League: National League

The Vanarama National League. The top of the non-league pyramid and gateway to the Football League.

Aldershot Town v Dover Athletic

Whites endured a miserable evening on Tuesday evening in Hampshire by conceding four goals without reply.

A goal apiece from Shamir Mullings and Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong in the first half and further finishes from Jack Powell and Alefe Santos saw Dover boss Andy Hessenthaler suffer his heaviest league defeat since returning to the club last October.

A sign of things to come was evident early on when Mullings drove wide from the edge of the area, however Athletic had a bright spell of play and Michael Woods swiped over at the second attempt.

Inih Effiong then thought he had opened the scoring, however Jack Powell was well placed to clear the striker’s shot off the line.

But it was the hosts who struck first midway through the first half.  Mullings, in a foot-race with Scott Doe, barged the centre-half off the ball and lobbed over Dover keeper Lee Worgan.

The Shots then doubled their lead with a goal Worgan could do nothing about.

Berkeley-Agyepong collected Santos’ pass and curled an unstoppable 20-yard shot into the top corner.

Effiong tried to reduce the arrears, touching the ball over his marker and volleying into the mid-rift of home stopper Mitch Walker.

Town’s attacks continued and Ethan Chislett scuffed an effort wide from inside the penalty box.

Mullings let fly from 25-yards after the restart, a shot that was just a few inches over Worgan’s crossbar.

But the home side were three goals ahead when Jack Powell’s skidding free-kick deceived Worgan and flew into the net.

The home side were not finished either and extended their lead when Santos raced onto Lewis Kinsella’s through ball and slotted past Worgan.

Kurtis Cumberbatch curled over as Athletic went in search of a consolation.

Mohamed Bettamer nearly grabbed his first goal for the Shots, blasting Kinsella’s cross into the side-netting.

Substitute Nassim L’Ghoul then forced Walker into a smart save from 25-yards.

But the 67 travelling fans were left disappointed at the final whistle after seeing their side well beaten on the night.

Earlier, boss Hessenthaler made four changes to the side that started against Notts County on Saturday.  Simpson, Woods, Cumberbatch and Jeffrey came in for Ricky Modeste (International duty), Steven Rigg (Injured), Nassim L’Ghoul and Will De Havilland.

Whites next travel to Barrow on Saturday 12th October, kick off 3 pm

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

ALDERSHOT TOWN REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”354″ gal_title=”Aldershot Town v DAFC 08/10/19″]

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Dover Athletic v Notts County

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

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”352″ gal_title=”DAFC v Notts County 05/10/19″]

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Dover Athletic v FC Halifax Town

Cameron King’s incredible long-range lob saw Whites lose at home in front of the BT Sport cameras on Saturday.

The midfielder had already fired Town ahead in the first half, slipping the ball under Lee Worgan, before sending the ball over Dover’s goalkeeper against the run of play in injury time as the home team chased an equaliser.

The defeat sees Andy Hessenthaler’s lose ground on their promotion rivals, dropping down one place to sixth on the league ladder.

The Shaymen went ahead with their first attack.  Liam McAlinden’s cross-field pass found King, who twisted and turned Aaron Simpson, before firing a shot under Worgan and into the net.

McAlinden then sent a shot over for the away side and Ricky Modeste fired over for Athletic soon after.

Worgan had to scoop up Danny Williams’s effort at the second attempt and Dover somehow failed to equalise minutes later.

Inih Effiong thought he had slipped in the leveller after bustling his way onto Bobby-Joe Taylor’s ball over the top, only to see the ball slide past the wrong side of Town keeper Sam Johnson’s goal.

Jai Reason then sent a shot just over and following the restart, a low corner was driven into the advertising boards behind the goal by Taylor.

Reason smashed an effort from the edge of the area into the side netting and Will De Havilland headed Taylor’s set-piece onto the roof of the net as Athletic piled on the pressure.

Half-time substitute Nassim L’Ghoul caused chaos down the Halifax left and his pass into the area was sent onto the outside of the post by Steven Rigg.

De Havilland was next to try, sending his own flick-on flying past Johnson’s top right-hand corner.

Johnson was called into action to beat away Reason’s fierce free-kick, but Athletic were unable to find a breakthrough as King sealed the win moments before the final whistle.

Earlier, boss Andy Hessenthaler kept with the same side that started at Maidenhead on Tuesday night.  Antony Jeffrey, re-signed prior to kick-off, was named as a substitute.

Whites next host Notts County on Saturday 5th October, kick-off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”350″ gal_title=”DAFC v FC Halifax Town 28/09/19″]

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Maidenhead United v Dover Athletic

Nassim L’Ghoul’s late stunner handed Athletic all three points at York Road in wet conditions on Tuesday evening.

The substitute lashed home Bobby-Joe Taylor’s ball as Andy Hessenthaler’s made it a maximum six points from two away games.

Danny Whitehall’s free-kick had cancelled out Kurtis Cumberbatch’s early long range strike.

