Dover came into this game after only playing two days earlier away at Weston-super-Mare, putting in a great team performance to earn a 2-2 draw.

Dover got off to a bad start after Basingstoke took advantage from sloppy defending at the near post to score a header past the Dover keeper. Once again we had to go behind to get us going. Luke Girt then drove through the midfield and broke into the 18 yard box where he was tripped; the ref instantly gave Dover a penalty. Sean Raggett stepped up to coolly put the scoreline level.

For the next 10 minutes Dover piled on the pressure with Girt running at the Basingstoke defence and putting in a couple of crosses. However it was again Basingstoke that took the lead from another corner, this time the sloppy defending was at the back post.

Dover came into half-time 2-1 down, manager Michael Sandmann and coach Robert Peck rightly questioned the teams passion and effort.

This talk seemed to liven up the Dover players, with Tom Axford and Luke Girt having early shots. The Dover defence began to be more dominant in their defending too. Our bright start paid off when an in swinging corner fell to Lloyd Harrington who clipped the ball with the inside of his boot into the Basingstoke net.

After this goal Connor Coyne began to hold to ball up brilliantly and linking up fluently with the lively Girt. Once again Basingstoke had a chance to take the lead, but this time Alistair Wren did superbly to scoop the ball of the goal line and keep Dover level. Dover went straight up the other end and a flick on from Coyne went straight into Girt’s path who beat the full back and crossed the ball to Scott Crane who was unable to finish.

Girt then nearly sealed all three points with a dipping shot just going over the crossbar. But with minutes to go Coyne scored the winner with a slice of luck, picking up the ball at an acute angle but somehow managed to lob the keeper to hit the post and go in.

Dover were nowhere near their best but still managed to grind out the result in the hot conditions.

Man of the Match: Luke Girt

Dover Team: Ashley Bourne, Joe Ellet, Lloyd Harrington, Sean Raggett, Scott Crane ©, Sam Allen, Joe Blythe, Tom Axford, Luke Girt, Jack Crittenden, Connor Coyne.