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My assessment is only based on the highlights and audio commentary, but what I gathered from last night is that our defensive frailties began from the midfield.

Hall and Lapsie when fully fit make a strong impact, but it seemed that Hall in particular was lagging in fitness after a busy run of games and big shifts that he’s put in.

Whilst I too would prefer to avoid disrupting the line up when it’s in the ascendancy in terms of confidence and results, I do think we have to take a rotation approach through this highly clustered run of games.

Having the central midfield pair below par has a knock on the wide players like Wearne and Da Silva, though the latter managed to find a couple of big breaks thankfully.

Hanson and McGavin whilst not full of pace, both came with reasonable reputations from previous clubs so when the legs aren’t quite up to it I think we have to mix things up.

We also missed Moxey’s presence but hope with rest he can come back full strength for Chesterfield- any word on his status?

Lastly, where is Thompson? I know we needed bodies to fill the bench but he is supposedly a pacey attacker / winger? We could have done with that in the closing stages in pursuit of a win

At least we’re off the bottom - I hope we see a classic underdog win against chesterfield to keep confidence high.

I think it's very difficult with players like Asa Hall. Watching the Derby game on TV, Asa was my man of the match. Against Altrincham again on TV, Asa was furious at being substituted by Gary Johnson after putting in another great shift. Can Asa play 2 full games a week at his age, well only he will know. He needs to be honest and realise that if he's knackered after 60 minutes, he must let Johnson know.

What a contrast in styles last night - we, battling, chasing, hoofing /looking for the long ball over the top; they, total football, fluid passing and moving, cutting around and through us, a joy to watch but so sad to see us being shown how to play as a team.
We badly lacked a midfield playmaker, until our captain was subbed and then we had some more purposeful play in midfield, and might even have stolen an undeserved win.
Can't fault the effort, but playing like a park team will not save us from the drop.

Poor defending for the second and third,
don't think that would have happened with Moxey there. Crowe is a promising player who is improving but needs to work hard on his defensive game.
Hall seemed to be really struggling after two games in a week on a sticky pitch and with that pace of attack against us , we need improvement in midfield, obviously . The next loanee after we make Ellis permanent ! has to be a midfielder with some experience but also legs and energy someone like that Danny Racchi from a few years back.
Got to pull Wearne inside more like second half, and play 4-3-3 we get run through in midfield far too easily.
Dorking manager is a bit different ! Interesting interview, quite like him actually - his teams gung ho approach with fast attacking football and plenty of goals will keep them up despite having a defence like a cullender .

Well last night was another highly entertaining game if you were neutral but for Gulls Fans it was another nail biter.

Dorking were a very unusual team at this level playing some great stuff when attacking but looking highly vulnerable when defending as born out by their goals conceded this season of 41.

They loved to keep the ball but it cost them dear when Dillon De Silva showed great awareness to dispossess a Dorking player who was trying to control the ball from his own goalkeeper! Dorking scored from 25 yards in added time in the first half and the more you look at the Highlights I do wonder if Mark Haskell would have got a hand to the shot had he not been 3 yards off his goal line. Maybe harsh to say this.

Our defending for goals 2 & 3 was really poor. Enough said.

What we have though is a bunch of players who never give up. De Silvas second goal was made by a perfect Lapslie pass and got us back in the game.
A very clever header by Mark Ellis restored parity and in the end another fabulous ball by Lapslie was headed over by Jarvis. It was a difficult chance.

The last 4 League games have seen us score 15 goals but only4 points out of 12 because we cannot defend. 11 goals conceded.

Sadly, I thought we had our tactics wrong last night and it cost us. As already mentioned, it was crying out of a little player rotation. Asa struggled with the pace of play and we were simply overrun in midfield as hightlighted with goals 2 and 3.

Their opening goal was a problem for us in the first half and sadly I can't believe the management team did not notice and address. When clearing the ball from our box into a strong wind it was dropping only 10 yards outside to box, where we never had anyone.

I left feeling it was a point gained, but knowing deep down we should be beating teams like Dorking at home.

portugull wrote: ↑10 Nov 2022, 16:02 The last 4 League games have seen us score 15 goals but only4 points out of 12 because we cannot defend. 11 goals conceded.

The last 4 League games have seen us score 9 goals and conceded 9 (3-3, 6-1, 0-4, 0-1).

Nick Potkins wrote: ↑10 Nov 2022, 18:07 Sadly, I thought we had our tactics wrong last night and it cost us. As already mentioned, it was crying out of a little player rotation. Asa struggled with the pace of play and we were simply overrun in midfield as hightlighted with goals 2 and 3.

Their opening goal was a problem for us in the first half and sadly I can't believe the management team did not notice and address. When clearing the ball from our box into a strong wind it was dropping only 10 yards outside to box, where we never had anyone.

I left feeling it was a point gained, but knowing deep down we should be beating teams like Dorking at home.

Totally agree, Hall consistently the wrong side of his man and chaseing back...putting added pressure on the defence time and time again.
I appreciate the heavy pitch and Dorking quick pace + pass and move game of which we found it difficult to cope with.
Crying out for a holding midfielder or at least somebody that can put there foot on the ball and control the game. Am I asking too much ?
This 100mph football is entertaining but as was said we should be beating Dorking at home.

Cheddargull I omitted the crucial word "HOME" games. Sorry. 3-3, 6-1, 4-4,2-3.

Dorking’s Marc White going about his business in Torquay:-