Dorking Wanderers (1) 1 Bath City (0) 1 – Saturday 13 December 2025 – Isuzu FA Trophy 3rd Round – Meadowbank Stadium
(City won 4-2 on penalties)
Match Report by Mark Stillman.
Charlie Binns’ heroics saw Bath City progress on penalties in an FA Trophy success at Dorking Wanderers.
The keeper, who has since signed a permanent deal with the club, repelled Charlie Carter and James McShane’s twice-taken effort to earn City a home tie with Southend United.
Debutant Pat Casey had put Dorking ahead in the 3rd Round contest, with Jordan Alves cancelling it out with a free-kick just after the break.
City had chances to win it in the 90, but for the second round running, they were faultless from the spot to earn a money-spinning match-up against National League opponents.
Dan Greenslade and the recalled Alves had shots charged down in the opening two minutes as City showed no fear in the early stages, with Luke Russe also pulling wide.
Joe Raynes’ attempt from distance was deflected narrowly off target by veteran Tony Craig, but the bright start was undone as the hosts took a 19th minute lead with their first meaningful attack.
Craig headed back into the area after a set-piece was half cleared, Brennan Camp helped it on and Casey chested down before poking past Binns with aplomb from 10 yards.
Casey should have had a second a two minutes later. His initial header from Camp’s cross was misguided away from goal, but Josh Hebert retrieved it to pull back for the striker, who hammered against Binns at his near post.
Louie Annesley helped Brad Ash’s effort wide when Dorking switched off from Alves’ quick free-kick and the striker went even closer just after half-time, curling against the angle of post and crossbar from 20 yards with Harrison Foulkes beaten.
Ash played a part in City’s 51st minute leveller.
The forward was barged over by Frank Vincent 25 yards out, and Alves promptly curled the free-kick home out of Foulkes’ reach to his right.
It was his third goal of the season, all in cup competitions, and a leveller Darren Way’s side deserved.
Greenslade nearly caught Foulkes out at his near post after tidy link-up down the left with Beardmore before City’s good work was nearly undone on a Dorking counter, where Dennon Lewis bent the ball wide when he should have tested Binns.
The better chances fell to the Romans. Beardmore’s centre was perfect for Jordan Tillson but he headed wide from six yards having beaten Vincent in the air.
Owen Windsor spurned a glorious chance on 74 minutes to put City ahead.
Reacting sharply to an underhit 30 pass, Windsor touched the ball past the committed Craig and found himself one-on-one with Foulkes.
He wastefully shot too close to the keeper, who parried with his legs before gobbling up Ash’s rebound.
Seven minutes of additional time were added which saw Kieran Parselle come to the rescue, throwing himself in the way of Casey’s shot on the turn.
No further breakthrough meant a penalty shoot-out for City for a second successive round.
Casey squeezed in Dorking’s first with Alves confidently levelling.
George Francomb emphatically lofted in the hosts’ second before Raynes calmly wrong-footed Foulkes to make it 2-2.
Dorking blinked first. Carter’s kick was too close to Binns, who dived right and kept it out.
Greenslade’s nerveless penalty sent Foulkes the wrong way before Marc White’s side were further frustrated by City’s number one.
McShane’s strike was brilliantly batted out by Binns, who was correctly penalised for encroachment, with referee Matthew Norton ordering a retake.
In a near action replay, McShane went to the right again and Binns saved again, this time legitimately, leaving Windsor with a chance to win it.
He duly did, side-footing into the left corner to see off their National League South rivals and keep City in the competition after Christmas for the third time in four years.
Att: 683
City’s Line-Up: Binns, Raynes, Greenslade, Batten, Parselle (c), Alves, Ash, Tillson, Beardmore (Putman 79), Russe, Windsor. Subs not used: Wiles-Richards, Sweeten, Pritchard, Thompson.
Scorers: City – Alves (49); Dorking – Casey (18)
City Bookings: none
Officials: M Norton, M Bloor, S Phillips, J Wright (4th)