Category: Match Report

DOVER ATHLETIC 0 WORTHING 3

Dover fall to defeat as play-off chasing Worthing taste victory.

Worthing began the brightest of the two sides, forcing two early corners as the Whites tried to settle into a rhythm. Dover managed to weather the storm with Josh Ajayi breaking the offside trap in the 5th minute to race onto a through ball, only for Harrison Male in the visiting goal to clear with his head.

The visitors took the lead inside ten minutes when a nod down in the box from Joel Colbran was neatly finished by Kane Wills. It had been coming with Worthing applying early pressure.

Dover looked to hit back immediately when a beautiful whipped free-kick by Martin on the right was met by Myles Judd, only for his header to sail over the bar and the linesman to raise his flag. Moments later and Worthing nearly doubled their lead when a cross on the left by Meekums evaded everyone including the far post. It was a let off for Dover who were looking a little shell shocked after the goal.

In the 18th minute, neat play between David Boateng and Josh Ajayi unlocked the Worthing defence, only to see Ajayi’s shot saved smartly by Male. Almost immediately it was the turn of the Dover goalkeeper to make a save when Nelson palmed away Oliver Pearce’s effort for a corner.

Ajayi looked the most likely to score last Saturday and he nearly opened his Dover account on 24 minutes when again Boateng linked up with the forward, only to see his effort graze the roof of the net.

A minute later and the Whites had a mountain to climb. Again Colbran doing the damage down the right with a superbly weighted slide pass into the path of Pearce who slotted into the bottom corner to double Worthing’s lead.

With Dover now chasing the game, Boateng, who had been teeing up Ajayi, decided to go on his own and arrowed a low drive across goal that Male seemed to get a finger too. From the resulting corner, that man again Colbran, headed off the line from under his own crossbar.

It was a flurry of corners for the visitors at the tail end of the first half that brought about some fine defending and a cracking save by Nelson, diving down to his near post. It was vital for Dover to not concede again before the break with the manager preparing his half time notes.

Dover never took their chances in the first period and it continued after the restart when Boateng fired tamely into the keepers hands from close range. At this point you are just thinking its going to need someone to score off their backside to break the goal drought.

George Wilkinson had entered the fray at half time and nearly halved the deficit when a curling shot was deflected wide for a corner. There were huge shouts from the home players who turned to the referee, only to see him pointing to the corner flag. It looked like a penalty but nothing doing.

Worthing began to apply some pressure of their own with a succession of corners causing chaos in the River End penalty area that Stuart Nelson was glad to claim at the second attempt.

And it was the River End again that was the centre of the action in the 70th minutes as Jake Goodman was deemed to have tripped Meekums In the penalty area which resulted in a spot kick and a red card for the Dover defender, for presumably being the last man. It was a harsh decision at a time when Dover were looking to take control. Kealy stepped up and struck the ball straight down the middle to put the visitors 3-0 up.

Alfie Pavey had replaced Josh Ajayi and nearly made an impact, cutting inside his man and forcing a smart save from Male who was largely a spectator in the second half.

Myles Judd was sticking to the cause with first a saving tackle when it looked like Worthing were about to score and secondly when he received a harshly given yellow card for what looked like a fair tackle on the halfway line.

With time ebbing away, Pavey again jinxed his way into the box, turning his defender inside out before unleashing a shot that was palmed away for a corner. It was a bright cameo from the substitute who was keen to get his name on the score sheet.

We were all keen for anyone to get on the scoresheet for the home team but for the third successive match it was not to be the case. The difference between the two sides was the fact that Worthing took their chances and we didn’t.

Slough away this Saturday will be another stern test. Hopefully we will see you there.

COYW.

Dover Athletic: Nelson, Judd, Sterling, Paxman A, Goodman, Higgs, Martin, Carney, Ajayi, Paxman J, Boateng

Subs: Pavey, Wilkinson, Baptise, Byford, Oliver

Worthing: Male, Colbran, Livesay-Austin, Wills, Racine, Rodari, Chambers, Pearce, Kealy, Myles-Meekums

Subs: Bowry, White, Beresford, Akanbi, Thorn

Attendance: 566

A POINT ON THE ROAD AS THE WHITES DRAW BLANK

Whites fail to break the deadlock in a much improved performance away from home.

