Dial were held at home for the first time this season after drawing 2-2 against Cranleigh in the Surrey Premier County Football League on Saturday (22 March).

Despite a quick-fire brace from Harry Rice, the hosts let slip a two-goal lead as they were forced to settle for a point at Alwyns Lane for the first time since drawing 4-4 with Worplesdon Phoenix on 16 April 2024.

Boss Steve Brown was able to field a nigh on full strength side, with striker Dan Cenzano getting the nod over Charlie Marshall who returned to the side after a one-match absence.

Both sides came into the match off the back of a good run of form, with leaders Dial averaging four goals from their previous four league fixtures, and Cranleigh having only lost one of their last five to occupy a healthy mid-table position.

Dial were in buoyant mood and should have taken an early lead when Cenzano was through on goal, but was denied by the outstretched leg of George Mead after just five minutes.

A powerful header from Will Neville then flew just over the bar from Jordan Carter’s corner, before Rice was foiled in a one-on-one with Mead after a great through ball from Adam Aziz inside the opening quarter-of-an-hour.

A fierce 22-yard drive from Cenzano then struck the outside of the post, as the Dial bench began to tally the number of missed opportunities.

At the other end, former Dial frontman Adam Bicknell fired wide in quick succession, before Rice finally managed to break the deadlock on the half-hour mark after a pin-point 60-yard cross pass from Neville.

Ben Beazley came close to equalising for the Cranes when his shot-on-the-run, from just outside the box, flew inches over the bar with Andy Rider at full-stretch.

But it was Dial who found the net again when Carter picked out Rice to head home his 26th goal of the season to make it 2-0 in the 42nd-minute.

Despite having the lion’s share of possession, the hosts allowed the visitors back into the game when Neville brought down Bicknell in the box. It gifted the striker with the opportunity to score from the penalty spot, which he duly obliged on the stroke of half-time.

Dial continued to pepper the Cranes' goal after the break, with Cenzano firing straight at Mead, before the shot-stopper pushed Rice’s shot around the post.

Mead was then equal to Aidan Phillips’ low drive from outside of the box, before Carter cut inside from the byline to see his shot curl agonisingly wide of the far post midway through the second period.

With both benches expressing their views over the veracity of some of the decisions, Brown found himself booked for dissent and will now miss the next game.

However, the Dial boss had good reason to show his frustration when Roy-Jordan Owusu Junior was allowed time to turn in the box and hook the ball into the far corner to level the scores in the 71st-minute.

Dial pressed hard to regain the lead, as three up top almost became five, with Neville and substitute Matt Bunyan taking a more advanced position on set pieces.

Balai Antonio Dembele came close to restoring Dial’s lead in the fourth-minute of stoppage time when his shot curled just wide of the far post.
Although, there’s was still time for the visitors to steal all three points in the dying embers of the match, but Neville managed to block Jon Abaya's shot to ensure Dial had a share of the spoils.

Speaking after the match, Brown said: “It was a frustrating day in front of goal. We had no less than 20 shots at goal, 80% of which were straight at their keeper, who, to be fair, had a good game.

"We gave away two soft goals, with the second having an air of good fortune about it. Nonetheless, we had plenty of chance to put the game out of sight in the first half. On reflection, it was a game of missed changes and a below par performance,” he added.

DIAL SQUARE: Rider, Rogers, Vassell (Bunyan), Phillips (Dembele), Vass (Lawrence), Neville, Carter, Doran, Rice, Aziz, Cenzano (Marshall). Unused sub: Brown