Dial slipped to a disappointing 4-1 league defeat away to Tooting & Mitcham United 23s today (31 Jan) at Imperial Fields.

After an impressive start to 2026, Dial were largely second best against a Terrors' side who showed more desire to win and potency in front of goal to claim all three points.

With several key players either injured or unavailable for the trip to South London, Dial boss Steve Brown was able to welcome Samuel Bello-Balogun back to the club on a dual registration with Ashford Town (Middlesex) at the eleventh-hour.

But not even with the Isthmian League experience of Bello-Balogun and George Frith in the middle of the park could derail the hosts from notching their first win of the new year.

After an uneventful first 20 minutes, George Mead needed to be on-guard to deny United midfielder David Akano-Kouame at the near post.

Brown was then forced to shuffle the pack after defender Matt Hayes was unable to continue, with Danny Taylor taking up a wide position midway through the first period.

Mead was again equal to another effort from Akano-Kouame to keep the Terrors’ at bay, before Callum Abraham-Barlow was put clean through on goal at the other end, only for his shot to be saved by the outstretched leg of Tiago Santos David.

With the hosts enjoying more of the possession, Mead remained steadfast between the posts to save Micah Frazer's low shot. James Vass then cleared the ball off the line after Dial were penalised for a deliberate back-pass on the cusp of half-time.

Taylor was inches away from giving Dial the lead just two minutes after the restart following a great pull-back from John Corner on the byline.

However, it was United who got their noses in front when Frazer cut outside Corner on the edge of the box, before bending the ball over Mead to give the Londoners a 49th-minute advantage. It was a superb strike from the former Chipstead frontman.

With the hosts in the ascendency, Mead pushed Larrell Walker’s shot around the post. Frazer then fired wide as Dial were notably back-peddling.

At the other end, Jordan Carter swivelled on the edge of the box before firing over the bar. But it was Taylor who managed to level the scores after breaking clear from the halfway line to eventually slot the ball past David in the 78th-minute.

Celebrations were short-lived though when another great strike, this time from Walker, reinstated the Terrors’ lead in the 81st-minute.

Five minutes later, substitute Oliver McCallum was on hand to tuck away his first and United’s third as Dial were at sixes and sevens at the back.

And when Walker made it 4-1 in the third-minute of stoppage time, it was a day to forget for boss Brown, who will be looking to rejuvenate his squad ahead of next weekend’s quarter-final county cup clash away to Horsell.

Speaking after the match, Brown said: “The lads were under no illusion about what I thought about the performance. We were lacklustre and we were beaten by a side who worked much harder than us and deserved to win. 

“Thankfully, performances like that have been few and far between this season, so the boys know not to dwell on it. It’s important that we get back on track this Saturday,” he added.

DIAL SQUARE: Mead, Corner, (Rose-Davies), Vass, (Federico), Frith, Hayes (Taylor), Norman, Carter, Bello-Balogun, Cenzano (Laflin), Abraham-Barlow, Brown.

MotM: Steve Brown