Dorking Reserves 1, Farnham Town 1

ON the face of it, a draw on a drizzly Tuesday night in Dorking may not seem anything to write home about.

But looks can be deceptive.

For Farnham dug deep and more than matched a Dorking side featuring four players who tend to ply their trade in National League South – four steps higher.

Roving full back Jerry O’Sullivan, dangerous marksman Guiseppe Sole and Dan and Jake Gallagher, the latter having left Aldershot Town in a summer clearout at the EBB Stadium, graced Dorking’s starting line up by virtue of dual-registration rules.

As the official reserve side of Dorking Wanderers, they are fully entitled to make use of any of the senior squad’s personnel as they play in different leagues – and they duly did for the first time this season.

But after surviving a hairy opening 60 seconds in which Town goalkeeper Dease Kerrison made a superb reaction save low to his right before George Membrillera inexplicably fired against the crossbar when it seemed easier to score, Farnham grew into the game and could easily have had much more to show from their trip to the Meadowbank headquarters of Surrey FA than just Darren Wheeler’s fine equaliser at the end of the first half.

Wheeler took a touch before smashing a shot beyond Dorking goalkeeper Drew Churchwell after a delightful whipped in ball from the right from Max Meaton.

And that goal, which cancelled out Sole’s opener from the penalty spot after centre half Harry Oakley was adjudged to have fouled his man, ultimately earned Town a point to add to the three they picked up at the Memorial Ground on Saturday courtesy of a narrow 1-0 win against struggling Chessington & Hook United, with prolific striker Charlie Oakley again on target to make it 25 goals for the season in all competitions.

“It’s definitely a point gained and a very well-deserved point. The players should hold their heads high,” said Turkington, who saw his side tighten their grip on second place in Division One of the Combined Counties League.

Town have opened up a 13-point lead over third-placed Walton & Hersham, with Tooting Bec, Bedfont & Feltham and Sandhurst Town also scrabbling for the top four and promotion to the top table next season.

And the anxiety levels will have ramped up for Farnham’s pursuers a touch more now that Jersey Bulls have already secured the first of that cherished quartet of places.

“It’s one step closer, one more game chalked off and it’s putting more pressure on the teams behind us,” said Turkington, whose side play Bedfont & Feltham at the Memorial Ground on Saturday.

“We’ve been really focused on trying to get something out of the games whenever we go away from home – be resilient, play football when you can and take your chances. We were creating good chances and I think our goal was probably one of the best goals I’ve seen us score all season. I’m really pleased for Darren (Wheeler) and really pleased for the boys.”

And rather than be put out by Dorking’s decision to name four first-team players, Turkington instead saw it as a reflection of the threat that his promotion-seeking team posed.

“I feel quite honoured,” he said, “because when teams are needing to put first-teamers out it’s actually a testament to the boys and how well they have been playing.

“That’s why I’m really proud of them. You could crumble. You know psychologically that they are going to be way above you and they held their own and fought well. For us to go away to Dorking on a Tuesday night and face four first-team players and to pick up a point and make it ten games unbeaten in the league, I’m dead chuffed.”

And he added: “I’ll look back on this season and look at various points and think where we were good and where we were not so good, and this was certainly a day that was a good day to get a good point.”

The games come thick and fast now as the end of an absorbing season looms into view, and Turkington is hopeful that his side can take another big step toward their promotion goal against Bedfont.

“It’s all pressure on them, there’s no pressure on us. We can afford to lose games, we don’t want to but we can afford to have a blip.”