Category: Match Report

MATCH REPORT: DOVER 0-1 SOUTHEND UNITED

By Alex Hoad

A solitary second-half strike proved the difference as Southend edged a narrow win at Crabble in Vanarama National League on Saturday.

Buoyed by their first win of the season, and first in 364 days, against Eastleigh on Tuesday night, Whites caused Southend problems all afternoon and felt they deserved at least a point from a pretty uninspiring encounter in front of a bumper crowd of more than 2,600.

Dover manager Andy Hessenthaler made three changes with Sam Wood returning at the back in place of Seth Twumasi while there were full debuts for former Braintree midfielder Arjanit Krasniqi, who signed on Friday night, and on loan Kings Lynn forward Michael Gyasi, who had made an impact off the bench against Eastleigh.

Southend boss Kevin Maher brought Jason Demetriou back in as captain with Norwich loanee Matt Dennis returning upfront after missing their midweek draw at Aldershot.

Southend forward Harry Cardwell saw appeals for a penalty dismissed inside three minutes as keeper Adam Parkes raced out to gather a back-header from Jake Goodman.

Chances were at a premium in the opening stages but around 20 minutes in Harry Ransom rose highest to head a curling Koby Arthur corner goalwards, only for his effort to be blocked on the line, while Gyasi skewed an effort wide of Steve Arnold’s post after a poor clearance from the former Whites stopper.

New arrival from Dartford, Noor Husin saw a volley from a half-cleared Tom Clifford corner blocked by Parkes at the other end while on the stroke of half-time Matt Dennis got his angles wrong and nodded a header from a Will Atkinson cross past the post with Parkes stranded.

Michael Gyasi caused the Blues plenty of problems after the break, using quick feet and direct running to good effect, though he blazed well over the bar from the centre of goal after one of his mazy runs ended with the ball bobbling at the crucial time.

The deadlock was eventually broken 17 minutes from time from Southend’s first real chance of the half, Sam Dalby saw a header from a corner blocked on the line but the ball broke towards the edge of the area where Husin leapt two-footed into the air before using expert technique to guide the ball into the top corner with his left-foot, though Parkes was claiming he was impeded.

Dover almost found a response within three minutes as more good work down the left from Gyasi led to Arthur darting across the area before hooking a low shot past the flat-footed Arnold, only to see the ball thud the inside of the post and roll along the line before being cleared.

Dover threw everything at Southend in the closing stages, winning a string of set-pieces, but were unable to call Arnold into action, and it was Dalby who came closest to adding a second goal in stoppage-time, with Ryan Hanson needed to clear the ball off the line after the striker forced the ball past Parkes on the break.

Victory took United 13 points clear of the relegation zone, to the delight of Southend’s travelling army of more than 1,900 fans at the Town End, while Dover remain on -5 points and 30 points from safety, with just 18 games remaining.

Hessenthaler said: “It’s the crazy world of football – we probably played better today than we did on Tuesday when we won. There wasn’t much in the game first half but second half we had a few chances. They never looked like scoring but one lapse of concentration and we got punished.

“If the shot that hit the post went in I think it would have been a fair reflection of the game, a point each. We deserved something.”

MATCH REPORT: DOVER 1-0 EASTLEIGH

By Alex Hoad

After 364 days without a win, Alfie Pavey’s goal earned Dover Athletic a 1-0 win over Eastleigh on a night which will go down in Crabble folklore.

Whites’ first victory of the National League campaign came at the 25th attempt and ended a run of eight straight defeats and a streak of 16 losses in the past 17 league games.

The last time Dover had tasted victory in any competition was a 3-1 success against Barnet at a soggy Crabble on January 26, 2021.

Dover’s withdrawal from the 2020/21 campaign meant the result was expunged by the league so the club’s last official win came against AFC Fylde 703 days ago, on February 22, 2020.

Hosting his former club – who had beaten Dover 4-1 in Hampshire in September – Dover manager Andy Hessenthaler made two changes from the side which had lost 5-0 at Solihull Moors on Saturday with Jake Goodman returning at the back in the place of Sam Wood while Khale Da Costa replaced Ben Williamson, who was not named in the 16.

The captain’s armband was taken by hometown lad Ryan Hanson, who turned 21 last month.

