Match preview: Dorking (a)

The Spireites start the 2022/23 National League season with a trip to Meadowbank to face newly-promoted side Dorking Wanderers.

Following a 3-1 defeat to Solihull Moors in the play-off semi-finals last term, Chesterfield will be looking to improve on that and will be starting off with a potential banana skin.

Match details

Date: Saturday, August 6, 2022

Kick-off: 3pm

Competition: National League

Opponents: Dorking Wanderers

Location: Meadowbank

Please note that away tickets are now SOLD OUT. Anyone with a home ticket should email [email protected]to request a refund.

Matchday Coverage

Live radio commentary

Our in-house radio station, 1866 Sport, will provide full match commentary on the game, as well as pre-match/post-match analysis.

Don’t forget that 1866 Sport is on air 24-hours a day, seven days a week! 

You can download the app from the Apple Store here: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/1866-sport/id1580041321

If you’re an Android user, you can download the app here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.radio.ma57501030

Alternatively, you can listen online here: https://streaming.radio.co/s47db4a4f3/listen          

It is also available via Alexa.

Commentary is provided by Phil Tooley. It is sponsored by National Windscreens.

Social media

Our official Twitter page (https://twitter.com/ChesterfieldFC) will provide regular updates on the match. It is also the place to find our exclusive goal GIFs, which are used when a player scores a goal. 

Key news will also be posted on our Facebook page, which can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/ChesterfieldFC.

Our official Instagram page will keep you posted with key moments and content throughout the day on our stories: https://www.instagram.com/chesterfieldfc/?hl=en.

The post-match interview with manager Paul Cook will be posted to our YouTube Channel soon after the game is finished: https://youtube.com/user/OfficialChesterfield.

Highlights of the game will also be posted to our YouTube Channel.

The Opposition

Fact file

Name: Dorking Wanderers FC

Nicknames: Wanderers

Founded: 1999

Stadium: Meadowbank

Capacity: 3,000

Manager: Marc White

On Dorking Wanderers

Saturday’s opposition were founded in 1999 by owner and first-team manager Marc White and the club have won several promotions up the English football pyramid since. The club won promotion to the National League South in 2019 and only spent two completed seasons in the league before winning yet another promotion.

After having promotion taken away from them when the season was curtailed in 2021, Dorking came back to fight for the title once again. Despite trying their hardest, White’s side was pipped to the championship by Maidstone United. However, a dramatic play-off final win against Ebbsfleet United gave Dorking promotion to the National League for the first time in the club’s history – Saturday will be their first ever fifth tier game.

One to watch

Alfie Rutherford has attracted interest from Football League over the summer and the numbers certainly don’t lie. He started his career at clubs such as Moneyfields, Bognor Regis and Eastbourne. However, Havant & Waterlooville is where the striker started to really make a name for himself. Fifteen goals during the 2018/19 season showed the promise of the young player but it couldn’t prevent the Hawks from suffering relegation to the National League. Rutherford struggled to recreate the form in the National League South, and he joined Dorking Wanderers in 2020. His first season with the club was a disappointment – but his second campaign would be the total opposite. The 2021/22 season would prove to be Rutherford’s year as the forward scored 32 goals in just 37 games which helped Dorking gain promotion to the National League.

Thoughts From the Opposition Manager

On the club’s Twitter account, manager March White said: “We’ve got a lot of players that want to get started. When pre-season is done it’s almost a relief. We lost Barry [Fuller] to a shattered toe, that will be a big loss for us. Most others are fit and available.

“Every club has got their challenges and I know Chesterfield have got more than one boy missing. The boys look ready to go and we’ll see where they are at.”

Recent Form

The Spireites’ last three: (W/W/W)

Won – Matlock Town 0-2 Chesterfield – Pre-Season Friendly

Won – Chesterfield 3-0 Bradford City – Pre-season Friendly

Won – Boston United 0-2 Chesterfield – Pre-season Friendly

Wanderers’ last three: (W/L/L)

Won – Barry Town United 0-2 Dorking Wanderers – Pre-season Friendly

Lost – Leatherhead 3-2 Dorking Wanderers – Pre-season Friendly

Lost – Chelsea XI 4-0 Dorking Wanderers – Pre-season Friendly

Last Time We Met

This will be the first time that Chesterfield and Dorking Wanderers will have met in any type of fixture. This will also be Dorking’s first-ever game in the fifth tier of English football.

Team News

Paul Cook will have close to full squad available to choose at Meadowbank with all 12 summer signings ready to go.

Manny Oyeleke will be unavailable for the fixture as the midfielder has had knee surgery and will be out for quite a few months.

Danny Rowe and Jack Clarke have both returned to training,but the duo have not featured during pre-season. This will likely mean that they will miss the first few games at the very least.

Last season’s top scorer Kabongo Tshimanga has returned to training and played five minutes in the final pre-season game against Boston United. Whilst likely not to start, the striker could feature from the bench.

Paul Cook’s Thoughts

Cook said: “Pre-season is over now and it’s all about this weekend, nothing else matters now we just have to focus on the task ahead and try and get all three points on Saturday.

“I’m really excited now, the fun starts on Saturday and all that matters now is we focus on going to Dorking and picking up three points.”