Dorking are ‘nowhere near ready’ as boss Marc White ‘messes up’ and says he can’t sleep ahead of the Chesterfield game on Saturday.
Dorking finished the 2022/23 season in 16th place with 57 points from 46 games played, sitting five places above the drop zone and nine clear of the drop.
And while the 2023/24 season is expected to be more open, it will still be tough, with the manager knowing they will be up against it when they face the early title favourites for the opener.
His side are going from part-time to full and wile they haven’t lost in pre-season, they haven’t kept a clean-sheet against lower division teams.
White said after his side played out a draw against Farnborough at the weekend, as per Derbyshire Times: “It has not been a great pre-season. I messed up because we went to the Tuesday-Thursday mornings and we still had midweek games so we have kind of found it hard. The coaches can only work in the time they have got and when we have played on a Tuesday night we have not been training during the day so there were two weeks when we were having just one morning session. It is very difficult to build momentum. I think the players have struggled with that. It has been fragmented at best.”
“It (Chesterfield) is definitely going to be a tough one that. We will have to come up with a game plan to combat Chesterfield. I think we are going to give them a lot more respect than we normally do opposition but I just feel like, if I am honest, the continuity that they (Chesterfield) have kept with the signings they have made at the back end of last season puts them in a really good stead this year. Their team building has been quite good and I have been impressed with the way they know exactly what they want to do. They are very good title contenders and we face an uphill task.
“Definitely not looking forward to Saturday. We are going to have a sleepless few nights working out what the plan is going to be but we will be there to win, we will give it a go.”
After being questioned asked how close they are to knowing which 11 will start against Dorking, coach Danny Webb said to Derbyshire Times after a win at Accrington (24 July): “I would say pretty close.
“I am sure people do once again look at the team and go ‘that’s probably what they are thinking’.
“There were always going to be a couple of changes at full-back to give them a run.
“I would imagine at Bristol Rovers, without giving too much away, it could be the team that starts against Dorking, potentially, so it is a big week of training for the boys to prove that not only are they ready to play at Bristol but also at home to Dorking a week after.”
“We want to be in that league [League Two] next year and I think we showed we are capable of that. But we have got to get in that league first!
“I think if we were to get in that league, like most clubs do (when promoted from the National League), they hold their own at least, but that is a long way off at the moment. But today was a good little bright indication hopefully for the season.”
He added: “We are really pleased, we probably thought it could have been more, but then the goal (for Accrington) kills us a little bit. And the second goal, it was probably going to get cleared but then it comes off Grimesy’s head and onto their lad’s head and goes in.”
Chesterfield played Bristol Rovers and lost 2-0.
Chesterfield XI: Tyrer; Sheckleford (King, 87), Williams, Grimes, Horton; Naylor, Oldaker (Hobson, 78); Mandeville (Ainley, 73), Banks (Jones, 82), Dobra (Uchegbulam, 75); Grigg (Quigley, 73).
Opening day fixtures – Saturday, 5 August
Aldershot Town v Oxford City
Altrincham v Dagenham & Redbridge
Barnet v Hartlepool United
Chesterfield v Dorking Wanderers
FC Halifax Town v Bromley
Gateshead v Boreham Wood
Kidderminster Harriers v Woking
Maidenhead United v AFC Fylde
Rochdale v Ebbsfleet United
Solihull Moors v Eastleigh
Southend United v Oldham Athletic
Wealdstone v York City
See all the fixtures by clicking HERE.
SKY BET ODDS – NATIONAL LEAGUE
WINNER
Chesterfield – 9/4
Oldham – 15/2
Hartlepool – 12/1
Rochdale – 12/1
Woking – 14/1
York – 16/1
Barnet – 18/1
AFC Fylde – 20/1
Boreham Wood – 20/1
Dagenham & Redbridge – 20/1
Eastleigh – 22/1
Ebbsfleet United – 22/1
Southend – 22/1
Solihull – 25/1
Bromley – 28/1
Halifax – 40/1
Kidderminster – 40/1
Gateshead – 50/1
Maidenhead – 50/1
Oxford City – 50/1
Dorking – 80/1
Wealdstone – 80/1
Aldershot – 150/1
Altrincham – 150/1
This is what Twitter users are saying as Dorking are ‘nowhere near ready’ as the boss ‘messes up’ and can’t sleep ahead of the Chesterfield game…
@JHCSportsReport: Think that’s what you call gamesmanship. They will be ready to go. No doubt about it
@kev4599: Bit of a smoke screen I think mind games
@conorloftus: 1-0 defeat incoming #spireites
@DRTCHESJ: I know he’s not everyone’s cup of tea but I don’t mind Marc White, he’s done a fantastic job at Dorking. He usually tells it like it is and he’s got a lot of respect for our club. Town victory 2-0 🔵⚪️⚽️
@Thatsli78337958: Ha ha nice try Marc. Think cookie will be wise to this 💩
@ROB64892231: I don’t believe him 😉
@argsquires: So the mind games begin!
@CFC_Will453: Always speaks absolute shit don’t believe a word the twat says

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