Report

Dover were convincingly beaten in the last-eight of the Kent Senior Cup on Tuesday night.

Despite having led at half-time through Kurtis Cumberbatch’s early goal, the League One visitors fought back to move into the semi-final, proving too strong for the National League side.

Regan Charles-Cook opened and ended the scoring on the night, with further strikes from John Akinde, Jordan Graham and Toby Bancroft comprehensively ending Dover’s participation in this year’s County trophy.

Whites made the best possible start when, following a defensive howler from Matthew Baker, Cumberbatch tucked the defender’s loose ball into the bottom corner with the game barely a minute old.

The League One side were nearly back in the contest when Ben Pringle shot goalwards, only for home keeper Yusuf Mersin to tip away the midfielder’s fierce drive.

Athletic’s lead was nearly doubled when Ade Yusuff latched onto a long ball and though Joe Walsh beat the striker to the ball, Gillingham’s goalkeeper cannoned the ball against Yusuff, with the ball rebounding to a visiting defender to clear.

Jai Reason then took aim from the edge of the penalty area, sending the ball spinning narrowly wide of the far post.

Charles-Cook nipped in behind the Dover defence, but Mersin stood strong to turn the ball behind for a corner.

The Turkish keeper saved his best save for just before the break.

Pringle passed inside for Charles-Cook to take aim, but Mersin dropped down quickly to block the midfielder’s strike with his forearm from point-blank range.

Akinde got the better of Kevin Lokko just after the restart, but the former Barnet and Lincoln striker could only find the side-netting from a tight angle.

At the other end, Joe Bedford crept into the penalty area to meet Reason’s corner, only to send his first-time volley over the crossbar.

Yusuff also nearly added his name to the scoresheet, blazing inches wide of the post, a miss that would prove costly.

The League One side levelled with their next attack when Charles-Cook’s deflected strike looped over Mersin and into the net.

Yusuff tried again moments later, blasting his shot into the side of the net.

But Gills would make no mistake with their next chance.

Paul Rooney slid in to direct Graham’s cross behind for a corner, but the ball bounced off teammate Lokko and into Akinde’s path for the simplest of tap-ins.

Dominic Poleon only had to direct his header on target when Rooney diverted the ball into his path from a set-piece, but somehow the substitute headed over the bar with the goal at his mercy.

Dover’s task of reaching the last-four was made all the harder when Graham thrashed the ball into the top corner following good work from Charles-Cook.

The Football League side wrapped up the win late on when Charles-Cook dinked the ball over Mersin and substitute Bancroft rounded Dover’s keeper to roll the ball into an empty net.

Whites next host Chesterfield in the National League on Saturday 14th March, kick-off 3 pm.

MATCH GALLERY

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