DORKING picked up their first home win of the season in dramatic fashion on Tuesday night, almost letting slip a three-goal lead.

Manager Tony Webb welcomed top scorer Joe Loyza back into the first team, with the only other change from Saturday's defeat to Camberley seeing Shola Elusade replace Jamie Pendrill.

High-flying Chertsey, who had only lost two of their 15 games to date, knew a win would move them to within five points of the top and they showed their intentions immediately, laying siege to Dan Coote's goal.

Coote made a brilliant point blank save from the dangerous Andre Delisser in the fifth minute and followed that with a tip over the bar from John Pomroy's follow-up.

Delisser continued to cause problems five minutes later, beating three Dorking men before passing to Steve Tyson, who scuffed wide.

The visitors were dominating, but it was the Chicks who took the lead and what a goal it was.

Taylor Mollatt started and finished the move in the 16th minute. He played the ball down the right for Luke Jones, who scampered down the flank before looking up and picking out the run of Mollatt, who had reached the edge of the area and smashed a terrific first time drive low into the bottom corner.

That gave the home side some confidence and four minutes later Loyza should have made it two when he latched onto a Scott Murphy ball and tried to take it round Liam Stone in the Chertsey goal, but was thwarted.

Loyza again got one-on-one with Stone in the 25th minute after some excellent close control took him past two defenders, but the keeper managed to block his effort out for a corner.

From there the Chicks doubled their advantage. The first flag kick came to nothing, but the second was met by a towering header from Andy Davidson.

Stone denied Loyza once more saving with his foot as the Chicks striker looked destined to make it three as they ended the half well.

The hosts knew their opponents would come out all guns blazing after the interval and Coote's goal lived a charmed life at times, though it was Loyza with the first chance, rounding the keeper but unable to get enough on the shot.

Then the Chertsey assault began. John Pomroy hit the underside of the bar with a free kick, via the gloves of the exceptional Coote.

Coote then made a tremendous double save to deny another Pomroy kick and the rebound from Delisser. Steve Gibson did beat the Chicks keeper in the 58th minute, but his header came back off the bar and Delisser and Charlie Ide were inches away from netting before the Dorking fans went into dreamland in the 67th minute.

A long throw into the box was not dealt with by the Chertsey defence and everyone seemed to stop, except for Loyza, who gratefully accepted the open invitation to smash the goal he deserved.

That should have been that, but nothing is ever easy where Dorking are concerned and they put their fans through the wringer by conceding two late goals.

There were only seven minutes left when Ide lofted a ball back into the mix and Gibson chested down and volleyed in for 3-1.

Two minutes remained when Scott Murphy failed to clear an Ide cross and Delisser slotted in.

Coote fumbled a ball as he fell on it, Marcus Moody curled over, Ide was sent off for an apparent foul and abusive language and eight minutes of injury time made for a frantic finale, but Dorking held on for a precious three points that takes them out of the relegation zone.

Chicks: Coote, Davis, Waldren, Murphy, Newman, Davidson, Mollatt (Tedder), Clayton, Loyza, Jones (Pendrill), Elusade.