League: The FA Cup

The FA Cup

Bury v Dover Athletic

WHITES’ Emirates FA Cup journey was abruptly ended in the First Round by a clinical Bury side at the Energy Check Stadium at Gigg Lane on Saturday afternoon.

Jay O’Shea, Danny Mayor and Bryon Moore had the hosts three goals ahead before half-time, with Moore and substitute Dominic Telford adding to the scoreline in the second half – Though Andy Hessenthaler’s men nearly had a shock lead within minutes of kick-off.

A Mitch Brundle corner was deflected goalwards by Kevin Lokko, only for O’Shea to clear the ball before it trickled over the goal line.

In a frantic start, an inch-perfect cross from Mayor saw visiting keeper Mitch Walker save Tom Miller’s header from point-blank range.

However, the home side were ahead on 12 minutes.

Another cross, this time from Callum McFadzean was cleared only as far as O’Shea to slot home from just inside the penalty area.

The lead was almost doubled moments later, but Moore fired over Nicky Maynard’s pass.

Whites were almost level, but a sprawling save denied Inih Effiong when one-on-one.

That miss was duly punished as the Shakers doubled their lead on 18 minutes.

Mayor burst forward and curled an unstoppable 20-yard effort past a stunned Walker.

Bedsente Gomis collected Jamie Allen’s pass and fired goalwards from the edge of the area, only to see Murphy in the Bury goal land on his low drive.

Moore shaped to cross at the other end, before sending a teasing effort narrowly wide from an angle.

Maynard then blazed over ten minutes before the break and the hosts looked to seal their place in round two of the cup early.

Two minutes later, ti was Moore who ensured Bury’s name were in the hat for Monday night’s draw.

The striker pounced on Dover defensive hesitation and slotted through Walker’s legs to make it 3-0.

There was time for two more chances in the half as Walker plucked out Maynard’s goalbound header following a corner, before saving Mayor’s thunderbolt with his legs as the ball spun behind for a corner.

Following the restart, Moussa Diarra’s misplaced header was squandered by Neil Danns from ten yards.

But Moore made no mistake on 63 minutes as he completed his brace, volleying in Miller’s cross from a yard out to make it 4-0 to the Lancashire side.

Walker’s quick reactions were enough to deny a twisting and Turing substitute Callum Driver.

Whites almost grabbed a consolation from a defensive error, but Effiong placed his effort just wide.

Maynard was then unable to add his name to the scoresheet, contriving to miss from close in after Walker failed to claim a cross into the area.

It was down to Telford to show Maynard how to score in injury time.

The sub striker cut inside a fired low into the bottom corner to complete the Shakers’ rout.

Earlier, boss Hessenthaler made one change to the side that started last weekend’s home win against Maidenhead, with Gomis coming in for the cup-tied Bobby-Joe Taylor.

Dover also included three academy players on the bench, with Marshall Wratten replacing Effiong six minutes from time.

Whites are back on National League duty next week when they travel to FC Halifax Town on Saturday 17th November, kick-off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

BURY FC REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

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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.

Bury

Concord Rangers v Dover Athletic

A STUNNING free-kick from Inih Effiong sent Athletic through to the FA Cup first round proper, though Andy Hessenthaler’s men left it late to seal their place in Monday night’s draw.

The big striker curled home from 25-yards, his third goal in two games, in an evenly matched contest at the Aspect Arena on Saturday afternoon.

And hosts Concord were inches away from forcing a replay in dramatic fashion when Tyrone Sterling headed against the crossbar deep into injury time.

But Whites valiantly held on to seal their first competitive away win on the road since April this year.

The first opportunity of the game fell the way of the home team, but Alex Wall was unable to direct his header from a free-kick anywhere other than at visiting keeper Mitch Walker.

And Effiong almost carried on where he left off last weekend at the other end, swivelling and blasting at the legs of Sam Beasant in the Concord goal.

