Dial Square: Two Years Unbeaten At Home 

731 days without in a competitive defeat at Alwyns Lane

Following three consecutive promotions, Dial Square reached another milestone today, Tuesday, (November 26) after becoming one of the first clubs to remain unbeaten at home for two years.

The non-leaguers’ extraordinary run at Alwyns Lane, Chertsey, means they haven’t lost a competitive league or cup match at home since 26 November 2022, which equals the domestic record set by Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City earlier this month.

Since moving to Alwyns Lane from Addlestone Moor in September 2022, Dial have never lost in 25 league games, drawing twice against Worplesdon Phoenix and Laleham & Kempton. You have to go back two years (26 November 2022) since Dial last lost at home 1-0 to Manorcroft in the Surrey Intermediate Football League (Western) Premier Challenge Cup.

It’s been a remarkable feat for Dial player manager Steve Brown and assistant manager Matt Bunyan who have won 47 of their 55 league and cup games since taking charge on 28 December 2022.

During their reign, the Surrey Premier County Football League side have scored 109 goals in 24 league and cup games played at Alwyns Lane (as one cup fixture was played at a neutral venue), making the northwest Surrey ground a formidable venue to visit in non-League football.

Speaking of the club’s landmark achievement, Brown said: “There have been some great memories at Alwyns Lane, including an 11-0 league win over Hambledon last season and a 4-0 win over CB Hounslow & Abbots this season.

"I’ll also never forget my late winner against Lightwater United, which went top bins. However, the day [20 April] when we were presented with the league championship trophy after beating Shottermill & Haslemere is certainly one to saviour.

“The groundsman at Chertsey Town does a brilliant job to prepare the pitch each week; it’s an unbelievable playing surface for our level of football and suits our style of play. I’ve been fortunate to play at some very good grounds over the years, and it’s certainly been a privilege to play at Alwyns Lane.

“We do have to adapt and change our style of play at times when we play away from home, but we try and set-up the same when we play at home due to the size and quality of the playing surface,” he added.

With 12 league games played, Dial are currently top of the Surrey Premier County Football League and are vying for their fourth consecutive promotion to join the Combined Counties Football League since only being formed in January 2020.

Dial are away at Bagshot this Saturday (30 November 2024) in the second round of the Surrey FA Saturday Intermediate Cup. For more information, go to: www.dialsquarefc.com