League: Kent Senior Cup

Kent Senior Cup

Andy Hessenthaler

Whites’ gaffer Hessenthaler returned to Crabble in October 2018.

A combative midfielder on the pitch for the likes of Watford, Gillingham and Barnet, Hessenthaler had great success as Athletic’s player-boss between 2007 and 2010, winning back-to-back promotions to take Dover from the Ryman South division to the Conference South.

And after ending the 2009/10 season as runners-up in the second tier of non-league, Hessenthaler returned to Gillingham as boss for two campaigns, steering the Gills to two consecutive eighth-place finishes in League Two.

A third stint at Gillingham followed two seasons later, this time as assistant boss, a similar role he held at Leyton Orient the following year, before being made manager at Brisbane Road in 2016.

Dismissed by the O’s later that same year, it wasn’t long before Hessenthaler was back in football, joining Eastleigh before the start of the 2017/18 season, initially as assistant manager, before taking over from Richard Hill as boss just eight months after joining the club.

Hessenthaler left the Spitfires 15 games into the 2018/19 campaign for a Dover side second-bottom of the National League on seven points.

Athletic were not in the relegation zone for long as Hessenthaler successfully steered the club to safety with three games to spare, as Dover finished last season in 13th place on 60 points.

Maidstone United v Dover Athletic

TWO late goals from Athletic’s youngster were not enough as Dover were knocked out of the Kent Senior Reliance Cup at the Gallagher Stadium on Tuesday night.

Harrison Kempster converted an 83rd Minute penalty after Bepe Paldon had been fouled with Alfie Bates bundling Whites’ second after fellow substitute had headed a cross back across goal in injury-time.

The Academy side, playing as the first team were attending their first training session with new boss Andy Hessenthaler, were a goal down on 29 minutes when Ollie Muldoon took on Orlu Durojaiye’s pass and crashed a shot past visiting keeper Wesley Miller.

Djurojaiye turned goalscorer 10 minutes later from a corner, powering a header into the top corner to double the host’s lead.

A cross by substitute Jake Cassidy was headed home by defender George McLennan to make the scores 3-0 on 53 minutes.

Blair Turgott rounded things off on 67 minutes, striding forward from the half-way line and firing low past Miller, via a slight deflection.

Late on, Gold Omatayo headed against the bar and though the striker headed the rebound on target, Miller was able to tip the Bury loanee’s effort around the post.

MATCH GALLERY

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