek Dorset Senior Cup mauling of Verwood Town, namely Josh Wakefield, Ade Olumuyiwa, Tom Whelan and Williams, while among the returners to the starting XI were skipper Jake McCarthy and keeper Calum Ward.

During a cagey opening 15 minutes the Terras made a slow start and it looked like Wanderers would be the more likely to open the scoring but they could not convert possession into chances to begin with.

Dorking’s Jimmy Muitt thought he had opened the scoring on seven minutes but he was adjudged narrowly offside just before the first booking of the game saw Buchanan punished for pulling back Baggie.

Indeed, a similar pattern would emerge through the game with much of Dorking’s ill-discipline directed towards Baggie who they were struggling throughout to contain.

In the 12th minute a cracking header from Williams flew wide but the striker had fouled his marker anyway. After Ward earned a silly yellow card for picking the ball up outside his box, it was the hosts that edged in front with the first attempt at either end.

A determined run by Brennan Camp, who had stolen possession 50 yards from goal, ended with the defender picking out Yemi Odubade whose shot was deflected out to Ollie Harfield.

The left wing-back then beat James McShane down the flank and his pinpoint centre was netted via a thumping near-post header from Williams.

The game then saw the first of many flash-points after Sam Beard had clattered into Baggie for another yellow card that prompted an angry coming together of numerous players in front of the dugouts before skipper Dave Ray glanced a header just wide to register Wanderers’ first attempt at goal in the 26th minute.

A minute later Olumuyiwa and Baggie combined neatly for the latter to curl in a fairly tame shot that was spilled by keeper Slavomir Huk before being put behind for a corner.

And then, just past the half-hour, the visitors were already up to three cautions when Matt Briggs was foolishly carded for petulantly throwing the ball down close to the referee having been fouled.

The Terras then created a decent chance to make it 2-0 when Whelan played a delightful threaded through ball to Baggie who was able to side-step two defenders but saw his shot well blocked by Huk.

From the resulting Wakefield corner to the near post, Huk flicked the ball out for the lurking Williams to drive in but once again his effort was diverted behind for another corner.

The action was never going to let up in this pulsating encounter and the best of the action saw the hosts come under the cosh at the end of the first half.

Ward then denied Muitt following a fast counter, Buchanan saw his attempt blocked by Wakefield for a corner from which chaos reigned as Ward dropped the ball and McCarthy did well to block Niall McManus seconds before Buchanan prodded hopefully goalwards and the ball was easily cleared.

However, Wanderers deserved to be on terms going into the break and they finally grabbed a goal in the 42nd minute. Briggs played an inviting ball across the six-yard box that was on a plate for Buchanan who tucked home and everything was well set for an enthralling second 45 minutes.

Once the action restarted it was the visitors who were looking to gain the initiative and should really have sneaked ahead during the first 20 minutes when they fashioned a number of openings. McManus smashed a snapshot that whistled wide 10 minutes in, and Buchanan could only divert a cross on the stretch well over Ward’s bar before the keeper nearly spilled a Jack Barham drive into the net but gathered at the second attempt.

In the 63rd minute a fabulous run and cross from Nick Wheeler saw Buchanan squander a great chance as his close-range header cleared the bar before the hosts started to finally make inroads at the other end.

From a Wakefield corner McCarthy’s near-post header was blocked on the line and then there was a huge boost for the Terras when, in the 74th minute, Wanderers were reduced to 10 men when Beard picked up a second yellow having felled that man Baggie.

Alas, Weymouth could not capitalise immediately as McCarthy looped his header just over from Wakefield’s floated free-kick.

Amazingly, the next flash-point saw both Molesley and opposite number Marc White booked in quick succession as tempers flared on the touchline just before substitute Jack Hoey, making his comeback from a broken arm, saw his header from another Wakefield set piece hacked off the line.

Dorking were now looking increasingly uneasy at the back and their vulnerability was increased hugely in the 83rd minute when Philpot left his teammates in a perilous position as he was shown a straight red card for hacking down, who else but Baggie.

When the action finally restarted Shaun Hobson missed the target with a header from Ollie Harfield’s free-kick and then McCarthy tried his luck from range but Huk was equal to the task.

It was all building to a big finale as Hoey saw his volley well held by Huk and the exuberant crowd could sense a winner was on the cards once six minutes of added time had been announced.

And they were not to be disappointed as the game’s undoubted star performer Baggie seized on Camp’s centre that took a kind ricochet to allow the livewire winger to tuck home what could prove a priceless winner come the end of the season.

Terras: Ward, Harfield, Wakefield, McCarthy, Baggie, Odubade (Hoey 70), Olumuyiwa (Zubar 59), Whelan, Williams, Camp, Hobson.

Subs not used: Childs Ngalo, Thomson.

Dorking: Huk, Philpott, Beard, Ray, McManus, Muitt (J Gallagher 70), McShane, Richards (Wheeler 46), Moore, Briggs (Barham 46), Buchanan.

Subs not used: O’Sullivan, D Gallagher.

Attendance: 872