Jai Reason earlier saw his early twenty-yarder roll into the arms of home keeper Taye Ashby-Hammond.

Josh Smile then took aim for the hosts from a similar distance, sending the ball out of York Road and onto the adjacent houses.

Cumberbatch made no mistake when he let fly from 25 yards just minutes later.

Inih Effiong’s free-kick was deflected to the midfielder, who with one touch to control the ball, smashed his first competitive goal for Dover into the bottom corner.

In a first half of long-range efforts, Freddie Grant sent a screaming 30-yard shot wide of the mark.

Effiong then turned his marker and sent the ball narrowly over the crossbar as the visitors were unable to double their lead ahead of the half-time break.

Following the restart, Will De Havilland’s dived to head Jai Reason’s free-kick goalwards, only for Ashby-Hammond claw the ball away from the goalline.

Dover’s defence were powerless to stop the Magpie’s equaliser on the hour mark.

Whitehall curled a set-piece into the top corner from just outside the area.

Smile nearly completed the turnaround, flashing the ball just past Worgan’s post.

It was Whites’ turn to attack and Steven Rigg flicked Michael Woods’ header into the area a whisker over the crossbar.

At the other end Jake Cassidy’s angled drive took a wicked deflection, however to Worgan’s relief, flew wide of the mark.

That relief turned to celebration as Dover went ahead once again.

Taylor’s cross-field pass found sub L’Ghoul, who cut inside and fired in his first goal for Whites.

Whitehall nearly scored his second free-kick of the match, seeing Worgan beat away his goalbound strike.

The away side held on to maintain fifth spot on the league table.

Earlier, boss Hessenthaler made one change to the side that started at Hartlepool on Saturday with Taylor replacing the injured Josh Passley.

Athletic next host FC Halifax Town live on BT Sport on Saturday 28th September, kick off 5:20 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”348″ gal_title=”Maidenhead United v DAFC 24/09/19″]

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Hartlepool United v Dover Athletic

Goals from Inih Effiong and Steven Rigg handed Dover victory in hostile conditions against nine-man Hartlepool at Victoria Park on Saturday.

Andy Hessenthaler’s men were subjected to racial abuse by a small section of the home support after Effiong had fired the visitors ahead from the penalty spot.

Rigg sealed the win shortly after Ryan Donaldson and Nicky Featherstone were both red-carded for dissent.

And home manager Craig Hignett was also given his marching orders after his side were denied four separate penalty shouts.

The first shot of the match came from the hosts as their talisman Liam Noble sent a 25-yard set-piece sailing over the bar.

Aaron Simpson was on target with an effort from similar distance for Dover, but home keeper Ben Killip kept with ball out with a sprawling save.

Ricky Modeste then went close for Athletic, heading Jai Reason’s swirling corner off target.

The visitors did go ahead when Effiong netted from the penalty spot having himself been fouled in the area, however, there was trouble shortly after Dover’s striker had sent the ball into the top corner.

As visiting players celebrated, racist comments appeared to have been shouted from within the home support, causing outrage among both sets of players and resulting in at least one home fan being ejected from the stadium.

Play resumed 11 minutes later and following the restart Killip saved well from Effiong’s close-range effort, with the ball rebounding back off Dover’s striker and away from goal.

Visiting keeper Lee Worgan was called into action to divert Nicke Kabamba’s shot wide after the forward went clear on goal.

And the home team went even closer with their next attack.

Gime Toure waltzed past three defenders, only to dink his effort over Worgan and against the inside of the post with sub Bobby-Joe Taylor on hand to send the ball away to safety.

Peter Kioso then fired in a dangerous cross that was beaten by Worgan towards Luke James.  The substitute’s attempt was off target until Kabamba diverted the ball goalwards, however, Scott Doe was on hand to block the ball on the line.

But that was not the end of the drama as Doe’s clearance landed at Michael Raynes’ feet, but Doe threw himself in the way of the defender’s strike and though Rayne had a second attempt at scoring, it was Worgan’s turn to perform heroics as Dover’s goalkeeper somehow blocked the centre-back’s shot from point-blank range.

Effiong then hit the bar with a half-volley at the other end Donaldson was shown a red card after his side were denied a penalty after Kabamba went down in the area from Simpson’s challenge.

And Athletic made the extra man count by doubling their lead.

Effiong rolled the ball across goal for Rigg to tap in his first goal for Dover and Pool were reduced to nine men before the restart with substitute Featherstone given his marching orders, also for dissent.

Dover held on for their fifth away win in six matches and moved three places up to fifth on the National League ladder.

Earlier boss Hessenthaler made two changes to the side that started against Chorley last week.  Kurtis Cumberbatch returned from suspension, with Rigg also coming in for the injured duo of Jack Munns and Oscar Gobern.

Whites next travel to Maidenhead United on Tuesday 24th September, kick-off 7:45 pm.

