Match Report by Fred Deveson

A warm afternoon in South London saw the hosts Welling United come away 1-0 winners, all but keeping them up this season, and unfortunately relegating Dover Athletic.

The game itself, despite its heartbreaking consequences, was largely uneventful, particularly in the first half.

In the first 30 minutes there was only one or two half chances to note, with one being for the hosts who worked it nicely into the box, but the shot was well blocked.

The Whites had a chance when the goalkeeper fumbled his clearance, but Nikaj couldn’t pounce when the loose ball came to him and the score remained level.

The chances started to come more towards the end of the first half. The hosts got in a good position again and the effort by the forward trickled just wide of the post.

Charles Cook was looking positive from right wing-back, and it was one of his good runs that managed to set free Dembele. The striker took the ball in his stride but could not finish past the Welling goalkeeper.

There was a chance just before the half-time whistle for the home side. A scrappy bit of play in the box eventually fell nicely for the man in red but he fired it just over.

The second half started with the visitors on top. Rowley was called into action down to his right to keep the score at 0-0.

Then came the golden chance for Dover. Charles Cook found himself in a good position and his shot was saved and parried out to Dembele who could not convert.

From this moment on, the feeling grew and grew that the hosts would eventually take the lead.

Rowley was called into action again with around 20 minutes to go, making a good save but giving Welling a corner doing so. This would be the corner that leads to the only goal of the game. The ball came in to the near post and was slotted in to give the hosts the lead.

The Whites did have a chance in the final few minutes of the game, with Wilkinson’s effort from outside the box being tipped over the bar by the goalkeeper.

The hosts then managed to see out the game after a lengthy period of stoppage time, thus ending Dover’s survival hopes and relegating the Whites with 6 games to go.

It’s Chelmsford at home up next on Monday for Dover

Welling United: Charles-Cook, Johnson (Green 64), Byrd, Ellul, Di Trolio, Lema, A Grant, Adigun, Papadopoulos, Amoo (Kennedy 56), R Grant.

Subs (not used): Roscrow, Burchell, Munns.

Booked: Di Trolio 90+2 (time wasting) Lema 90+4 (time wasting)

Goal: Di Trolio 72

Dover Athletic: Rowley, Charles-Cook (Wilkinson 79), Oliver, Nikaj, Akehurst, Naylor, Mensah, Young (Stewart 82), Dembele, Oyenuga (Garrett 88), Holding.

Subs (not used): Drakes-Thomas, Baptiste.

Booked: Young 40 (foul)

Referee: Lisa Benn

Att: 839

Match Report by Fred Deveson

It was a chilly afternoon yesterday on non-league day as Dover fell short in a 1-3 defeat.

The game started superbly for the hosts, who started by having to contain the visitors which they did well. In the first attack of the game for the Whites, Nick Dembele found himself in a good position and he fired Dover in front with a fantastic effort from an ever-tightening angle. 

One may have thought that the hosts would have kicked on from this goal, but that was not to be. Farnborough continued to dominate possession but nothing was coming from it. Dover were defending well.

However it wasn’t long until the visitors did find the breakthrough. A penalty was awarded against Dover much to the anger of Scott Holding the offender. Farnborough converted the penalty and it was 1-1.

The away side got into their groove after this and really kicked on. A long ball came floating over the top from the goalkeeper and the flag stayed down. The forward then chipped Rowley and it was 1-2, again to the anger of the back line who felt the flag should have gone up.

The second half started the same as the first ended. It didn’t take long though before Dover had a good chance to level the game. Dembele got himself in behind the defence and tried to round the goalkeeper but the number one stood his ground well.

Naylor also had an excellent chance from a corner by Wilkinson, but his free header went just wide of the post and Farnborough had survived.

Soon after, the away side extended their advantage. A brilliant header from a well delivered corner put the visitors in front by 2 and they now had a cushion to fall back on.

Some changes were made and the visitors had a chance to make it 1-4 but the game eventually petered out and both sides settled for the 1-3 score line. 

Dover must win against Welling this coming Friday if they are to stay up this season.

Dover Athletic: Rowley, Charles-Cook, Mensah, Holding, Oyenuga, Naylor (Neil-Gray 87mins), Wilkinson (Akehurst 70mins), Oliver, Dembele, Nikaj, Baptiste (Drakes-Thomas 62mins). 

Subs not used: Stewart, Young.

Farnborough: Turner, Norville-Williams, Fearn, Robinson, Pruti, Haigh (Kasimu 78mins), Young, Pendlebury, Kuhl, Holmes (Clark 72mins), Matthews-Lewis (Saied 81mins). 