The first-half was a scrappy affair, despite a bright start from Dover who saw Seth Twumasi fizz a low cross across the six yard box untouched, in the opening moments.

Eastleigh grew into the game and won a string of set-pieces, one of which on 13 minutes was only half-cleared to Ryan Hill who whipped a left-footed shot off the crossbar from the right of the penalty area.

Another in-swinging corner from the left was glanced goalward by Spitfires forward Dan Smith, only for Whites keeper Adam Parkes to fling himself low to his left and pull off an instinctive save before the ball was hacked clear.

Goodman and Harry Ransom dealt with the visitors’ aerial threat well for almost the entire game but eight minutes before the break the dangerous Tyrone Barnett peeled off to the back post to nod a deep cross back into the centre where Smith could only hook an acrobatic volley past Parkes’ upright.

At the other end Dover enjoyed a rare spell of possession which led to 17-year-old George Wilkinson battling to win possession on the edge of the penalty area and work himself some space before swinging in a swerving shot which Eastleigh keeper Joe McDonnell had to turn around the post.

Tom Whelan lashed a 20-yard effort over the River End in first-half stoppage-time and the visitors had the better of the start of the second period too, with Parkes holding a close-range Smith header at the far post on 49 minutes, shortly after a speculative effort off target from Andrew Boyce.

Parkes got his body behind a swerving drive on 52 minutes before a rare foray forward from Whites as Da Costa drove forward before sending in a low shot from the edge of the box which was held by McDonnell.

The visitors struck the woodwork for the second time on 57 minutes as a deep corner was nodded tamely down and into the post before being gathered by the grateful Parkes.

The turning point came just before the hour and owed much to the tenacity of Koby Arthur.

Firstly Arthur dispossessed a defender before sliding the ball clean through for Pavey who saw a low shot blocked by the legs of McDonnell.

With Pavey’s head still in his hands Arthur raced out to the right flank and again hassled a defender into a mistake before squaring the ball low for Pavey to make amends, clipping home at the near post to send the home fans into rapture.

Pavey’s fourth goal of the campaign gave Dover their first lead of the season at Crabble and ended his side’s run of 5 hours and 56 minutes without a home goal.

New arrival on loan from King’s Lynn, Micheal Gyasi, was introduced off the bench to replace Wilkinson and made an immediate impression, firing one angled shot past the post after a lung-busting and Beckenbauer-esque run forward from Ransom and seeing another rasping effort tipped over the bar by McDonnell.

Smith got in the way of a thunderous shot from his own teammate Jake Hesketh at the other end while Wood, who came on for Twumasi, needed to time a challenge in the area to perfection to avoid conceding a penalty on 83 minutes.

The visitors dominated possession and poured forward in the six added minutes at the end of the 90, with keeper McDonnell even racing up to join the attack for a corner, however Dover defended resiliently while the fans cheered every stray pass and wayward shot from the Spitfires until the final whistle sparked joyous celebrations on and off the pitch.

Dover are back in action at Crabble when Southend visit on Saturday (3pm).

MATCH REPORT: DOVER 0-2 DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE

By Alex Hoad

Whites produced another battling display but were unable to avoid a 2-0 home defeat to Dagenham & Redbridge on Boxing Day.

Dover boss Andy Hessenthaler rang the changes with 17-year-old Academy forward Noah Carney handed his first start, fresh from his England Schoolboys selection, while Alfie Pavey and Ben Williamson returned in attack, and Seth Twumasi and Danny Collinge were named in the backline.

Leading scorer Aaron Cosgrave missed out due to Covid while Koby Arthur, Khale Da Costa, Sam Wood, and James Caton dropped to the bench following the 1-0 FA Trophy defeat to Bromley last time out.

Despite playing the Daggers at Crabble on Boxing Day for the second time in as many seasons, Whites became Purples for the day as they donned their away strip as part of the national #NoHomeKit campaign in aid of the homeless charity Shelter.

Twumasi was in the thick of the action within three minutes as he was beaten to a ball over the top by one-time Gillingham and Ebbsfleet man Myles Weston who dragged an angled shot past Josh Bexon but also inches wide of the far post.