(Photo Credit:  Mark Fletcher – Shutter press)

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

HARTLEPOOL UNITED

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Dover Athletic v Chorley FC

A second-half tap-in from Chris Holroyd denied Athletic a home win on Saturday.

The striker was on hand to finish off after home keeper Lee Worgan tipped Josh O’Keefe’s shot onto the post.

Ricky Modeste had given Andy Hessenthaler’s men the lead in the first half with an angled finish.

Earlier, Josh O’Keefe and Courtney Meppen-Walters headed both headed crosses over for the visitors.

However, it was the hosts who went ahead with their first attack of the match.

Effiong played in Modeste, back from international duty with Grenada, to slot past away keeper Billy Crellin.

Chris Holroyd then fired wide for the Magpies in a half of few chances for either side.

Following the restart, Jai Reason tried a glamorous chip from the edge of the area, only for Crellin plucked the ball out of the air.

Modeste then set up Effiong for what seemed would be a carbon copy of the opening goal, however, Athletic’s top scorer was unable to keep his effort on target.

Effiong tried again, this time curling a 20-yard free-kick wide of the mark.

Dover’s striker might have thought it was going to be his day when Crellin blocked his volley after Effiong raced onto Modeste’s header.

And Whites were made to rue those missed chances when the away side levelled midway through the second half.

Worgan pushed O’Keefe’s low drive onto the post, but Chris Holroyd was on hand to tap in the rebound and despite goalkeeper Worgan’s desperate pleas for offside to the linesman, the goal stood.

Josh Passley went for goal with time running out, only to see his long-range strike deflect into the arms of Crellin.

Chorley almost left with all three points when Will De Havilland cleared sub Adam Blakeman’s goalbound effort off the line in injury time as Athletic held on to remain seventh in the league table, seven points behind current leaders Woking.

Earlier boss Hessenthaler made three changes to the side that started away to Boreham Wood on Saturday.  Modeste, Simpson and Doe replacing Pavey, Bilel Hinchiri and the injured Kevin Lokko.

Whites next travel to Hartlepool United on Saturday 21st September, kick-off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

CHORLEY REACTION

 

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”346″ gal_title=”DAFC v Chorley 14/09/19″]

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Boreham Wood v Dover Athletic

Dover’s perfect record away from home was ended on Saturday with defeat at Meadow Park on Saturday.

A double from Kabongo Tshibanga and a deflected finish from Tyrone Marsh handed the hosts a first home win of 2019.

Inih Effiong had earlier halved the deficit, firing in after his initial penalty was saved.

Marsh fired wide of the mark early on, but it wasn’t long before the home side were ahead.

Tshimanga fired in at the near post following good work out wide from Sorba Thomas.

Tshimanga continued to cause problems and saw his run and low shot well saved by away stopper Lee Worgan.

The lead was almost doubled when Thsimanga latched onto Kevin Lokko’s error to then play in strike partner Marsh, but before forward Marsh could strike the ball, Athletic’s captain was back to make a crucial interception.

Josh Passley struck the base of the post and Tshimanga was made no mistake with his second goal of the game.

The striker netted his sixth of the season, firing into the bottom corner after home keeper David Gregory’s free-kick was flicked on.

And Whites were back in the game when Inih Effiong was fouled in the area by Gregory having nearly taken the ball around the keeper.

Gregory almost made amends, diving low to save Effiong’s spot-kick, but the ball was pushed into the forward’s path to halve the deficit.

Thsimanga will only wonder how he didn’t go into half-time with a hat trick, latching onto Femi Ilesanmi’s pass, only for Worgan to get enough of a touch to stop the ball from crossing the line.

Marsh then stabbed Kieran Murtagh’s cross just past the wrong side of the post and Murtagh himself flashed a free-kick wide of the mark from 25-yards shortly after the restart.

Alfie Pavey went to tap home Passley’s ball into the area from Jai Reasons clever ball, only to see Gregory grab the ball off of his toes.

Worgan then dived onto Marsh’s shot from outside the area and was a spectator as Will De Havilland sliced wide of his own net from a counter-attack.

But Wood had their two-goal advantage when Marsh’s deflected shot looped in over a helpless Worgan.

Jamal Fyfield then ballooned over after being well set up by Marsh and at the other end, Nassim L’Ghoul blazed wide.

Worgan denied Tshimanga the match ball, palming behind the striker’s angled drive.

And Pavey almost grabbed a consolation, heading Lokko’s long throw into Gregory’s arms.

However, Dover slipped to their first away loss of the season, slipping a place to seventh on the National League table.

Boss Hessenthaler made two changes to the side that drew with Ebbsfleet United on Tuesday night.  Hinchiri and Pavey came in for Nassim L’Ghoul and the injured Steven Rigg.

Whites next host Chorley on Saturday 7th September, kick-off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

BOREHAM WOOD REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”344″ gal_title=”Boreham Wood v DAFC 07/09/19″]

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