Dial Square start new season with narrow victory over East Preston

Dial Square got their 2026-27 Southern Combination Football League Division One season off to a good start with a 1-0 win against East Preston at Redding Way.

A third-minute header from Daniel Cenzano proved to be the difference in west Woking as Steve Brown was happy to settle for the win and a clean sheet before his side turn their attention to the FA Vase on Saturday.

Despite both teams' best endeavours, it was a scrappy opening league game on a hard, bobbly pitch, resulting in numerous misplaced passes and possession changing hands in the blink of an eye.

Following Dial's promotion from the Surrey Premier County Football League, Brown included eight players from last season in the starting line-up, bolstered by new signings Daniel Wanyonyi, Adam Aziz and Joseph Apeni.

But it was Cenzano who scored Dial's opening goal when the striker latched onto a slick lofted pass from George Frith to head the ball over Matt Gibb from ten yards.

Aziz was inches away from making it 2-0 when his shot clipped the post, forcing the visitors to scramble the ball to safety.

The visitors gained momentum in the second half, and Samuel Hack squandered a prime opportunity to level the scores when he took too long to adjust his feet in the box.

The increased pressure prompted Brown to make four changes, which helped the hosts to steady the ship and see-out a hard-fought 1-0 win.

“I thought the pitch and conditions were a real leveller,” said Brown. “On a better surface, I think we would have won comfortably.

“It was a disjointed display, but I thought it might be with players away at different times over the summer.

“I was pleased with the players' application and attitude, which gives us something to build on over the coming weeks.”

By Andy Fitzsimons