From the resultant corner, Mitch Brundle curled goalwards from 25-yards, only for Beasant to pluck the ball from underneath the crossbar.

And Dover’s next chance fell the way of Nortei Nortey.

The midfielder sprinted onto Effiong’s flick-on and bore down on goal, but his final shot flew the wrong side of the post.

Effiong placed a volley wide after latching onto Brundle’s ball over the top and at the other end, Tosan Popo was twice denied by last-ditch blocks from Josh Debayo and Kevin Lokko.

Claims of a shirt pull on Connor Essam in the home penalty area were also waved away by referee Paul Howard in the closing stages of the first-half.

Following the restart, Lokko’s close-range header was well held by Beasant and Danny Green’s wicked free-kick flashed by every Rangers in the penalty area.

And Lokko was inches away from giving Whites the lead.

The defender flicked Brundle’s cross towards goal, only to look up and see the ball bounce agonisingly wide.

A swift counter-attack involving Jamie Allen and Effiong ended with Brundle smashing an effort right down the throat of Beasant.

And Whites were almost out of the FA Cup altogether when Jack Midson nodded a corner off target.

But instead, Whites secured their space in Monday night’s draw thanks to Effiong’s late winner.

Earlier, Boss Hessenthaler made one change to the side that started at Harrogate last weekend with Nortey replacing the suspended Anthony Jeffrey.

Whites next travel to Essex for their National League fixture at Braintree Town on Saturday 27th October, kick-off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

CONCORD RANGERS REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

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Fixtures and Results 2018-2019

First Team Squad

Bromley v Dover Athletic

WHITES were sent crashing out of the FA Cup after conceding three second-half goals at Hayes Lane on Tuesday evening.

Two quick-fire strikes from Josh Rees and Adam Mekki had the hosts in control and sub Louis Dennis slotted home in injury time to seal the win.

Chris Kinnear’s men were dealt a further blow as Giancarlo Gallifuoco and Josh Passley were forced off at half-time with injuries.

Both sides went on the attack early on, but shots from Nortei Nortey and Mekki were straight at their opposition goalkeepers.

Connor Essam’s through-ball then released Mitch Pinnock, but the midfielder blasted over when bearing down on goal.

Kadell Daniel picked out Mitch Brundle in the area, but the skipper’s first-time volley flew over both home keeper David Gregory and the crossbar.

Daniel then tried to score himself, smashing a spectacular overhead kick wide of the post.

Boss Kinnear was forced into a half-time change following an unfortunate injury to Gallifuoco.

The Australian bravely stooped low to head the ball in the Bromley box but suffered a concussion after colliding with an opponent.

Passley was also withdrawn prior to the restart, with Loui Fazakerley and Kane Richards introduced to the action as Whites opted for a more attacking formation after the break.

And the changes almost had an immediate impact as Pinnock’s low drive glided past the wrong side of the post.

Mekki went close with two headers. Firstly nodding over Luke Wanadio’s cross and then glancing straight into the arms of Mitch Walker.

Ryan Bird was on hand to clear Jack Holland’s bullet header off the line as Bromley forced a number of corners.

And the home side did not have to wait much longer to make a set piece count.

Frankie Sutherland’s 70th-minute corner was directed into the top corner by Rees, in-spite of visiting stopper Walker’s best efforts to keep the ball out.

Mekki grabbed his side’s second three minutes later, latching onto Holland’s pass and after evading Connor Essam’s challenge, curled in off the crossbar.

Bird headed Pinnock’s free-kick at Gregory and with time running out, Neil Smith’s side sealed the win thanks to substitute Dennis.

The attacker exchanged passes with Rees and slotted past Walker to confirm their first-round tie at League One Rochdale next month

Earlier manager Kinnear named an unchanged line-up from Saturday’s match.

Dover are back to league action on Saturday 21st October with Maidenhead United the visitors to Crabble. Kick off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC