Whites held at home again. – Report by Fred Deveson.

It was a wet and windy night at Crabble but that didn’t stop Dover putting in a good performance and earning themselves a 1-1 draw with visitors Eastbourne Borough in the battle for survival. It was largely scrappy in the opening exchanges, with both sides testing each other out with long balls flying from back to front for the first ten minutes. Iffy Allen had a positive start to the game, as he proved a nightmare to defend. His pace and trickery gave the home side a clear avenue of attack and he got in behind on several occasions and put some good balls in, but no goals came from this in the first half.

Part of Dover’s success last night was down to the defence, who were on it from the start. Jacob Mensah was a rock at the back, winning all of his duels and keeping the visitors quiet for most of the first half. The man on loan from Bournemouth in the Dover goal was outstanding too, making a couple of crucial saves in the first half and keeping the score level. Debutant Bailey Akehurst also made an impressive start to life in white, winning challenges and being in the right place at the right time. The former Gillingham and Hastings man was impenetrable for large periods of the game.

It wasn’t until later in the first half that the action started, and shots came in. Dontai Stewart had a chance near the corner of the six-yard box which he sliced wide, and Luke Pearce had a penalty shout waved away by the referee, the latter of who had a good game. The rain continued to pour down but that didn’t stop Eastbourne from putting themselves in front with 5 minutes left in the first period. The visitors managed to get in behind the Dover backline and the ball was slid across the face of the goal for Emmerson to roll it into an empty net. The score remained level at the break.

The second half started, and the home side came out with a new lease of life. It only took 4 mins for Dover to level the scoring, with their early pressure paying off. The ball was played into Stewart, who had time to turn and pick his spot expertly in the bottom corner. This was by no means the end of the chances or action. Stewart continued to find good spaces and Pearce was looking lively, dropping deeper to receive the ball and trying to play others in. The away side did come back into the game, with balls over the top being a constant threat. Billy Terrel was forced into a few good saves during this period to keep the game level.

Later on in the half, Paris Lock replaced Iffy Allen on the right wing and was a danger from the moment he entered the pitch. Like Allen, his pace proved to be a big problem for Borough. He used his skills to beat the defender often, and he created more than one good chance from his side of the pitch. He played the ball across to Wilkinson who was bursting into the box from deep but couldn’t finish. Lock also had another big chance to square it to Stewart or Pearce, but couldn’t make the most of it, as a heavy touch saw the ball put out for a corner.

When it looked the game was heading for a draw, super-sub Zidan Sutherland came on and netted at the back post after a Paris Lock shot. The goal, however, was shortly chalked off for offside, much to the heartbreak of Sutherland and the home fans. That wasn’t all. Eastbourne had their own chance right at the end, with Billy Terrel being forced into an unbelievable save from point blank range, preserving Dover’s hard-earned point.

Dover host Weston-Super-Mare at Crabble on Saturday, looking to gain all three points for the first time since the win at Slough on matchday two, as the hunt for survival continues.

Dover Athletic: Terrell, Oyenuga, Mensah, Christie, Allen, Akehurst, Young, Anifowose, Wilkinson, Stewart, Pearce

Subs: Hatcher, Zidan, Dembele, Lock, Naylor

Eastbourne Borough: Foulkes, Uche, Carter, Holman, Olarewaju, Gravata, Emmerson, Vigar, Defise, Kealy, Brown

Subs: Holter, Quick, Remy, Sheriff, Bridgman

Attendance: 441