League: The FA Cup

The FA Cup

Dover Athletic v Bromley

CHRIS Kinnear’s men will do battle with their Kent rivals once again on Tuesday night following a goalless draw in the Emirates FA Cup fourth qualifying round.

The two sides will replay at Hayes Lane after both defences came out on top in Saturday’s match at Crabble.

Ryan Bird had the best chance of the match early on, flicking the ball over a stranded David Gregory following a poor defensive clearance.

However, the striker’s first-time effort bounced agonisingly over the bar, much to the relief of the visiting keeper.

Giancarlo Gallifuoco then smashed Mitch Pinnock’s near-post corner into the side netting and at the other end, Alan Dunne forced home stopper Mitch Walker into a low save from 25-yards.

Pinnock stabbed Josh Passley’s cross to the far post wide after sneaking behind the Bromley defence and the midfielder then blazed a long-range effort over the bar and into the Bromley supporters.

Louis Dennis, a scorer for the visitors in the league match between the teams back in August, somehow volleyed Alan Dunne’s centre wide after a quick throw-in.

And the away side were even closer to scoring with their next chance, as Jack Holland scraped the woodwork with a header from Frankie Raymond’s cross.

With full-time looming, Pinnock’s deflected effort flew into the hands of Gregory and the away defence bravely blocked Manny Parry’s volley.

Earlier, boss Kinnear made two changes to the side that won 2-0 at Torquay last Saturday. Nortei Nortey replaced the cup-tied Paul Lewis and Kadell Daniel came in for Jamie Allen, who started as a substitute.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

BROMLEY REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”222″ gal_title=”DAFC v Bromley 14/10/17″]

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Dover Athletic FC v Cambridge United

CAMBRIDGE STRIKE LATE TO WIN TIE

United need extra time to see off Whites.

WHITES suffered Emirates FA Cup heartbreak as Cambridge eventually ran out 4-2 winners in a pulsating match at Crabble.

Ricky Miller’s calm finished was all that separated the two sides until the final moments of normal time when Mark Roberts bundled in from close range. A superb volley from Aswad Thomas in extra time had Whites back in front, but Leon Legge’s strike restored parity and Medy Elito won it for Cambridge with barely a minute left to play.

Substitute Ben Williams sealed the win with a clever run and finish as it was United who set up a home tie with 1987 FA Cup winners Coventry City.

For Whites, Chris Kinnear replaced the cup-tied Sammy Moore in midfield and Richard Orlu came in to cover the suspended Jack Parkinson at the back. Cambridge made one change as Max Clark and Medy Elito traded places.

Luke Berry almost fired Cambridge into the lead early on, curling a fierce free-kick narrowly over following a foul on Brad Halliday.

It was a cagey start from both sides and the home team fashioned their first real chance on the quarter hour mark, Miller striking a first-time cross from Ricky Modeste just wide. Then within seconds, Uche Ikpeazu ran clear with just Mitch Walker to beat, but Dover’s stopper was sharp off his line to block his effort.

Ikpeazu then had another go at scoring minutes later and though his header towards goal was accurate it lacked the power to beat Walker.

Cambridge were clearly in no mood to suffer an upset and Berry almost broke the deadlock, hitting the post from close range following a pinpoint cross from Pietro Mingoia.

Walker was called into action again with the interval on the horizon, saving from Elito who had shot first time after running onto Mingoia’s accurate cross.

Miller had to wait until just before half time for his first real chance, running onto Aswad Thomas’ clever through ball, but Will Norris in the Cambridge goal was equal to his effort. Ross Lafayette was even closer minutes later after being found alone in the box, but his header from a Ricky Modeste inswinging cross went just wide.

The second half started similar to the first as it took either team ten minutes to register a shot on target, with Mingoia firing a low shot at straight at Walker. Richard Orlu was called into action from a corner, heading Berry’s goal-bound header clear of danger.

Miller hooked a volleyed effort down the throat of Norris as he tried to bag his second goal against Cambridge.

But the National League’s top scorer was not to be denied for long as he bagged his 22nd of the season on 70 minutes, running onto to Chris Kinnear’s pass and slotting into the bottom corner.

There was almost an instant reply from Cambridge as Elito crashed a curling effort off the underside of the bar.

Cambridge then thought they had equalised as Mark Roberts struck from Ikpeazu’s header, but the linesman ruled it out for offside.

Dover must have thought the woodwork was their saviour as Greg Taylor headed against the bar, but their leveller finally came right at the death. Berry’s free-kick was saved by Walker, but Roberts scuffed the rebound home to the delight of the visiting fans.

A moment of brilliance in extra time from Aswad Thomas swung the game back in the favour of the home side, as he lashed home a volley from the edge of the box.

But Cambridge were back in the game once more as Roberts crossed from the right for Leon Legge to stride forward and bullet a shot past Walker.

Elito snatched the win for Cambridge right at the death as he slotted home from an angle after some smart Cambridge play down the right.

A tired Dover pushed for an equaliser and Cambridge took full advantage. Sub Ben Williamson danced through to fire past Walker and set up a meeting with the sky blues in the second round.

Athletic have little time to dwell on tonight’s defeat as they face a league match at home to Guiseley on Saturday, kicking off at 3 pm.

CAMBRIDGE UNITED REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”167″ gal_title=”DAFC v Cambridge United 17/11/2016″]

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Cambridge United v Dover Athletic FC

MILLER STRIKES TO FORCE REPLAY

Dover and Cambridge to meet again

WHITES will do battle against League two Cambridge once again as Ricky Miller’s late leveller forced a replay on a bitterly cold afternoon.