All three new signings were thrust straight into the starting eleven for Mitch Brundle’s side as the gaffer looked to make changes from the previous defeat. In came Jack Paxman, David Boateng and Josh Ajayi, replacing Alfie Pavey, Luke Baptiste and Luke Wanadio but it was the hosts who nearly took the lead in the opening minute when Charlee Hughes flashed wide when it looked easier to score.

Dover’s first real chance of the game came in the 9th minute when Carney delivered a lovely cross into Boateng, who’s first time shot was block away for a corner. Just four minutes later and debutant Paxman looked to have opened his Dover account from a direct free-kick only to see it edge past the post by a whisker, via a nick off the defending wall. It was a bright start from the Whites with lots early possession and plenty of neat passes.

However Hemel nearly took the lead in the 19th minute when a low cross from Elftheriou was sliced behind by Sterling with the subsequent corner being cleared to safety. In the 26th minute Dover really should have scored when Carney’s header came back off the bar from a lovely worked cross by Myles Judd. Dover looked to capitalise on the rebound but the referee blew for a foul on a defender.

Judd was in the mix again when he fired a long range effort on 33 minutes which was easily gathered by King in the Hemel Hempstead goal. With the half ticking to a close, a long ball over the backline by Judd was met by the run of Ajayi but the debutant fired narrowly wide. It was the last action of the half as both teams headed to the changing rooms with no goals to show for their efforts.

Ajayi had looked lively in the first half and should have opened the scoring early in the second after just one minute when he shot straight at the keeper instead of finishing when put through on goal. It was a huge chance for the Whites in a game in which we had controlled.

Noah Carney then broke the offside trap and rounded King in the Hemel goal but the angle was not ideal to shoot. Turning back into traffic, Carney slid the ball into the path of the lively Ajayi who’s shot was blocked by two defenders on the line.

The game had become quite stretched mid way through the half with both sides now playing on the counter. Kaylen Hinds shot low into the bottom corner but Nelson saved smartly to keep the scores at 0-0. Just moments later and it was Lee Martin who was warming the hands of King with a left footed shot.

With four minutes of injury time shown on the board, it was down to someone to try and make the headlines but the two teams couldn’t be split and the game was tied. The Whites had the best of the chances but goals pay the rent and unfortunately it wasn’t to be in terms of paying the landlord.

Dover looked a lot more positive in their play than against Tonbridge but only have a point to show for their efforts. It’s now two games without scoring but the chance to put that right comes in a couple of days at home to Worthing. 0-0 but a clean sheet.

The manager was disappointed not to take the three points but could see the positives from the performance. ‘I wanted to win the match but the team looked alot more hungry and I was pleased after Tuesday night. We could have won the game had Josh scored those chances but that will come. The new lads have barely had time to train with us but already I can see they will fit in well.’

We face Worthing on Tuesday at Crabble. See you there.

COYW.

Dover Athletic: Nelson, Judd, Paxman A, Goodman, Higgs, Martin, Sterling, Carney, Ajayi, Paxman J, Boateng

Subs: Wilkinson, Agbebi, Baptiste, Byford, Oliver

Hemel Hempstead Town: King, Eleftheriou, Williams, Poku, Westbrook, Ajayi, Hill, Young, Hughes, Castiglione, Hinds

Subs: Mukendi, Brown, Roberts, Holness, Kane

Attendance: 515

TONBRIDGE ANGELS 4 DOVER ATHLETIC 0

Dover continue their terrible record on artificial pitches with defeat in Tonbridge.

On a crisp night in Tonbridge it was the hosts who burst out of the traps the quickest. With just seven minutes on the clock Joe Turner scored to round off a neat move down Dover’s left hand side. The ball was won back in the midfield for Angels by Gard before a slide rule pass cut through Dover’s defence and Turner was in the middle waiting for the delivery which was straight into his path. The Angels midfielder took one touch, steadied himself and fired past Stuart Nelson in the Dover goal.

It could have been even worse for the Whites had Nelson not made a smart save in the third minute down to his near post. Dover looked to regain their composure after the early set back and began to string some neat passes together until the impressive Turner picked up a loose ball and sprinted down the right flank before bending in a superb cross for Jordan Greenidge to swoop down and header home. All of a sudden Mitch Brundle’s men had a mountain to climb after only fifteen minutes.

Dover’s first real chance of the game came in the 27th minute when Noah Carney dispossessed the Angels back line just inside his own half, driving towards the opposition goal and with just one defender to beat, found his shot block by the covering full back when it looked like he had already done the hard work. It was a positive sign for the Whites as Tonbridge had seemingly backed off to allow the away side to start to dominate possession with Jordan Higgs and Lee Martin getting on the ball and trying to make things happen.

Higgs was at the centre of it again, this time the saviour, clearing off his own line just moments before half time with Nelson well beaten. Heading in 2-0 down was going to be a slightly easier team talk for Brundle than 3-0 but nevertheless the gaffer’s first Vanarama South half time was going to need to be rousing one.

The second half started in a similar fashion to the first with the hosts nearly catching Dover cold with a rasping shot by Gard that just sailed over the crossbar. Myles Judd then took things into his own hands, bursting into the Angels penalty area and what looked like a simple ball back across the six yard box was instead fired into the side netting. It was a real sliding doors moment and would prove a costly decision as just seconds later Greenidge rounded Nelson to score his second of the night and Tonbridge Angels third.

With a flurry of substitutions made by both sides, Dover looked to get back into the tie. A neat cross by Alfie Paxman was headed straight into the hands of Henley by Martin but it was bread and butter for the home goalkeeper. At the other end, Nelson was again called into action when substitute Wood tried to beat the Dover custodian with the outside of his boot but the stopper was equal to it and pushed it away for a corner.

The gaffers philosophy with the team was clear to see with a possession based approach from Dover, who held the lion share of the ball in the second period but it was in the final third that the ball needed to be looked after and with the Whites trying to squeeze the game, Tonbridge, who were now playing on the counter attack, broke through the defence and in the final minute put the tie to bed with a neat finish by Wood.

The referee then signalled that the game was over and the home side had run out comfortable winners. A 4-0 defeat is not ideal but Rome wasn’t built in a day and we go again at the weekend when we travel to Hemel Hempstead. Better go and grab those shovels, lads.

COYW.

Dover Athletic: Nelson, Judd, Paxman, Sterling, Goodman, Higgs, Martin, Baptiste, Wanadio, Pavey, Carney

Subs: Wilkinson, Kandi, Agbebi, Byford, Driver

Tonbridge Angels: Henley, Fielding, Braham – Barrett, Parkinson, Miles, Gard, Greenidge, Turner, Hinds, Aransibia, Wagstaff

Subs: Swift, Wood, Gibb, Soares – Junior, Fagg

Attendance: 661

 

WHITES BOW OUT OF KENT SENIOR CUP

A much changed team saw defeat in the Kent Senior Cup.

Any dreams of a cup run in the Kent Senior Cup was ended on Tuesday night with a 2-0 defeat away to Chatham Town. Although a defeat is normally hard to swallow, blooding youngsters for the fixture can be seen as a real positive for the club. The Academy had provided nine players to feature in the match as well as a further three that had previously graduated which shows that there is a clear pathway towards the first team. It’s a great experience for those lads in getting game time and one that is crucial to their development moving forward and ideal for the new manager to cast on eye who who could make an impact in his squad.

A goal at the end of each half was enough to undo all the hard work by Dover but it wasn’t to be on a cold night in Medway. Mitch Brundle can now solely focus on the bread and butter of the league with a tough home fixture against Havant & Waterlooville to come this Saturday.

‘I thought the game was a bit scrappy and we wasn’t tidy enough in possession for what we are asking for,’ said the manager after the match. ‘We finished the game with eight academy players on the pitch at the final whistle which is fantastic. We used the game how we wanted which was to get minutes in peoples legs and also gave us a chance to look at the kids. That is no disrespect to Chatham Town or even the tournament itself but we have to have proper games where the final result actually means something and it will benefit the youngsters for their development towards the first team.’

A valiant effort by the young lads.

Harry Earls, Harrison Byford, Jayden Wilson, Freddie Oliver, Will Sanders, Shae Hutchinon, George Wilkinson, Kieron Agbebi, Cameron Thompson, Luke Nandi, Joel Michael ofeniran;

SUBS: Matty Holness, Bleu Landau, Daniel Lott, Cameron Chamberlain, Archi Hatcher

ACADEMY OVERPOWER FLEET IN CUP

Leo Dodds scored a sensational hat-trick as the Academy advanced to the next round of the FA Youth Cup in style after beating their Ebbsfleet United counterparts 5-1 at Crabble on Wednesday.

The visitors opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the first half of the Second Qualifying Round tie before the young Whites responded with two goals before half-time from Kieron Agbebi and  Archie Hatcher.

Dodds stole the show in the second half with his treble to ensure his team was in the hat for Friday’s draw for the next round.

After the game, Academy manager Mike Sandmann said: “I am really proud of the boys tonight – they produced a fantastic reaction after conceding early.

“Despite being disappointed with our first-half performance, I thought we were excellent after the break and scored some really great goals.

“We didn’t give them any opportunities in the second half and created plenty of chances ourselves through passion, commitment, and desire to win the ball.

“We have a really good group of young players, but I know there is still plenty to come from them.”

Sandmann also took time to praise the fans who came along to watch.

“We really did appreciate it – the boys love having a crowd backing them and they responded to it, so thank you from us all.”

 

POST-MATCH REACTION | ANDY HESSENTHALER | WEYMOUTH 0-2 DOVER

Second-half goals from Jordan Higgs and Luke Wanadio secured Dover a first away win of the National League South season at bottom side Weymouth at the Bob Lucas Stadium on Saturday.

The win also ended a run of four successive losses in all competitions and saw manager Andy Hessenthaler’s side move up to 16th ahead of Tuesday night’s trip to Welling United.

A delighted Hessenthaler said: “I thought it was an excellent performance given the circumstances ahead of the game.

“Weymouth had a new manager in place and we knew that was always going to make it a lot harder for us – we were also coming into the game on the back of a mini-run of poor form.

“We needed to bounce back from our performances of late and we did.

“We were solid, we kept a clean sheet, and we got three points away from home – we can’t ask for any more from the players.

“Now we have to build on that performance and ensure we keep working hard together when we go to Welling.”

Finally, Hessenthaler praised the Dover faithful who had made the long trip to the Dorset coast to support his team.

“We owed them a performance and I’m glad that we gave them one.

“We really do appreciate the backing the fans give us at home and away and the commitment they make week in and week out to support us.”

Defender Jake Goodman is due to see a specialist on Monday after receiving an elbow to his nose late in the first half which led to him being substituted.

Weymouth: Sandford, Howe, Boutin (Kyprianou 72), Carlyle, Matsuzaka, McBurnie (Murray 46), Bearwish, Blair, O’Connell, Rose (Ofosu 46), Ash. Subs not used: Nippard, Gifford.

Dover: Nelson, Judd, Paxman, Goodman (Krasniqi 45+2), Brundle, Higgs, Pavey, Wanadio (Baptiste 85), Martin, Sterling, Grant (Kandi 72). Subs not used: Wilkinson, Carney.

Referee: Ruebyn Ricardo

Attendance: 828

 

POST-MATCH VIDEO | MITCH BRUNDLE | DOVER 4-0 HEMEL HEMPSTEAD TOWN

Player/coach Mitch Brundle spoke to BBC Radio Kent’s Matt Gerrard after the 4-0 win at Crabble on Saturday.

Jake Goodman and Jordan Higgs put Whites 2-0 up at half-time before goals from teenagers Noah Carney and Luke Baptiste completed the scoring as Andy Hessenthaler’s side ended a two-match losing run.

It was Carney’s second consecutive goal after coming off the bench last weekend too, while Baptiste’s spectacular effort was the first of his senior career.

