Dover Athletic claimed a hard-fought 2-1 victory away at Cheshunt, with first-half goals from George Nikaj and Luke Baptiste proving enough to secure the points, despite a late response from Uko Oji for the hosts.

The visitors started brightly and capitalised on their dominance in the early stages. Just four minutes in, Ruben Soares-Junior burst down the wing, delivering a pinpoint pass across the face of goal for Nikaj to slot home. It was a clinical finish from the forward, and it set the tone for a Dover side that looked full of intent.

Cheshunt struggled to find a foothold in the game, with Dover exploiting the wet and windy conditions to great effect. The Whites continued to press, and Baptiste nearly doubled the lead in the 18th minute with a curling effort that narrowly missed the far post.

Dover’s persistence paid off again in the 30th minute. A flowing move involving Nikaj, Alfie Matthews, and Baptiste saw the latter receive a clever through ball before firing past the Cheshunt goalkeeper to make it 2-0. The Whites could have added a third before the break, but Wilkinson’s diving header sailed over the bar.

Cheshunt came out with more urgency in the second half, but Dover’s defence, marshaled superbly by Luca Cocoracchio, stood firm. Cocoracchio made a crucial last-ditch tackle in the 63rd minute to deny the hosts a clear chance.

As the game wore on, Cheshunt began to throw more bodies forward. Substitute Uko Oji gave the home side hope in the 83rd minute, finding the back of the net to set up a tense finish. However, Dover managed the final minutes well, with Nikaj shielding the ball in the corner and the team showing resilience to secure the win.