Dover bounced back and Henry Woods sent a dipping volley narrowly over the bar from the edge of the box following a long throw but the hosts fell behind after 10 minutes when Will Wright’s corner sparked a scramble amid which the ball rolled agonisingly inside the post with the final touch seemingly between Danny Collinge and Daggers midfielder Matt Robinson who was credited with the goal.

Junior Morais was denied by Bexon but Dover grew in stature and Carney came close on 35 minutes when he controlled in the box and shot on the turn only to see his effort deflect past the post.

It was from the resultant corner that the visitors landed a killer blow on the counter, breaking clear from their own area before Mo Sagaf spread the ball wide to the left where Robinson outstripped the covering Williamson for pace and slotted past Bexon to double the advantage.

Jake Goodman headed narrowly over before the interval and nine minutes after the break he nodded a deep cross back into the middle for Collinge who could only nod his own effort just over Elliot Justham’s crossbar.

At the other end, Wright curled a long-range free-kick wide of the post while Bexon produced perhaps the save of the season to instinctively claw Goodman’s sliced clearance from a low Morais cross off his own goalline.

Whites were enjoying more of the ball and playing some attractive football, despite the persistent rain and heavy pitch – which had passed a 2.30pm pitch inspection. Arthur and Da Costa were introduced from the bench to liven things up and Callum Reynolds had his heart in his mouth after clipping Da Costa as he raced through, only for referee Sunny Gill to issue only a yellow card.

Arthur saw a shot blocked after some nice approach play while Da Costa took a heavy touch in the box after robbing a defender and also swung a free-kick straight at Justham as time wore on.

One final half-chance saw Pavey mis-time a header from a corner to glance off-target as Dover’s winless run in Vanarama National League extended to 20 games, 15 of them now defeats.

Whites are on the road at Woking on Tuesday (December 28) before heading to Victoria Park for the rematch with the Daggers on Sunday (January 2).

 

MATCH REPORT: DOVER 0-1 WREXHAM

Manager Andy Hessenthaler’s patched-up side suffered late heartbreak after Jordan Davies’ goal six minutes from time secured all three points for the promotion-chasing Red Dragons at Crabble.

Hessenthaler was forced to play players out of position with on-loan Crawley Town defender Harry Ranson pulling out on the morning of the match due to illness.

Millwall loanee Junior Tiensia played at right-back rather than left with Danny Collinge suspended, while Seth Nana Twumasi, who only turned up to get treatment for his knee injury, found himself replacing Ranson, and doing it in a pair of borrowed boots too!

Twumasi hasn’t trained for three weeks either, but it didn’t show as he produced an outstanding performance at the back in substitute Noah Carney’s boots.

Despite the changes, Whites made the visitors work hard and it could have been such a different result with Hessentahler’s team seeing a penalty claim waved away after TJ Bramble was bundled over by visiting captain Luke Young four minutes before half-time.

Whites hit the woodwork three times in the second half before Wrexham won it at the death after Davies’ corner eluded everyone.

The win sees Wrexham move up to fourth while Whites remain winless and bottom.

MATCH REPORT: SOUTHEND 4 – 1 DOVER

Dover’s winless run continued as they were defeated by Southend United at Roots Hall.

Rhys Murphy – a prolific goalscorer in the National League – scored twice in the first half to put his side into a controlling lead.

Dover made changes at half time and did look brighter, however went three down on the hour mark through Sam Dalby.

With 20 minutes to go, Ryan Hanson got his first goal for his hometown club as Whites looked go get back into the game, however moments later Southend’s regained their three goal lead through Jack Bridge.

Adam Parkes was forced into to good save early on after a cross into the box found Murphy, but the Watford loanee did well to deny the striker.

Murphy looked dangerous and went close for a second time in the first 20 minutes when a counter attack from the home side found its way to the ex-Republic of Ireland U21 international but his shot was just wide of the far post.

It would be third time lucky for the striker who gave the home side the lead on the half hour mark as the striker was in the right place at the right time to poke home from close range from a Zak Brunt corner.

The former Gillingham man doubled his tally and his teams lead five minutes later after sending Parkes the wrong way from the penalty spot after Travis Gregory took down Jack Bridge in the box.

Dalby added a third and put the game to bed on the hour mark after the attacker’s curling effort beat Parkes in Whites’ net.

Dover were still getting chances and almost got one back through Ben Williamson who’s shot deflected off the crossbar and over.