Alfie Pavey also had his penalty saved in the first half.

Defender Goodman marked his first league start at Crabble this season by putting his side ahead with a stunning overhead kick in the 16th minute before Higgs fired home six minutes later.

Carney, who had only been on the pitch for two minutes, made it 3-0 five minutes from time before Baptiste finished the game in style after a fine run and finish just before the final whistle.

Dover: Sandford, Judd, Paxman, Goodman, Brundle, Higgs, Martin (Carney 83mins), Wanadio, Baptiste, Pavey (Grant 89mins), Kandi (Krasniqi 74mins). Subs not used: Nelson, Moses.

 

MATCH REPORT: HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE 4-2 DOVER

Whites suffered a second straight National League South defeat and a second defeat of the season as The Hawks maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign.

Muhammadu Faal turned home from close range to give his side the lead in the 16th minute before Alfie Pavey equalised against one of his former clubs nine minutes later.

Faal restored the lead from the penalty spot after Jake Goodman’s handball eight minutes before half-time.

Millwall loanee Ryan Sandford denied Faal from completing a hat-trick four minutes after the break when he saved his penalty.

However, just two minutes later, the hosts increased their lead when Jake McCarthy curled home past an unsighted Sandford.

James Roberts headed home to make it 4-1 in the 74th minute before second-half substitute, 18-year-old forward Noah Carney, reduced the deficit with his first senior goal five minutes from time.

The defeat sees Dover drop to 17th on the table ahead of Saturday’s game against Hemel Hempstead Town at Crabble.

MATCH REPORT: DOVER 0-2 YEOVIL TOWN

By Alex Hoad

Dover’s eight-year stay in the National League came to an end at Crabble on Saturday after the defeat against the Somerset visitors.

With 11 games remaining and 12 points deducted by the National League on the eve of the season, Whites can no longer overhaul Aldershot in 20th, despite Shots losing at home to Kings Lynn on Saturday.

Manager Andy Hessenthaler named an unchanged XI from the narrow defeat at Halifax but replaced the unwell Henry Woods on the bench with 16-year-old Academy prospect Kieron Agbebi.

The game kicked-off following an emotional minute’s silence in memory of beloved Dover fan and club photographer Simon Harris who passed away on Friday at the age of just 66.

Dover had taken just one point from the seven-game since the memorable win over Eastleigh but the visitors arrived at Crabble in less-than-stellar form themselves, having taken only three points from their previous seven games and won one in 16 in all competitions.

Town did however start brightly and goalkeeper Adam Parkes had to drop to his left to hold a low drive from 20 yards from Tom Knowles early on.

At the other end on-loan West Brom keeper Ted Cann, making his second debut for the Glovers after a previous loan spell, made a meal of saving Alfie Pavey’s speculative 25-yard shot on 15 minutes while Dover won several free-kicks in good positions but were unable to test the keeper after curling left-footed deliveries from Arjanit Krasniqi.

The deadlock was broken in the 19th minute when Jordan Barnett’s lofted free-kick was flicked on by Adi Yussuf and bounced through the Dover defence to Ben Barclay, who guided an expert half-volley into the top corner giving Parkes no chance.

It was one-way traffic for a spell and Knowles flashed a low cross across the face of goal with Charlie Wakefield unable to turn in at the back post.

Hessenthaler shuffled his pack at the interval and brought on Koby Arthur, with Michael Gyasi joining Alfie Pavey up top,

Myles Judd reverting to right wing-back and Will Moses joining George Wilkinson in holding midfield with three at the back.

The hosts enjoyed a blistering start to the half and Gyasi fired over while a scrambling Cann had to tip over a curling Wilkinson cross.

The clinching goal arrived against the run of play 10 minutes after the break when Knowles broke from midfield and was controversially adjudged to have been fouled by Jake Goodman on the edge of the box.

Dale Gorman stepped up to fire a curling right-footed free-kick around the wall which beat Parkes into the top-corner. It was the first time the Glovers had scored more than once in a game since November.

