League: National League

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

Dover Athletic v Ebbsfleet United

Will De Havilland’s second-half header ensured the points were shared in Tuesday night’s Kent derby at Crabble.

The defender beat home stopper Jordan Holmes to the ball as Andy Hessenthaler’s men ended a run of two consecutive home defeats.

Ayo Obileye had given United the lead early on for a struggling Fleet side that frustrated their hosts for much of the game.

The draw sees Whites drop one place to sixth on the league ladder.

Nassim L’Ghoul let fly from fully 25-yards early on, only to see his long-range shot whizz past the wrong side of the post.

Lee Worgan then had to be quick to stop Josh Umerah running through, but the keeper was powerless to stop Obileye opening the scoring.

The midfielder smashed a knockdown into the bottom corner and Ebbsfleet were not finished there with Myles Weston drilling low into Worgan’s arms.

Tyler Corder then beat Worgan to Frankie Sutherland’s set-piece but nodded off target.

And Inih Effiong wasted the perfect opportunity to level for the hosts.

After Aswad Thomas felled Steven Rigg in the area, Dover’s top scorer blasted his spot-kick high and wide of the mark.

James Ball fired straight at Worgan as Garry Hill’s men continued the frustrate the home team.

Effiong looked to make up for his missed penalty after the restart, forcing away stopper Holmes to parry his angled strike.

Michael Woods then saw a deflected effort dip just over the bar and Rigg was unable to trouble Fleet’s goalie having latched onto L’Ghoul’s clever flick.

But Australian Holmes was caught in no man’s land as De Havilland nodded in Jai Reason’s swirling free-kick to level the scores.

Holmes made up for his error, using a strong fist to keep out Effiong’s fizzing shot.

And Athletic’s forward then curled too high from Pavey’s flick as the home team searched for a winner.

Obileye could only direct his header straight at Worgan and at the other end Holmes had to tip away Reason’s deflected shot.

United then almost won the match when Ball’s volley was well stopped by Worgan.

And Woods thought he had taken the three points in injury time, only for Holmes to somehow beat the ball into the air with substitute Jamie Grimes able to head the rebound away for a corner.

That save proved crucial as Ebbsfleet held on for a point.

Earlier, boss Hessenthaler kept with the same side that won at Harrogate on Saturday. Alfie Pavey replaced Marshall Wratten on the bench.

Whites next travel to Boreham Wood on Saturday 7th September, kick-off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

EBBSFLEET UNITED REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”342″ gal_title=”DAFC v Ebbsfleet United 03/09/19″]

1 v 1

Harrogate Town v Dover Athletic

A second-half brace from Inih Effiong maintained Dover’s perfect record on the road this season.

The striker headed home Michael Woods’ cross and then curled home with a minute remaining to move him two goals clear at the top of Athletic’s goalscoring charts with five goals.

The victory, Dover’s sixth consecutive away win dating back to April, lifts Andy Hessenthaler’s men up to fifth on the National League ladder.

Earlier, the first shot on target came from the home side as Scott Brown volleyed straight at visiting keeper Lee Worgan.

Moments later home stopper James Belshaw dived to keep out Woods’ low drive, with Jack Munns blasting narrowly wide just seconds after.

Worgan was then called into action in spectacular fashion, tipping away Jack Muldoon’s stunning 25-yard volley on the turn.

Josh Passley went for goal for the visitors after cutting onto his left-foot but curled just over.

Jai Reason also went for glory, this time from an angle, only send his first-time volley narrowly above the crossbar.

Whites went close to opening the scoring two minutes into the second-half through Effiong.

Great interplay saw the forward slipped in, but the striker slid the ball onto the outside of the post and into the surrounding advertising boards.

Belshaw then parried L’Ghoul’s hopeful shot from distance with Effiong blasting the rebound into the side netting from the tightest of angles.

Another long-distance effort, this time from Reason, was almost deflected into the goal by Effiong.

Worgan then denied Harrogate what seemed a certain goal on the hour mark.

After Brown had tricked his way past three Dover players in the box, Athletic’s stopper was out of his goal quickly to deny the Gate midfielder.

That save proved crucial as Whites went ahead with their next attack.

Woods fired in a cross for Effiong to direct a header out of Belshaw’s reach and into the top corner to send the Dover travelling support behind the away goal into wild celebrations.

And the big striker curled in his second with a minute remaining to seal the three points in North Yorkshire.

Earlier boss Hessenthaler made three changes to the side that started against Woking on Bank Holiday Monday.

Attackers Effiong and Rigg replaced the injured duo Alfie Pavey and Ricky Modeste, while Reason replaced the suspended Kurtis Cumberbatch.

Whites next host Ebbsfleet United on Tuesday 3rd September. Kick-off 7:45 pm.

Photo Credit: Harrogate Town FC

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

HARROGATE TOWN REACTION

0 v 2

Louie Slough

Oliver Greaves

Dover Athletic v Woking

A late winner from Toby Edser denied 10-man Dover a point against top-of-the-table Woking at Crabble on Bank Holiday Monday.

