Dover Athletic snatched a dramatic late victory at Nyewood Lane, overcoming an early deficit to secure a crucial 2–1 win against Bognor Regis Town. A penalty from Luke Baptiste in the dying moments sealed all three points for the visitors in a tightly contested Isthmian League encounter.

The match began in a cagey fashion, with Dover enjoying the lion’s share of possession in the opening exchanges. Despite the visitors’ control, it was Bognor who struck first against the run of play. In the 12th minute, Tommy-Lee Higgs capitalised on a defensive lapse, slotting past Jordan Gillmore to give the hosts an early lead.

Dover, however, showed resilience and steadily grew into the game. A series of chances went begging before Ruben Soares-Junior delivered the equaliser in the 35th minute. A swift counterattack orchestrated by Baptiste saw his cross meet Soares-Junior, whose initial header struck the post. Undeterred, Soares-Junior reacted quickest to head home the rebound, bringing the scores level.

The remainder of the first half saw both sides trading chances, with Dover goalkeeper Gillmore making a crucial save to deny Bognor a second goal. The visitors entered the break on level terms.

The second half was a tense affair, with both teams creating opportunities but struggling to find the finishing touch. Soares-Junior continued to torment the Bognor defense, coming close to scoring again with a clever chip that narrowly missed the target in the 60th minute. At the other end, Dover’s backline dealt admirably with several dangerous corners from the home side.

As the clock ticked toward full-time, Dover pressed hard for a winner. The decisive moment came in the 87th minute when Francis Mampolo was brought down in the box, earning Dover a penalty. Luke Baptiste stepped up and confidently dispatched the spot-kick, sending Ryan Hall the wrong way and sparking celebrations among the travelling supporters.

Despite some late pressure from the home side, Dover held firm to secure a vital victory. Whites retake top spot and look ahead to Tuesday’s home match against Lewes.

Bognor Regis Town:
1 Ryan Hall, 2 Spencer Spurway, 3 Dion Jarvis, 4 Calvin Davies, 5 Harvey Rew, 6 Chad Field, 7 Preston Woolston, 8 Matt Burgess, 9 Dan Gifford, 10 Tommy-Lee Higgs, 11 Jasper Mather, 12 Lewis Beale, 14 Harvey Whyte, 15 Rio Long, 16 Lennie Smith

Dover Athletic:
27 Jordan Gillmore, 2 Roman Charles-Cook, 3 Fuad Sesay, 6 Luca Cocoracchio, 7 Luke Baptiste, 8 Alfie Matthews, 10 George Nikaj, 14 Ruben Soares-Junior, 24 Francis Mampolo, 25 Charlie Naylor, 26 Jacob Mensah, 4 Jeremiah Gyebi, 9 Eniye Amgbaduba, 15 Tamas Amgbaduba, 16 Harrison Pont, 23 George Wilkinson

Isthmian League – Premier Division
Attendance: 790
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: Lawrence Torz-Brown
Venue: Nyewood Lane