Piero Mingoia had opened the scoring from close range for the U’s, but Miller slotted home with only eight minutes left following great work from Ross Lafayette to keep Dover in Monday’s second round draw.

The home side were forced into one change with Luke Berry returning from suspension to replace the injured Adam McGurk. Athletic made one change from last week’s defeat to Tranmere as Chris Kinnear replaced the cup-tied Sammy Moore in centre midfield.

Cambridge, having suffered back to back losses at the Cambs Glass stadium, looked to impress the locals early on and Uche Ikpeazu got the better of Jack Parkinson by the corner flag, but Aswad Thomas beat the onrushing Berry to the ball and headed it over his own crossbar.

Jim Stevenson found himself in a good position following good approach play by Lafayette, but the Cambridge based player shot tamely wide.

A quarter of the game in and the home side fashioned their best chance as a strong run and cross by Ikpeazu was headed just over by the diving Harrison Dunk.

Ikpeazu, Cambridge’s biggest goal threat, twisted and turned Jamie Grimes but fired straight at Mitchell Walker. The stocky striker then sprinted down the right minutes later, but his final effort from an angle was high and wide.

Lafayette prodded wide on the half-hour mark for Dover, whilst Ricky Modeste curled the ball over the bar from the edge of the area following a corner.

Ikpeazu cracked the crossbar following a superb cross from Piero Mingoia and moments later Max Clark thundered an effort just over the bar as United cranked up the pressure.

And that pressure paid off in the 38th minute as Luke Berry’s low drive was spilt by Mitch Walker and though Dover’s stopper was able to block the incoming Dunk’s next effort, the ball fell kindly for right winger Mingoia to bag his fifth of the season.

Dover responded immediately through Jim Stevenson, but he headed Modeste’s corner just over.

Cambridge almost went into the break two goals to the good as another fierce drive from Clark flew just above the crossbar.

United continued the second half in the same manner as the first, Mark Roberts failing to make the most of a Berry’s header back into the box of which he nodded just wide.

Dover’s top marksman Ricky Miller skipped past two defender’s but smashed the ball wide from an angle when a pass to a teammate would have been a better option. He fared better with his next attempt, cutting in from the left and forcing Will Norris to tip the ball wide.

A second goal for Cambridge would have likely killed the tie and centre back Roberts should have done better, volleying a close-range effort from Taylor’s corner knockdown well over.

With the game moving into the final third, Leon Legge somehow blocked a Lafayette effort from close range as White’s searched for a leveller.

Ikpeazu thought he was sending his team into round two after latching on to Mingoia’s clever pass, but he blazed hopelessly over with just Walker to beat.

Chris Kinnear then screwed an effort over from the edge of the box after a defensive clearance fell kindly for him.

But Whites were able to level through Miller on 82 minutes as he controlled Lafayette’s cross with immaculate ease and slotted past Norris.

Cambridge almost grabbed a dramatic winner, but Jack Parkinson somehow diverted Williamson’s header just wide.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

CAMBRIDGE UNITED REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”165″ gal_title=”Cambridge United v DAFC 05/11/2016″]

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Burgess Hill Town v Dover Athletic FC

WHITES CRUISE INTO FIRST ROUND OF CUP

Dover brush aside Burgess Hill In FA Cup

ATHLETIC booked a place in Monday night’s FA Cup first-round draw with a clinical win at Burgess Hill Town on Saturday.

Ricky Miller bagged a brace while Mitch Pinnock, Ricky Modeste and Tyrone Marsh also added their names to the scoresheet against the Ryman Premier League side.

Dover’s superior quality was on show from the off and in the ninth minute, Miller collected Ross Lafayette’s knockdown and fizzed a low effort past a helpless Alan Walker-Harris in goal.

With the wind in their sails, Miller then passed to Pinnock and his far post cross was volleyed wide by a well placed Lafayette.

A Pinnock free-kick was then spilt into Miller’s path, but he could not react quick enough and blasted wide.

Dover were keeping the Hillian’s keeper busy, and he had to scramble across his goal to tip away Modeste’s well-placed header following Sam Magri’s pinpoint cross.

Pinnock, heavily involved all Dover’s attacking play, blasted a first time shot at goal after Jim Stevenson’s slalom run into the box was upended, but Walker-Harris clutched onto his effort at the second attempt.

But the former Southend man was on the scoresheet minutes later.

Stevenson delivered a delightful through ball for Pinnock to drill a half volley into the bottom corner.

Izachukwa almost scored for the home team, but his audacious back-heeled effort was not powerful enough to reach the goal.

Just before half time, Miller evaded numerous Burgess Hill challenges on the byline before firing in an effort from a tight angle.

It looked like the ball was already goal-bound, but Modeste smashed it in to be sure.

Chances for Burgess Hill were few and far between, but Pat Harding blazed over when well placed right on half-time.

The pressure continued after the break and intricate play between Miller, Modeste and Marsh resulted in the latter slotting the ball home with ease.

Miller claimed his second on 58 minutes, pouncing on a Walker-Harris and Toure mishap to slot home.

Harding tried to save some face for Burgess Hill with a volley that stretched Mitch Walker.

Pinnock thought he had his second after slotting in Marsh’s pass but was ruled out for offside as the ball struck Ira Jackson on the way through.

Jackson tried to atone for his error, forcing Walker-Harris into a smart stop with a fierce drive, whilst from the resulting corner, Jamie Grimes struck the bar with a towering header.

Lee Harding almost struck a consolation late on, but Walker was equal to his effort.

Walker then produced a marvellous save to stop the same player’s long-range curling strike moments later.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”161″ gal_title=”Burgess Hill Town v DAFC 15/10/2016″]

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