Sub not used: Bradbury.

Referee: Ayrton Hursey.

Attendance: 565.

Match Report by Fred Deveson

It was a lovely, warm afternoon at Crabble yesterday, as Dover drew to Havant and Waterlooville 0-0.

It was the hosts who were on top from the first minute, creating good chances and dominating the ball.

The visitors opted for an offside trap from the start, which was effective in preventing Dover from having time on the ball, but it left them vulnerable in behind.

The Whites worked out that long balls over the top were the most effective route to goal and had some good chances from this.

Dembele was set through a couple of times but the goalkeeper denied him on both occasions. The forward also had a clever header go over the bar but was offside.

The linesman caused some controversy throughout the game with some questionable offside decisions which could have resulted in a goal scoring chance for Dover, but numerous times the flag went up, and some decisions were no doubt questionable.

The times that Dover did get in behind should have resulted in goals. Oyenuga returned to the starting lineup and was excellent defensively and offensively. He got forward well and put a ball in but Oliver fired just wide. 

Havant hadn’t had a sniff all first half. 

They did start the second well, however, and just 3 minutes after the restart they hit the upright with a good effort just outside the box. 

It wasn’t long before Dover were back on the front foot however, and Nikaj was seeing a lot of the ball in the wide areas. His good feet opened up plenty of space for the hosts but it was the same story for the Whites, who just couldn’t finish their chances.

Wilkinson had a great opportunity in the latter stages of the game to score for Dover, but he waited too long and then put his effort wide. 

The visitors saw red in the last 15 minutes, after their player picked up a second yellow. This should have seen Dover score towards the end, with the visitors being a man down but the chances kept coming and going for Dover. 

In the final few minutes, goalkeeper Rowley was called into action for one of the first times in the game and he made an excellent save to earn the hosts a point, when it arguably should have been three. 

A massive game next week against Farnborough awaits the Whites. 

Dover Athletic: Rowley, Charles-Cook, Mensah, Holding, Oyenuga, Naylor, Wilkinson (Baptiste 75mins), Oliver, Dembele (Assidjo 89mins), Nikaj, Allen. 

Subs not used: Oladipo, Young, Akehurst.

Havant & Waterlooville: Worner, Stanley, Innocent, Mcnerney, McCarthy, Carlyle (Jebb 61mins), Seager, Willson, Jewitt-White (Beckford 79mins), Kealy, Whittingham (Roberts 42mins). 

Subs not used: Mukuna, Woolston.

Referee: Tom Ellsmore.

Attendance: 552.

Match Report by Fred Deveson

It was a windy evening on the south coast as Dover and Eastbourne share the points in a game that the Whites may feel they could have won. 

The game started with Dover largely on top for most of the half. The signs were positive right from the off for the visitors, who pressed hard and worked hard from the first minute.

It wasn’t long before the Whites got the goal they deserved too. A long hall from Scott Holding found George Nikaj who worked his way into the penalty area and finished in the bottom corner. The goalkeeper got a hand to it but couldn’t do anything to keep it out.

Dover didn’t let up here. Iffy Allen switched to the right for a short period and was playing well. He used some trickery to work his way past the full back and his shot was well saved by the goalkeeper.

The Eastbourne number 1 showed signs of nervousness after this, as shortly after his pass was intercepted by Stewart who fired it towards goal, but the goalkeeper recovered just in time to make the save.

Stewart tried to catch the ‘keeper out shortly after, seeing him off his line and his shot went just wide. 

The hosts began to put more pressure on as the first half went on, with corners being their biggest threat. Two excellent balls came in from separate corners and a goal mouth scramble was the result of both. Somehow Dover managed to clear both away and the score remained 0-1 at the interval. 

The second half was much less intense than the first, with the first major chance of note coming in the last 25 minutes. 

Dover’s new number 1 came out to try and claim the ball but the wide man for the hosts went around the goalkeeper and had an open goal. He looked certain to score but for a block on the line to keep Dover in front. The shouts for handball were waved away by the referee.

The Eastbourne goal did eventually come however and it was a painful one for Dover to take. There was some good counter attacking work by Dover and the ball was played across the box for Baptiste to tap in, but he attempted to control the ball and take it round the goalkeeper, which led to the hosts regaining the ball. 

They then launched an attack of their own and after a shot on the edge of the area was deflected slightly, the ball went past the outstretched Rowley and found its way in the back of the net. 1-1.

The hosts piled on the pressure to try and win the game in the dying minutes but Dover held on for a draw. 

A big game against Havant and Waterlooville is up next this Saturday at Crabble.