Report

DOVER ended their miserable record at Dagenham with an impressive 3-1 win on Tuesday night.

An audacious backheel from Alfie Pavey five minutes after the restart added to first-half goals from Jamie Allen and Bedsente Gomis.

The hosts pulled a goal back through sub Will Wright with 20 minutes to play, but Athletic held on to move eight points clear of the National League Relegation zone.

Earlier, after evading a Dagenham challenge, Josh Passley sent in a dangerous cross that bounced off Ben Nunn towards Pavey, but Dover’s striker was unable to get a shot away.

Connor Wilkinson found the angle to acute as he sprinted onto Angelo Balanta’s through ball and smashed the ball behind the goal.

The first shot on target came from Pavey, who volleyed Mitch Brundle’s chest down goalwards, only to see home keeper Elliott Justham push the ball behind for a corner.

Visiting stopper Lee Worgan was called into action moments later, blocking Balanta from point blank after Liam Gordon had passed the ball into the area.

That save proved crucial as the away side went ahead on 21 minutes.

Stuart Lewis passed to Allen, who took a touch away from his marker and buried his shot in the bottom corner for his sixth National League strike of the campaign.

And Dover boss Andy Hessenthaler would have been even happier seven minutes later as his side doubled their lead.

Bobby-Joe Taylor sent in a perfect delivery for Gomis to loop a header over Justham and into the top corner.

Visiting fans were in dreamland when Whites scored their third goal without reply five minutes after the restart as Pavey grabbed his fourth league goal in five games.

With his back to goal, Pavey collected Kevin Lokko’s knockdown and nonchalantly back-heeled the ball into the bottom corner past a stunned Justham.

Jack Munns let fly from distance as Peter Taylor’s side tried to reduce the deficit, narrowly clearing Worgan’s crossbar.

Daggers did pull a goal back on 69 minutes when Wright volleyed past Worgan.

The replacement continued to cause the visitors problems, this time sending a thunderous effort goalwards and forcing Worgan to tip the ball over the crossbar.

Home fans were soon celebrating, but not for long.

Sub Chike Kandi, introduced at the break for Wilkinson,  had the goal at his mercy as he met Balanta’s cross into the area, but directed his header into the grateful hands of Worgan as Dover’s goalie held the ball on the goalline.

Nunn then went through on goal, but his cross-cum-shot was out of reach of that outstretched Munns sliding in.

Sub Inih Effiong sprinted through to seal the win, but Justham managed to get a fingertip on the ball to stop the forward finding his first goal of 2019.

Boss Hessenthaler made two changes to the side that started in their last game at Halifax.  Josh Passley and Scott Doe came in for Danny McNamara, who returned to his parent club Millwall following his loan spell at Crabble, and Anthony Jeffrey, who started as a substitute.

Whites next travel to Solihull Moors in the National League on Saturday 30th March, kick-off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE REACTION

Photo Credit:  Arfa Griffiths