In a closely contested Isthmian League Premier Division fixture, Chatham Town and Dover Athletic played to a 1-1 draw at The Bauvill Stadium in front of 1,903 spectators. Both teams arrived with strong form, and the game did not disappoint in its intensity, though the points were ultimately shared.
Before kick-off, the Mayor, MP Tracy Crouch, and armed service members joined both teams for a two-minute silence and the Last Post, honoring those who served their country.
The match began with an early booking for Dover’s George Wilkinson in the 13th minute, and while Chatham commanded much of the possession in the opening half, they struggled to break down a resolute Dover defence. A flurry of chances saw Chatham narrowly miss, with Reece Butler’s header landing straight in the hands of Dover’s keeper Mitch Walker, and a shot from Jordy Mongoy rattling the crossbar. Despite the pressure, Dover held their ground, and the half ended goalless.
The breakthrough came shortly after the restart. In the 51st minute, Chatham captain Jack Evans found space at the edge of the box and struck a superb curling shot past Walker to give the home side a deserved 1-0 lead.
Dover responded swiftly. Just 13 minutes later, Francis Mampolo’s incisive pass found Dover’s top scorer George Nikaj, who calmly slotted the ball past Joe Wright, leveling the score at 1-1.
The remainder of the game saw end-to-end action, with both teams seeking a winner. Dover pushed hard, with Ruben Soares-Junior forcing a brilliant save from Wright, while Chatham defended tenaciously, blocking several shots in a determined effort to keep their opponents at bay. Neither team could find the decisive goal in the dying minutes.
As the final whistle blew, Dover Athletic extended their strong form at the top of the league and look ahead to welcoming Canvey Island to Crabble on Saturday.
Isthmian League – Premier Division
Attendance: 1,903
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: Gerry Heron
Venue: The Bauvill Stadium
Chatham Town: Wright, Scarlett, Aidoo, Robins (Sears 83mins), Butler, O’Keefe, Evans, Yila, Cooper, Mongoy (Liburd 83mins), Ufuah (Sene-Richardson 75mins). Subs not used: Bello, Boadi.
Dover Athletic: Walker, Sesay, Cocoracchio, Baptiste, Matthews, Nikaj, Soares-Junior, T.Amgbaduba (Gyebi 94mins), Pont, Wilkinson (Mampolo 46mins), Mensah. Subs not used: E.Amgbaduba, Holness, Young.