WHITES 1-0 SOLIHULL MOORS

Ryan Bird’s late goal put Dover back onto top spot and sent a bumper Crabble crowd home happy.

In front of a season high of 2,795, the striker powered home Cambridge loanee Paul Lewis’ cross in the 81st minute to finally break the deadlock.

Bird had volleyed high and wide early on and Mitch Brundle was off target with a low drive as the home team took the game to the visitors.

Moors’ keeper Nathan Vaugan tipped over Mitch Pinnock’s fierce free-kick after Kadell Daniel had been felled just outside the box.

Pinnock then tried his luck with an acrobatic overhead kick that bounced the wrong side of Vaughan’s post.

A spectator for much of the half, home goalie Mitch Walker was quick off his line to deny Shepherd Murombedzi from poking the ball underneath his body.

The stopper then palmed away the same player’s strike from the edge of the area shortly after Mitch Brundle’s cross-sum-shot eluded both Manny Parry and Daniel at the other end of the pitch.

Joe Payne fired wide after the break for the away side and Pinnock’s header had Vaughan scrambling across his goalline to catch the ball.

Captain Brundle thought he had given his side the lead following a rampaging run from his own half, but his shot deflected agonisingly wide of the post.

But Athletic finally made the breakthrough thanks to Bird and the lead was almost doubled minutes later.

Lewis’ scorching drive from Brundle’s lay-off whistled the wrong side of the post leaving the home side to hang on for the remaining few minutes.

And Whites were nearly punished in injury time.

Firstly Darren Carter curled over a free-kick and goalkeeper Vaughan – up for a Solihull corner, headed over when well placed.

But Chris Kinnear’s men held firm until the final whistle to secure all three points.

Earlier, Dover’s boss made one change to the side that started at Guiseley last weekend as Lewis replaced Nortei Nortey, who started on the bench.

Whites next travel to Sutton United on Tuesday 3rd October.  Kick off 7:45pm.

Dover:Walker, Gallifuoco, Essam, Parry, Passley, Brundle, Lewis (Fazakerley 84), Ilesanmi, Daniel (Allen 67), Bird, Pinnock (Sho-Silva 73).

Subs not used: Nortey, Richards.

Solihull:  Vaughan, Green, Kettle, Daly, Payne, Murombedzi (McDonald 73), Richards (Campbell 84), Carter, Carline, Brodie, Afolayan (Maye 62).

Subs not used: Cullinane-Liburd, Fox.

Whites drew 1-1 at Guiseley thanks to a stunning first-half equaliser from Nortei Nortey.

The midfielder curled home a sumptious 20-yard effort in the 40th minute to cancel out John Rooney’s deflected free-kick 11 minutes earlier.

Both sides fought for a winner after the break, but the points were shared at a chilly Nethermoor Park.

The home side started strongly and Rob Atkinson nodded Rooney’s free-kick narrowly wide

The forward then tried himself moments later, but could only strike the top of the crossbar with a thunderous effort from close in.

But shortly after Walker tipped over Kayode Odejayi’s header from a corner, Rooney had better luck with his next effort

The playmaker’s set-piece struck the visiting wall and spun into the net past a stranded Mitch Walker to put the hosts ahead.

Dover’s stopper then somehow denied Jake Lawlor on the half-hour mark, tipping the defender’s header onto the post with his defence able to clear the danger afterwards.

And that save proved crucial as Athletic levelled moments later with their first shot on target.

Nortey, who had already blazed two shots from distance over, collected Kadell Daniel’s pass and fired home.

Sub Reece Thompson, on after Raul Correira was stretched off with a serious looking injury following a collision with Giancarlo Gallifuoco, shot just wide when well placed.

Manny Parry headed just past his own post in first half stoppage time and claims for a handball against Ryan Bird in his own box from the resulting corner were waved away by referee Andrew Miller.

Bird and Daniel both fired efforts directly at Lions keeper Joe Green after the restart and Mitch Pinnock was unable to beat the goalie from a tight angle after latching onto Bird’s flick-on.

The hosts almost won the match late on after Thompson robbed Connor Essam, but the striker could only find the side-netting when shooting towards the near post.

There was one last chance for Paul Cox’s men, but Walker was well-positioned to get in the way of Lawlor’s diving header from Rooney’s free-kick.

The draw sees Whites drop one place in the table to third, one point behind latest leaders Sutton United.

Earlier Chris Kinnear named the same line-up that started last Saturday’s 4-0 home win against Chester.  Paul Lewis, signed on loan from Cambridge on Friday, was named as substitute in place of Chris Lewington.

Dover’s next game is against Solihull Moors at Crabble on 30th September. Kick off 3pm.

Guiseley: Green, Lowe(c), Palmer, Lawlor, Hatfield, Rooney, Molyneux, (Hurst 76) Correia (Thompson 37), Odejayi, East, Atkinson.

Subs not used:  Maxted, Wesolowski, Mulhern.

Dover: Walker, Passley, Ilesanmi, Gallifuoco, Parry, Essam, Brundle(c), Pinnock, Bird (Sho-Silva 88), Nortey (Lewis 54), Daniel (Allen 70).

Subs not used: Richards, Fazakerley.

Attendance:  805