Report

WINGER Ricky Modeste scored a double as Dover moved up a place to fifth in the National League after beating Southport at Crabble.

Ricky Miller scored the other goal as boss Chris Kinnear’s side condemned their opponents to being relegated with their fifth win in six games.

Man-of-the-match Modeste, who got the goal in the 1-0 at Southport in September, opened the scoring in the first half.

Whites wrapped up the win with two goals in a minute in the second half when Miller took his league tally to 36 after a mistake from Southport goalkeeper Chris Cheetham before Modeste added a third with a sublime lob.

The three points sees Whites two points ahead of sixth-placed Aldershot Town ahead of Monday’s clash in Hampshire.

Whites also have a game in hand on the Shots.

Connor Essam had the first chance of the game in the eighth minute when his header from a James Hurst free-kick was cleared off the line by Robbie Cundy.

Essam reacted first to the rebound but the big defender blasted his effort well over.

It was to be another 18 minutes before Whites threatened again with Modeste seeing his effort slice just wide.

But Modeste was celebrating two minutes later after he beat Cheetham at the second attempt.

Cheetham saved Modeste’s first effort before the winger kept his composure to roll the ball under him.

Southport went close to equalising just after the half-hour mark when Andrai Jones headed Rory McKeown’s cross just wide of Mitch Walker’s goal.

Dover responded with Miller dispossessing the towering Cundy before seeing his curling effort beat Cheetham and the far post.

Southport threatened again just before half-time with McKeown’s effort just off target.

Miller had the first attempt of the second half for Dover with Cheetham pushing his fierce drive away for a corner.

Joe Healy took the corner, the ball fell to Hurst, but the midfielder fired well over.

Dover doubled their advantage in the 70^th minute courtesy of a Cheetham mistake.

He appeared to have Miller’s tame shot well covered but somehow allowed it to trickle through his legs to gift the striker another goal in his prolific campaign.

Cheetham was beaten again less than a minute later when Modeste raced on to Healy’s pass before chipping over the advancing goalkeeper.

Richard Brodie headed wide for Southport before Dover substitute Chris Kinnear jnr saw his audacious attempt from just inside the visitors half finish well off target.

Earlier, Kinnear made one change to his starting side following the win against Braintree a week earlier, with James Hurst replacing Chris Kinnear jnr in midfield.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

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