League: National League

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

Dover Athletic v Bromley

DOVER were unable to extend the winning start to their National League campaign after losing 2-1 to Bromley at Crabble on Tuesday evening.

Joshua Rees slotted Bromley in front midway through the first half and a quick breakaway strike from Louis Dennis extended the visitor’s lead after the break.

An own goal from David Gregory gave Whites hope after substitute Kadell Daniel’s (Pictured) free-kick struck the underside of the bar and went in off the keeper, but Athletic were unable to find an equaliser.

Both teams fired early warning efforts at goal, but neither Dennis or Jamie Allen were able to trouble their opposition keepers.

Ryan Bird then went close for the home side, heading agonisingly wide from Giancarlo Gallifuoco’s cross-cum-shot.

The big striker then turned provider for Allen to try again from outside the box, but the striker blazed over.

A driving run and pass from Brett Williams sent Rees clear, but he fired his effort wide for the away side when well placed.

But the midfielder did hit the target on 34 minutes to give Bromley the lead.

Dennis outpaced Gallifuoco out wide and cut back for the onrushing Rees to slot past Mitch Walker.

Dover’s stopper did prevent the away side from doubling their lead prior to the break, blocking William’s drive after neat interplay had left the forward one-on-one.

At the other end, Kane Richards’ opted to head Allen’s cross back across goal instead of at an open target and Gregory pushed Brundle’s thirty-yard free kick into Manny Parry’s path minutes later, but the visiting goalie was up quickly to deny the centre back.

The Raven’s keeper then had to be at his agile best to deny Allen’s drive and Richards’ point-blank shot as Whites applied the pressure.

But the game was decided by two moments on 71 minutes.

Connor Essam’s header was cleared off the line and a lighting counter-attack up the other end saw Dennis slip the ball past Walker following good work from substitute Iffy Allen.

Dover cut the lead in half four minutes later after Daniel’s free-kick bounced down off the bar and in off the unfortunate Gregory.

And Daniel, introduced to the action for the final 20 minutes, forced the visiting stopper into a flying save from a tight angle.

With time running out, Bird volleyed sub Mitch Pinnock’s cross past the top corner and Jamie Allen went for glory with seconds to spare but fired wide leaving Bromley to take maximum points.

Earlier, manager Chris Kinnear named the same team that started at Hartlepool.  Chris Barnard replaced George Essuman on the bench.

The result sees Whites drop five places to tenth, three points behind leaders Aldershot.

Next up for Whites is a home match against Wrexham on Saturday at 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

BROMLEY REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”207″ gal_title=”DAFC v Bromley 08/08/17″]

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Hartlepool United v Dover Athletic

JAMIE Allen’s first-half strike stunned Hartlepool as Dover won 1-0 at a sodden Victoria Park on Saturday.

The Summer signing from Southport turned and fired into the bottom corner on 28 minutes as Dover won their opening National League fixture of the season at the fourth attempt.

White’s goalscorer showed a glimpse of what was to come early on, running clear of the home defence and squaring for Nortei Nortey to shoot, but the midfielder’s skewed effort failed to reach the target.

Skipper Mitch Brundle then released the dangerous Allen down the left and the winger’s first-time cross just evaded the outstretched legs of Ryan Bird.

The first shot on target saw Pool’s Padraig Amond volley Ryan Donaldson’s corner straight at Mitch Walker.

The second effort on goal came soon after from Kane Richards.  The away attacker cut in from the right, but his weak effort was easily held by Scott Loach in the home goal.

The next action saw Athletic take the lead.  Brundle’s corner was initially cleared to Femi Ilesanmi and the defender’s first-time ball back into the box was fired home by livewire Allen.

The lead should have been doubled minutes later as Ryan Bird thundered a header the wrong side of the post from Josh Passley’s cross.

The teams were almost level before the break, but Jack Nunn could only volley Liam Donnelly’s cross wide.

Home substitutes Rhys Oates and Jake Cassidy combined just after the break with the latter volleying wildly into the air when well placed. The ball fell back to Oates, but the winger’s header failed to hit the target.

A lightning counter from Dover saw Nortey release Allen out wide, but the forward’s low pass was blazed over by Richards from close range.

