Report

Nassim L’Ghoul’s late equaliser ensured Whites extended their unbeaten run against Chesterfield to four matches.

The substitute dinked over away keeper Shwan Jalal to end a recent run of back-to-back league losses for Andy Hessenthaler’s men.

Tom Denton had fired the away side ahead from the penalty spot following Shadrach Ogie’s handball.

The point keeps Dover 12th on the National League table, four points behind seventh-placed Stockport.

Early on, Nathan Tyson took advantage of Dover defensive hesitancy to sprint clear, but with only Lee Worgan to beat, fired straight at the home keeper.

Jordan Cropper burst into Athletic’s penalty area and found Denton, but the big striker directed his header into Worgan’s arms.

As task opposite goalkeeper Jalal failed to do when dropping Jack Munn’s set piece at Kevin Lokko’s feet, but Whites’ defender scooped the ball over the crossbar from close range.

Dangerous on the counter-attack, Chesterfield fled forward from a Dover corner and though Josef Yarney found Tyson in space, Worgan was down quickly to make a one-handed save from the experienced striker’s angled drive.

Following the restart, Jalal was forced to tip Dominic Poleon’s cross-cum-shot, with Oscar Gobern headed the resultant corner over the bar.

Tyson headed Liam Mandeville’s swirling cross towards goal, an effort easily dealt by Worgan.

Dover’s stopper had more work to do on the visitors next attack.

Tyson skipped into the area, but Worgan was out quickly to block the forward’s shot from point-blank range.

At the other end, Will De Havilland’s looping volley from a corner dipped just wide of his intended target.

And his central defensive partner Paul Rooney, on for the injured Kevin Lokko at the break, went close with a header from Munn’s corner.

Whites were unable to hold onto their clean sheet when Ogie was penalised for a handball in the area with just over 10 minutes remaining.

Denton stepped up from 12 yards and sent Worgan the wrong way to give the away side the lead.

But Dover were back in the contest when one of their substitutes struck with two minutes remaining.

L’Ghoul latched onto Munns’ pinpoint through-ball and chipped the ball over the onrushing Jalal to restore parity.

But Whites were unable to muster a late rally to find a winner as they drew their ninth league game of the campaign.

Earlier, boss Hessenthaler made three changes to the side that lost to Yeovil last week.  Ogie, Kurtis Cumberbatch and Steven Rigg came in for Bobby-Joe Taylor, L’Ghoul and the injured Inih Effiong.

Whites next travel to Eastleigh on Tuesday 17th March, kick-off 7:45 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

CHESTERFIELD REACTION

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