The home form that has been keeping Molesey’s heads above water all season is in danger of deserting them after a third consecutive home defeat.

The Moles had lost just once in the league on home turf all season until three weeks ago, although in truth there’s no disgrace in losing to high-flying, big-spending Dorking Wanderers.

The performance was markedly improved to the 4-0 drubbing against Lewes ten days previously, and although they would have no quarrels about the final result, had they taken their first half chances they could have gone in at the break with a healthy lead.

In the interests of balance they could also have gone in 7-4 down, with chances aplenty being created at both ends.

Antonio Simone climbed well from a Craig Lewington corner but headed wide, and it was the visitors who drew first blood.

Video replays seemed to suggest there was a hint of offside as Matthew Briggs was played in down the Molesey left. His cross picked out Tom Tolfrey, who volleyed home from a tight angle.

Wanderers had two glorious chances to extend that lead in the minutes that followed, as Chris Boulter planted a free header wide from a corner, and then a mix up between Liam Allen and James King resulted in the latter just putting the ball beyond the far post.

Back Molesey came, and Ashby Charles should have done better than to scuff an effort wide eight yards out from Joe Nwoko’s pullback.

Nwoko then fed Josh Andrews, who was denied by the legs Slavomir Huk.

Nwoko was having possibly his best game in a Moles shirt, and his steam rolled his way past two challenges but was denied by an outstanding point blank save from Huk.

Jake Beecroft, Jerome Beckles and Chris Gunner were denied by Allen, then Andrews took the ball beyond Huk but couldn’t finish from the tightest of angles, and the same player shot high and wide when well placed.

The second half was not nearly as open, and Tolfrey looked set to double his side’s lead, but after appearing to get the better of Allen he slipped at the vital moment and his effort clipped the outside of the post.

Such is the resources of Wanderers they were able to leave Woking legend Giuseppe Sole on the bench. It was a Molesey legend in James McShane that made the next telling contribution, playing a terrific through ball for Briggs to slot beyond Allen.

Allen made a cracking save from Beecroft, and Lewington put a free kick agonisingly wide of the post, but the Molesey skipper soon halved the deficit with his first goal of the season.

It owed much to the persistence of Ashley Lodge, who held off two challenges to set up Lewington, and his effort took a wicked deflection and crept under Huk’s hand.

2-1. Ten minutes to play. Game on. But Molesey’s optimism was short-lived, as Briggs showed exactly why he has a number of league clubs chasing his signature with another excellent run and composed finish to make the game safe.

Substitutes Ross Chalke – making a welcome return to the club, Joe Grant and David Adeoye all combined in the closing stages as Adeoye fired just past the post, but the visitors held out in comfort.

Any points taken from this encounter would have been a bonus, although a win against fellow strugglers Guernsey on Saturday would settle a few nerves going into the final ten games of the season. Kick off for that one is 1pm.