Bird went close with another header, this time nodding Ilesanmi’s cross straight at Loach.

Hartlepool ramped up the pressure and a quick free-kick was fired in. The ball rebounded towards goal off Amond, but a combination of Walker and Parry cleared the danger.

Sub Tobi Sho-Silva should have sealed the win with twenty minutes remaining. The striker had just Loach to beat after being found in the box by Richards, but he placed his effort wide of the far post.

Lewis Hawkins fired a low twenty-yard drive wide as the County Durham side continued to press for a goal.

And the monkey hangers came close to finding an equaliser late on.

Connor Newton created space for himself to shoot from just inside the box, but Walker was able to catch his effort with a diving save.

Louis Laing then drove forward from the back and unleashed a fierce effort on target, with the visiting keeper comfortably clasping the ball.

Dover almost made the three points safe at the death as substitute Mitch Pinnock sent an inch-perfect cross towards Bird, but the big striker could only nod the ball agonisingly wide.

Earlier, manager Chris Kinnear made two changes to the team that started their final home friendly against Margate. Nortei Nortey and Manny Parry started in place of Mitch Pinnock and Manny Adebowale, who dropped to the bench.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”206″ gal_title=”Hartlepool United v DAFC 05/08/17″]

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Barrow v Dover Athletic FC

RICKY Miller scored a match-winning hat-trick as Dover’s hopes of reaching the National League playoffs ended at Barrow AFC on Saturday.

Miller showed why he was named the league’s Player-of-the-Year after taking his tally to 40 goals as Whites finished sixth, three points behind fifth-placed Aldershot Town.

The striker’s treble included a stoppage-time winner as boss Chris Kinnear’s side came from behind to finish the season with three points at Holker Street.

Jordan Williams put the Bluebirds ahead in the 20th minute before Miller levelled two minutes later with a sublime finish.

That’s the way it stayed until two minutes after half-time when Miller fired home from the penalty spot.

A Moussa Diarra header pulled the hosts level before Miller won it two minutes into time added on.

After a scrappy start to the game, Kinnear’s side found themselves behind after a lightning Barrow counter attack.

Joe Healy’s corner was cleared and reached Williams on the half-way line.

He raced towards Mitch Walker’s goal, beat Sam Magri’s last-ditch tackle before firing past the Dover keeper.

Miller ensured the reply was swift and stunning.

He controlled James Hurst’s pass before unleashing an unstoppable half-volley past goalkeeper Jon Flatt from outside the box.

The finish was so good that the Barrow fans applauded it.

No sooner had Dover scored, they should have been behind again when Williams fluffed his lines from inside the six-yard box and Walker saved his scuffed shot.

Dover then had a double let off in the space of a matter of seconds.

Richie Bennett’s 20-yard shot rattled the bar before Williams’ headed rebound struck the bar and bounced behind.

That man Miller then forced Flatt into acrobatically tipping over his shot before the keeper bravely caught Aswad Thomas’ looping header while under pressure from Ross Lafayette.

Dover were the first team out for the second half – and the first to score.

Miller’s probing run into the Barrow box was ended after he was sent tumbling by captain Danny Livesey.

The hit-man got up to take the penalty and fired well beyond the reach of Flatt much to the joy of the travelling 38 Dover fans just to the right of the goal.

The home fans thought Bennett had equalised not long after his bullet header from Williams’ cross appeared to have nestled in the back of Walker’s net – it hadn’t.

It had whistled inches wide and ended up behind the goal, though it appeared to be in it.

But there was no illusion two minutes later when Diarra headed Shaun Beeley’s cross home from close range, giving Walker no chance.

Flatt almost gifted Dover the lead after he fumbled Hurst’s curling effort into the post and away for a corner.

But there was to be no denying Miller or Dover.

Miller pounced on Livesey’s weak attempted back header to his keeper and kept to his composure to beat Flatt and complete his fifth league hat-trick of a prolific season.

Earlier, Kinnear had to make one enforced change to his starting side following Tuesday’s draw with Bondz N’Gala replacing injured Tyrone Sterling.

Ricky Modeste was also unavailable through injury.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”196″ gal_title=”Barrow v DAFC 29/04/17″]

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