The lively Gyasi swung a free-kick past the post at the other end and sub Agbebi – the latest debutant from our Academy – caused Town’s defence some problems, but the game was up when Cann missed the ball allowing Gyasi to roll the ball into the empty net, only for the goal to be ruled out for an offside with protests from Gyasi and Pavey falling on deaf ears.

Danny Collinge looped a header from an Arthur corner well over the bar and Gyasi saw appeals for a penalty waved away in the closing stages while at the other end a block from Krasniqi thwarted Knowles from close range and Parkes dived to his left to deny Barnett before sub Olofela Olomola dragged a shot past the upright in stoppage time.

After the game chairman Jim Parmenter confirmed Hessenthaler will return next season to spearhead Dover’s challenge in National League South.

MATCH REPORT: DOVER 1-3 TORQUAY UNITED

By Alex Hoad

Battling Dover were eventually seen-off by two late goals from play-off chasing Torquay United at Crabble on Saturday.

Whites fell behind after just 90 seconds when Gulls skipper Asa Hall unleashed a superb volley from the edge of the box but Jake Goodman equalised before the half-hour and after Dover had spurned some decent chances, in the end, it needed two goals in the final 12 minutes to seal the points and take the Devon side within six points of the promotion places.

Andy Hessenthaler made a single change with George Wilkinson coming in for Myles Judd, who was serving the first of his three-game ban for his red card at Stockport last weekend, with Arjanit Krasniqi reverting to left-back and Danny Collinge playing full-back on the opposite side.

After missing two months with a back injury, TJ Bramble made a long-awaited return to the squad, named on the bench in place of Khale Da Costa, who left the club earlier this week.

The visitors made the perfect start as Hall – who netted the 8th-minute winner as Torquay beat Wrexham 1-0 last Saturday – latched onto a headed clearance, chested the ball down, and unleashed a swerving 20-yard volley which flew past Adam Parkes and into the roof of the net.

Boosted by the bright start, the Gulls took control and Dan Holman, Ben Wynter, Armani Little, and Stephen Wearne all tried their luck as Dover struggled to get into the game.

United keeper Shaun MacDonald had only touched the ball with his hands once by the time Dover drew level against the run of play.

A deep corner from the right by Krasniqi was met by Alfie Pavey at the far post and after rolling across the face of goal Goodman was on hand to ram home from a couple of yards out.

The goal settled Athletic down and Dover grew into the game, though the lively Michael Gyasi was unable to thread the ball through for Henry Woods on the edge of the box.

At the other end, Parkes did well to deny Wearne with a point-blank save at his near post while Hall fired the follow-up well over – a chance far easier than that from which he had broken the deadlock.

Goodman headed a deep Koby Arthur free-kick off-target before the break while Dover changed their shape at the interval and continued to enjoy good spells of possession.

Gyasi continued to be a thorn in the Gulls’ side and saw an effort collected by MacDonald, who also held a Goodman header from a huge throw from captain Ryan Hanson and saw Pavey skew wide from an Arthur cross.

Wynter fizzed a shot past Parkes’ post at the other end as the visitors began to increase their urgency just before the hour.

Duke-McKenna and Danny Wright came on as Torquay chased the game and Wright sent a header wide and Lewis had another effort deflected past the post while on 73 minutes Gyasi miscued his shot when clean through after latching on to an almighty clearance from Parkes which had sailed over Lewis’ head.

It proved a pivotal moment as Torquay scored the game’s crucial third goal just five minutes later. Lewis lost his marker Pavey and met Little’s deep corner with a powerful header that flashed past Parkes and into the net.

Dover piled on the pressure late-on, with Bramble firing off target from the edge of the area, Goodman directing a Ransom cross the wrong side of the post, and Pavey nodding wide from a corner, however, they were stung on the counter-attack deep into stoppage time as Little freed Duke-McKenna down the left and he drove forward before firing a low shot past Parkes and into the far corner.

Whites remain 32 points from safety, though wins for Altrincham and Wealdstone hauled them away from the drop-zone and Dover have played more games than any team in the bottom-five.

Notts County are the visitors to Crabble on Tuesday (7.45pm).