From the resulting corner, thoughts of a comeback was on as Whites got one back through Hanson, who was able to stick a foot out to poke the ball home.

However, the thoughts of a comeback was short-lived as moments later Southend got a fourth through Bridge when the ex-Bromley midfielder picked the ball up on the left hand side from a nice through ball and fired it into the far corner.

MATCH REPORT: DOVER 2-5 STOCKPORT COUNTY

By Alex Hoad

Koby Arthur’s stunning volley could not prevent Dover slipping to another Vanarama National League defeat at home to Stockport County on Saturday.

Whites produced perhaps their best performance of the season to battle back to go into the final half-hour level at 2-2 thanks to Arthur’s strike and Ben Wiliamson’s first goal for the club from the spot, however, the superior fitness and class of the hugely ambitious visitors proved decisive in the end as they ran-out 5-2 winners.

Boss Andy Hessenthaler handed starts to Reda Johnson and Yannis Drais and Dover made a bright start, though the early chances fell to the visitors as Ollie Crankshaw fizzed a shot past the angle of Adam Parkes’ post and bar after just four minutes and the on-loan Watford keeper held a low shot from Paddy Madden seven minutes later.

At the other end, some good hold-up play from Aaron Cosgrave saw him tee-up Arthur soon after, only for the Whites livewire to see his shot deflected just over the bar.

Ryan Hanson tried his luck with a low strike from 20 yards on 20 minutes but Scott Quigley broke the deadlock at the other end three minutes later when he collected a pull-back, cut inside, and fired in a shot that took a huge deflection and looped into the net past the helpless Parkes.

Dover rallied and were level just after the half-hour when Hanson’s quick feet saw him fouled in the box by Ethan Pye, allowing Williamson the chance to send Ethan Ross the wrong way and slot home his first Whites goal from the spot.

Dover continued to press and Danny Collinge saw a powerful goalbound header blocked on the line – possibly by teammate Johnson – as the hosts pushed for a second but three minutes before the break they were unable to clear a John Rooney corner allowing Madden to sweep home at the far post.

A thunderous 25-yard strike by ex-Bolton Wanderers captain Antoni Sarcevic came back off the underside of the bar in added time, with Quigley’s follow-up effort ruled-out for offside.

After the turnaround it took just five minutes for Dover to draw level as the impressive Arthur showcased superb technique to lash a dropping ball into the top corner on the volley from the edge of the box past the stunned Ross.

Rooney – brother of former England star Wayne -showed superb vision to beat the backpedaling Parkes with a 45-yard lob soon after but saw his audacious effort thud into the crossbar.

The pivotal moment arrived when sub Travis Gregory was denied by Ross at the far post with Williamson unable to turn in the rebound. Moments later Dover hearts were broken at the other end as the defence parted allowing Crankshaw to slot in the loose ball after a Parkes parry on 67 minutes.

The wind left Dover’s sails and the full-time visitors’ superior fitness proved telling in the final 20 minutes. Parkes had already denied Quigley and Rooney when defender Liam Hogan rose to nod home a far-post corner to make it 4-2 on 76 minutes.

Parkes patted down another rasping Quigley drive before he and Madden helped tee-up sub Ben Whitfield to tap in a stoppage-time fifth.

The defeat leaves Dover 17 points from safety with a game in hand and 32 fixtures remaining.

County, who were led by interim boss Dave Conlon after the midweek sacking of Simon Rusk, moved up to ninth, four points below the play-off places.

MATCH REPORT: DOVER 1 – 1 YATE TOWN

Ricky Miller’s first goal since his summer return to Dover ensured the club lived to fight another day in the FA Cup after earning a replay at Yate Town on Tuesday.

Miller came off the bench for the second half and scored the equaliser for Andy Hessenthaler’s side in the 61st minute after Olly Mehew had given The Southern League Premier Division South side an eighth-minute lead.

Whites finished the Fourth Qualifying Round tie with 10 men after player-coach Reda Johnson was sent off just 18 minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute.

Dover started well enough and captain Sam Wood, who was playing in midfield rather than his usual left-back, saw his effort saved by Yate goalkeeper Andy Hannah.

But it was Yate who opened the scoring, and with their first attack, when the unmarked Mehew tapped home captain Dave Sims-Burgess’ cross

Dover pressed for an equaliser and Hannah saved well from Aaron Cosgrave and Yannis Drais.

Midfielder Drais’ game soon came to an end after a horrible collision with Yate defender Will Tunnicliff saw the Frenchman leave Crabble in an ambulance with a rib injury.

He was replaced by Ryan Hanson, who was making his own injury comeback following a knee injury.

Miller got his side back on level terms when he scored from close range following good work by the impressive Cosgrave.

Johnson saw red not long after following an earlier yellow card.

The team from Gloucestershire looked to take advantage of their extra man and almost won it in stoppage time when Sam Kamara’s shot from outside the box whistled just wide of Adam Parkes’ post.

Tuesday’s replay at Lodge Park kicks-off at 7.45pm.

Earlier, Millwall loanee Junior Tiensia came back into the side after missing the past four games through injury in place of injured midfielder Koby Arthur.

MATCH REPORT: DOVER 1 – 2 BARNET

By Alex Hoad

Another Aaron Cosgrave rocket was not enough to prevent Dover falling to a third straight home defeat, going down 2-1 to Barnet in Vanarama National League on Saturday.

The on-loan AFC Wimbledon striker added another impressive long-range strike to his showreel to register his 4th goal of the campaign, but it wasn’t enough to prevent an 8th loss in 11 matches.

Whites remain 17 points from safety – thanks in large part to the league-imposed 12 point penalty – despite netting at Crabble for the second time in 4 days having begun the season with no goal in four matches at Crabble.

Barnet began the day second-bottom but made it four games unbeaten under caretaker boss Dean Brennan and climbed to 17th after another improved display.

The Bees thought they were ahead inside 90 seconds when the lively Ephron Mason-Clark fed Daniel Powell down the right and his low cross was slammed home by Mason Bloomfield, only for the goal to be disallowed for offside.Koby Arthur saw a shot deflected over the bar from 20-yards soon after, but the deadlock was eventually broken on 10 minutes as Mason-Clark drove towards the byline before sending a deep cross to the back post.

Ben Richards-Everton nodded the ball back into the centre where Bloomfield arched his neck to turn a close range header past the helpless Adam Parkes.

Whites battled back and Arthur drew a flying save from Aston Oxborough, who also turned a low Matt Bentley effort around his near post on 23 minutes.

The all-energy Cosgrave was inches away from a leveler when he flung himself at Sam Wood’s looping set-piece just before the half-hour, only to see his header trickle past the post with Oxborough stranded.

Powell flew down the left and fired a shot past the post before the break while 10 minutes after the interval, Rob Hall showed some superb trickery to create space before seeing a near-post shot blocked by Parkes.

After scoring the opener, Bloomfield turned provider for the crucial second just before the hour, threading a defence-splitting pass for Powell to run through and slot past Parkes.

Dover did halve the deficit five minutes later when the tireless Cosgrave fizzed a rocket just inside the post from well outside the box – reminiscent of his breathtaking strike at Altrincham.

Andy Hessenthaler introduced Ricky Miller and Khale Da Costa in an effort to salvage a point and Da Costa sent a diving header straight at Oxborough from a deep Miller cross with 20 minutes remaining.

Hall saw a shot blocked by Parkes and Bees sub Kian Flanagan could only find the side-netting on the break in the closing stages while Jake Goodman’s glancing header in stoppage-time went straight to the grateful keeper as Dover fell to a sixth one-goal defeat of the season so far.

MATCH REPORT: DOVER 1 – 2 ALDERSHOT TOWN

Despite scoring for the first time at Crabble this season, Whites continue to look for their first National League win after a home defeat against Aldershot Town.

Tommy Willard gave the away side the lead from a counter attack, before Aaron Cosgrave scored his and Whites’ first goal at Crabble this season to level.

Aldershot retook the lead through Toby Edser in the second half and despite efforts from Dover, they held on to take all three points.

Earlier in the day, Andy Hessenthaler made two changes from the defeat to Grimsby on Saturday, with Cosgrave and Ricky Miller coming in for Matt Bentley and Khale Da Costa.

Cosgrave almost gave Whites the perfect start within the first five minutes, however after getting past an onrushing Mitch Walker, the angle closed on him and the attacker was forced to look for options, which he almost found in Miller who was running into the box, but the pass just missed the foot of Whites’ number nine.

Moments later, Miller did get a sight at goal, but after receiving the ball outside the area, his shot was blocked by the defence.

Chances kept coming for Whites and it was Miller again who would’ve felt like he should’ve done better. Cosgrave did really well to collect a long ball before beating a defender, but after getting it into the box he squared it towards Miller who mistimed his shot with it being easily cleared.

Despite looking good coming forward, Whites needed loanee goalkeeper Adam Parkes to keep the score level when Korie Andrews ran down the right and after beating a couple of defenders fired his shot, but the goalkeeper did well to keep it out.

Cosgrave kept looking to come forward and almost gave Whites the lead, but after running into the box his shot was saved well at the near post by Walker.

These missed chances came back to haunt Dover as against the run of play, the away side went ahead through Willard. After breaking from a Whites corner, the Shots found themselves in a two on one situation with Andrews squaring it into the path of Willard to score into an open net.

First half chances were hard to come by after this, but Whites were almost level with a couple of minutes to go in the half after brilliant work by Koby Arthur who laid it off to Ben Williamson after running past three defenders, Williamson found space for a dangerous cross, however nobody could get onto the end of it as it was cleared.

Cosgrave looked dangerous throughout the whole game, and got his reward early in the second half with his first home league goal of the season. After collecting a long ball just inside the Aldershot half, the attacker found some space between him and the goal before running into it and opening his body up to shoot into the far corner from an acute angle.

Second half substitute Bentley almost completed the turn around with 20 minutes to go, but after picking up the ball and driving towards goal, he could only pull his shot wide of the target.

Edser reinstated the visitors lead with 15 minutes to go, smashing the ball past Parkes from inside the box after good link up play between Aldershot’s forwards.

Whites looked to come forward late on but Walker made easy saves from Cosgrave and TJ Bramble and Danny Collinge as the away side held on.

MATCH REPORT: DOVER 0 – 1 BROMLEY

An early goal sealed Dover’s fate as they were defeated by Bromley at Crabble.

Corey Whitely gave the visitors the lead inside the first five minutes, before Adam Parkes saved Michael Cheek’s penalty to keep the deficit at one.

Bromley looked the more attacking threat throughout the game, but Dover came into the game towards the end and almost salvaged a draw through Ben Williamson’s stunning strike which hit the post.

Earlier in the day manager Andy Hessenthaler made one enforced change from the midweek draw against Solihull Moors, with Sam Wood coming back into the side for Junior Tiensia.

Bromley looked to attack from the off and were almost ahead inside five minutes, but Whitely’s shot was well saved by Parkes.

However, Whitely was not to be denied as The Ravens took the lead moments later when his drilled effort from outside the area hit the back of the net.

Whitely was controlling the game on the left hand side and won the visitors a penalty with the game not even 15 minutes old.

Last season’s National League top scorer, Cheek, stepped up and struck it down the middle, however Parkes did well to make the stop with his feet after already diving to his left-hand side.

Shots kept coming at Parkes as the first-half continued, but the Watford loanee looked composed in the net as he saved first from Marcus Sablier’s half volley, before making a great one-on-one save with his feet to deny Jude Arthur’s attempt from inside the box.

Cheek couldn’t have come much closer to doubling the away side’s lead early in the second half as is brilliantly struck free kick struck the inside of the bar before bouncing down onto the line and cleared away by Dover.

It was then George Alexander’s turn to go close as his effort, whilst one on one with Parkes, went just wide as he looked for the far post.

Whites, who struggled going forward up to this point, then would have felt aggrieved that they weren’t awarded a penalty when Wood’s effort struck a Bromley body out for a corner, with both fans and players alike bemused that a penalty wasn’t given.

Williamson then went close to equalising as Whites grew into the game as his shot from the edge of the box was well saved by Mark Cousins.

Shortly after, Cousins had to be aware again as Ricky Miller’s free kick was tipped over the bar by the Bromley goalkeeper.

Danny Collinge then went close to equalising late on, but his header from a Wood’s corner was held well by Cousins.

Williamson, and most of the crowd, then thought he’d got the equaliser in the first minute of added time when his shot smashed off the inside of the post.