TT MATCH VERDICT
Ben Wade
Ben reports back from Plainmoor
TORQUAY UNITED 2-2 DORKING – 12.09.2026
SUMMARY
Marc White’s Dorking Wanderers were the opponents after our 4-0 beating of Maidenhead United in midweek. Jimmy Ball went with a more dynamic starting lineup with Tyler Hill, Callum Morton and Cody Cooke being removed for Kian Jenkins, Jacob Beaumont-Clark and Tegan Finn.
The match started quite evenly, almost cagey. A couple of Dorking errors from playing out from the back then led to the first goal. In the 23rd minute, loanee Tegan Finn’s shot went across the keeper and the defender cleared straight onto the leg of Deon Moore to give The Gulls the lead. Multiple clear-cut chances soon followed for the Yellows. The energetic Caleb Roberts won the ball 25 yards and the move led to Finn’s volley hit into the post. Just after the half hour mark, the visitors hit back with all three of our central midfielders getting dragged in leader to a simple Dorking counter attack. George Nikaj was in down the right and squared it to Dawid Rogalski who managed to level the match. From our position at Bristow’s Bench, the goal-scorer looked offside. Agonisingly close from a second, TUFC had a chance to retake the lead with Beaumont-Clark’s effort from 8 yards inexplicably put over the bar and high into the depths of the Family Stand. The visitors had got square and it was all to play for in the second half.
Dorking got us going again for the second half. A couple of quality crosses were expertly dealt with from United’s full backs before Dom Bernard was barged but conceded a corner. There was a signal made from the corner taker Josh Barrett and the crowded six-yard box was too much for Toby Savin and the corner went directly in through the crowd of players. After the hour mark, the referee started giving bookings willy nilly and both full backs plus interim captain Jake Wannell’s names taken. Torquay stepped it up a notch and put some more pressure on the away side’s backline with Roberts winning a free kick 20 yards from goal. With just over 20 minutes remaining, Sonny Blu Lo-Everton stepped up to take the set piece and confidently converted into the bottom right corner for 2-2. Jimmy Ball finally decided to ring the changes with Deri Olufunwa cramping up so Tyler Hill was his replacement.
As a consequence of yet another tug on Moore, skipper Wannell questioned the lack of a yellow card from the official and was swiftly shown a second yellow card, meaning he was off down the tunnel. The captain is allowed to ask the referee about the decisions but maybe what he said crossed the line. Cooke came on for Moore (who was shattered) just after the sending off and then a rejig took place with Dan Hayfield coming on for Beaumont-Clark and then Morton replacing Finn with five minutes remaining. Naturally, our ten men were sitting in a bit and Dorking’s quality was penning us in a bit. The fourth official indicated seven minutes to be added on and a corner and free kick narrowly missed the head of a TUFC player. The ref blew the full time whistle and the points were shared in an intensely fought battle.
PLAYER RATINGS
1. Toby Savin – 6: Had minimal saves to make despite good Dorking play and could’ve done better with the corner goal.
2. Dom Bernard – 7: It was a pacey and solid display from him keeping the winger fairly silent.
21. Oludare Olufunwa – 7: A pretty good home debut, with some bursting runs forward with decent passes.
16. Jake Wannell – 6: He had an OK match before his sending off.
15. Kian Jenkins – 6: He might be described as lightweight but did alright versus Nikaj.
6. Munashe Sundire – 6: He broke up the play well but his final balls were poor on occasions.
24. Caleb Roberts – 7: He was positionally too high at times but brought energy and drive despite not letting rip enough.
24. Sonny Blu Lo-Everton – 7: POTM
22. Tegan Finn – 6: Lively but his end choice of pass was poor at times and didn’t roll people in when the ball was on.
11. Jacob Beaumont Clarke – 6: A rare talent but wasn’t able to conjure up a moment of magic.
19. Deon Moore – 7: Was lucky with the goal but worked incredibly hard.
Subs
9. Cody Cooke – 6: Couldn’t impact the match either.
39. Callum Morton – 6: Won a free kick and did fine in the closing stages.
3. Tyler Hill – 6: Wasn’t involved much but didn’t concede while he was on.
20. Dan Hayfield – 6: Stabilised at the back after the red card.
TUFC PLAYER RATINGS VOTE – Dorking Wanderers (h) – TORQUAYTALK
PLAYER OF THE MATCH – SONNY BLU LO-EVERTON
Sonny Blu Lo-Everton gets my Player of The Match award. He struggled to impose his creativity on the game in the first half but his array of passing was useful in the second half and his deliciously whipped free kick won us an extremely valuable point.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS
Deri Olufunwa gets a mention for a composed display alongside Caleb Roberts for his ability to bypass opposition midfielders with ease.
TACTICS
Jimmy Ball fielded a dynamic 4-3-3 formation with Beaumont-Clark on the left to fit in the very left footed Tegan Finn on the right side. Roberts and SBLE were more advanced than Sundire and Hayfield came into defence making it a 4-4-1 at the end of the match.
THE OPPOSITION
We knew exactly what we were getting from Marc White’s side. A well-drilled unit that are flexible throughout the game and play good quality football.
THE OFFICIALS
Well. Well. Well. The cross that resulted in a Dorking leveller looked to go forwards so could well have been offside. The referee allowed the constant ragging around of Deon and waiting till an hour in to start an impressive spree of yellow cards, some correctly given, but others seeming harsh at best. Wannell’s sending off looked tedious, zero aggression and feistiness.
CONCLUSION
It’s four draws in five at Plainmoor, and, despite being unbeaten at home it is disappointing that we haven’t converted a couple of these results into vital wins. We have had a load of shots and opportunities in these stalemates so need to take more chances.
COYY – Ben
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TORQUAYTALK 
There was nothing fortunate about Moore ‘s goal he was in the right place at the right time to hit the ball in as the ball squirmed along the line. I wish we had others with such natural instinct !
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