Cheshunt stun the River End with a scrappy win.

It was a freezing cold Crabble on this Tuesday evening but the Whites soon raised the temperature with a first half performance that was everything but a goal.

The luck really hasn’t been with the home side in front of goal of late and the opening 45 minutes followed in the same form.

After the opening ten minutes, Brandon Pierrick hit a daisy cutter along the floor which looked easy pickings for Adam Desbois, only for the visiting keeper to fluff his lines and fumble behind for a corner.

Moments later and Pierrick again jinxed his way into the Cheshunt box, only to see his fierce shot crash down off the underside of the crossbar and away for safety. The forward must have thought he had opened his account for his new club.

Lee Martin had provided two delicious balls into the penalty area, one of which looked destined to land on Higgs toe, but the Cheshunt defence plucked it from the midfielders boot when it looked like Dover would open the scoring. From the resulting corner, Martin again teased the Cheshunt backline with an arcing cross that was clawed away from Desbois with Sterling about to nod home.

The home side had a flurry of crosses which seemed to cause panic in the visitors box but the second ball just wouldn’t fall to anyone in a white shirt. A common theme of late. The visitors had barely tested Nelson, who saved smartly early In the half when Alfie Cue wriggled free to shoot low into the Dover stoppers grasp.

It was another blank in the opening 45 minutes for Brundle’s charges but it definitely wasn’t for the want of trying.

Seven minutes into the second half and Dover’s long clean sheet record was broken, completely against the run of play. Zech Obeiro’s shot seemed to squirm under the body of Nelson and into the net.

Dover looked to hit back through both Pierrick and Ajayi with both failing to hit the target when it looked easier to score. Pierrick with the easiest of the two chances who blazed over when composure was needed.

Cheshunt were still looking to hit the Whites on the break and in the 78th minute, Fraser Alexander made Dover pay for all the missed chances with a volley that shot past Nelson and into the bottom corner.

It was a real sucker punch Dover who were pushing hard for an equalising goal. Cheshunt had been clinical, albeit the opening goal was more luck than judgement.

In the 87th minute Cheshunt put the game to bed with a headed goal by Josh Popoola when it looked like the visiting forward was offside, but alas, the assistant referee kept his flag down.

If ever there was a game of two halves, it was definitely this. The team needs to dust themselves down and get ready for Chippenham on Saturday.

See you there.

COYW.

Dover Athletic: Nelson, Judd, Paxman, Sterling, Moses, Higgs, Wanadio, Martin, Nikaj, Ajayi, Pierrick

Subs: Wilkinson, Carney, Agbebi, Baptiste, Janjeva

Cheshunt: Desbois, Cracknell, Pitblado, Hobbs, McKenzie, Da Silva Beccles Richards, Camara, Cue, Ekongo, Maja

Subs: Thompson, Popoola, Obiero, Alexander, Edwards

Attendance: 482