The midfielder curled in with just two minutes of normal time remaining as Andy Hessenthaler’s men suffered back-to-back home defeats.

With Kurtis Cumberbatch given his marching orders for two successive yellow cards, Whites stunned the eleven men by taking the lead through Ricky Modeste, only to be pegged back by Jake Hyde’s header before the break.

Earlier, Dave Tarpey latched onto Hyde’s Flick to sprint clear of the Dover defence, but home keeper Lee Worgan was able to get the merest touch to divert the ball away for a corner.

In soaring temperatures, Athletic’s task was made tougher when Cumberbatch received two yellow cards in quick succession, following a rash tackle on Tarpey and then an altercation with Shaun Donnellan.

That didn’t stop the 10-men taking the lead midway through the first half.

Michael Woods slipped in Nassim L’Ghoul and the Frenchman’s slid the ball across the face of goal for Modeste to tap in.

Manny Parry flashed a header wide for the visitors but the away side levelled thanks to a striker in form.

Hyde made it four goals in his last three games when he powerfully headed in Tarpey’s cross.

Hyde was almost at it again moments later as he went one-on-one with Worgan, however, Will De Havilland came to the home team’s rescue with an excellent last-ditch challenge.

Hyde almost gave his side the lead on the stroke of half-time. The striker’s initial shot was well blocked by Kevin Lokko and the rebound was fired straight at Worgan.

Following the restart, Tyreke Johnson’s cross was nodded goalwards by Hyde, only to be plucked out of the air by the alert Worgan.

Johnson blasted into the side netting from the edge of the box and Woods could only slam his cross into the grateful arms of visiting keeper Craig Ross after being set free by substitute Jai Reason.

Reason then went for goal himself, skewing fellow sub Inih Effiong’s pass off target.

However, the visitors grabbed the winner with time running out when Edser curled in a delightful shot past Worgan’s despairing dive.

Ibrahim Meite almost sealed the win, but couldn’t beat Worgan at the crucial moment. However, it was no matter as Alan Dowson’s Cards retained their spot at the top of the National League.

Earlier, boss Hessenthaler made four changes to the side that started the 2-1 win at Sutton on Saturday. Gobern, Munns, Pavey and L’Ghoul came in for Jai Reason, Steven Rigg, Aaron Simpson and Inih Effiong.

Whites next travel to Harrogate Town on Saturday 31st August, kick-off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

WOKING REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”340″ gal_title=”DAFC v Woking 26/08/19″]

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Pete Wild

Harry Freedman

Sutton United v Dover Athletic

Inih Effiong’s second-half stunner saw Whites win in sweltering conditions on Saturday afternoon.

The striker lobbed over home stopper Jamie Butler as Dover registered their fifth consecutive victory in the National League, dating back to April.

Jamie Collins’ fierce free-kick on the stroke of half-time had cancelled out Ricky Modeste’s early opener as Athletic moved up a place to sixth on the league ladder.

David Ajiboye lashed over early on following a cross from the Sutton left.

The home side were made to rue their early missed chance when Modeste fired Dover ahead after 10 minutes.

Athletic’s winger beat the Sutton defence to Jai Reason’s free-kick to prod the ball into the top corner.

Steven Rigg stabbed Josh Passley’s pass into the side-netting and Kevin Lokko headed Reason’s corner into the arms of home keeper Butler as the visitors went in search of a second.

Away goalie Lee Worgan dived low to stop Harry Beautyman drilling in an equaliser after the Dover defence failed to clear a ball into the area.

Omar Bugiel directed his header straight at Worgan and at the other end Jason Goodliffe’s weak back header let in Effiong, only for Butler to spread himself in front of Athletic’s striker to stop the ball going in.

Sutton top scorer Beautyman looked to add to his tally of three league goals this season, heading off target and then firing a deflected effort wide of the mark.

Butler then pulled off a stunning save to tip over Effiong’s fierce volley and his opposite goalkeeper Worgan was equally impressive, palming away Ajiboye’s curling effort.

Rigg rose highest to meet Modeste’s corner, only to see the ball land on the roof of the net once the frontman got back to his feet.

However, Sutton levelled on the stroke of half-time as Jamie Collins fired a free-kick into the top corner from just outside the area.

With the restart barely minutes old, Whites went ahead thanks to Effiong’s third goal in as many games.

After Worgan somehow saved from Beautyman following pinball in the Dover penalty area, Effiong hooked the ball over a stunned Butler and into the top corner having been too strong for right-back Dale Bennett.

Parity was almost restored as Rob Milsom’s swirling free-kick flashed past Worgan and his crossbar.

Effiong blasted into the side-netting and with five minutes remaining, forced Butler into a flying save after latching onto sub Alfie Pavey’s through ball.

Effiong nearly sealed the win late on, but Dover held on to move up to sixth on the ladder.

Earlier, boss Hessenthaler made four changes to the side that started against Torquay last week. Cumberbatch, Modeste, Michael Woods and Josh Passley came in for Oscar Gobern, Pavey, Jack Munns and the injured Bobby-Joe Taylor.

Whites next host Woking on Bank Holiday Monday 26th August, kick-off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION