Report

Kristian Dennis’ injury-time leveller denied Andy Hessenthaler’s men a first win in five matches at Crabble on Saturday.

The substitute headed in Mitch Rose’s ball into the area to cancel out Kevin Lokko’s earlier goal.

Rose had equalised from the penalty spot six minutes after Bobby-Joe Taylor had fired Dover ahead with a fine first-half free-kick.

The hosts created the game’s first chance when Jai Reason crossed from the left for Josh Passley, who beat visiting keeper Sam Slocombe to the ball, however headed against the top crossbar.

Enzio Boldewijn cut inside to set up Wes Thomas, but the striker blazed over when well-placed.

Steven Rigg, placing as a central striker, was inches away from connecting to Inih Effiong’s cross.

Scott Doe was ten on-hand to deny Samuel Osborne from getting his shot away, however the ball fell to the unmarked Kyle Wootton, only for the Scunthorpe loanee to blast straight at home stopper Lee Worgan.

At the other end Slocombe was powerless to stop Athletic was taking the lead.

After Nassim L’Ghoul was fouled 20-yards from goal, Taylor curled a sumptuous effort into the top corner, out of reach of the diving County keeper.

Taylor was then involved in Notts County’s equaliser six minutes later.

Dover’s wing-back fouled the onrushing Richard Brindley in the penalty area, leaving Rose to send Worgan the wrong way from 12-yards.

There was a dramatic finale to the half when Effiong latched onto Reason’s free-kick, but Dover’s top scorer was denied his eighth goal of the season by the sprawling Slocombe from point-blank range.

Worgan stopped the Magpies from going ahead within seconds of the restart.

Dover’s goalie was at full stretch to push away Osborne’s curler from just inside the box to keep the scores level.

But a goal was added to the tally in Athletic’s favour thanks to Lokko’s first goal of the season.

Whites’ captain finished off Reason’s pinpoint ball into the area, curling into the corner of the net from close range.

Notts thought they were level when Thomas smashed the ball towards goal from five yards out after Worgan had pushed away Wootton’s drive.

But County’s striker was left laying on the floor in disbelief as home stopper Worgan bravely blocked the shot with his face to stop the ball from going in.

Kurtis Cumberbatch headed fellow sub Ricky Modeste’s cross off target and Effiong lobbed over after being sent clear as Hessenthaler’s side tried to kill the game off.

However the visitors dominated the late staged of the match and that late pressure paid off for County as Dennis headed in Rose’s ball into the box.

Deep into added time Cumberbatch almost won the game when he received the ball and fired goalwards, but Slocombe was off his line in a flash to block the midfielder’s shot.

Earlier, boss Hessenthaler made four changes to the side that started against FC Halifax Town last weekend.  Passley, Munns, Lokko and L’Ghoul came in for Paul Rooney, Kurtis Cumberbatch, Ricky Modeste and Aaron Simpson.

Whites next travel to Aldershot Town on Tuesday 8th October, kick-off 7:45 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

NOTTS COUNTY REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

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