Dover Athletic were beaten at the death as Chippenham Town snatched a dramatic late winner in front of a crowd of 2,768 on Community Day at Crabble.
After a lively contest packed with chances at both ends, the Whites looked set to take a deserved point thanks to Nikaj’s second-half equaliser on his 150th appearance for the club. But a stoppage-time strike from Chukwu gave the visitors all three points in cruel fashion.
Manager Jake Leberl named an unchanged starting XI following the midweek victory over Tonbridge, with Walker captaining the side.
The visitors created the first opening inside three minutes when Parsons laid the ball into Scott inside the area, but his effort sailed over the crossbar. Chippenham threatened again on nine minutes when Chukwu held off his marker and slipped the ball to Parsons, whose shot drifted wide.
Dover’s first big moment arrived shortly after when Soares-Junior raced through on goal and was brought down inside the penalty area. The Crabble crowd immediately appealed for a penalty, but the referee waved away the claims.
The Whites began to grow into the contest. On 11 minutes Sodje almost produced a moment of magic from a corner, curling the ball dangerously towards goal. Nikaj came closest to opening the scoring midway through the half. The forward pounced on a mistake from the Chippenham left-back and burst into the area, but opted to shoot rather than square the ball to Wilkinson, sending his effort wide with the Whites well on top.
Chippenham remained a threat on the break. Scott raced forward on 26 minutes and fed Parsons through on goal, but his attempt rolled just wide of the post. Dover thought they had taken the lead two minutes later when Baptiste found the back of the net, only for the referee to rule out the effort for a foul following a mis-cued overhead kick in the build-up.
Both sides continued to create opportunities. Wilkinson fired over after a slick attacking move from the hosts, while at the other end a defensive error gave Chippenham another opening that thankfully drifted wide.
Walker was called into action late in the half, producing a fantastic point-blank save to deny Parsons after Chukwu had played him through. Dover finished the half strongly with Baptiste forcing a save, but neither side could break the deadlock before the interval.
Dover began the second period on the front foot, with Sodje firing over early on as the Whites pushed forward. Chippenham nearly took the lead soon after when Scott slipped Parsons through on goal, but once again the forward sent his effort over the bar.
The visitors then came agonisingly close on 55 minutes. Scott danced away from his marker and teed up Chukwu, whose deflected strike clipped the post before bouncing clear. The Whites responded with several promising attacks of their own. Sodje skimmed a shot narrowly wide and Baptiste delivered a superb cross that just evaded any Dover head inside the box.
Leberl turned to his bench on 68 minutes, replacing Baptiste with Sheriff as the hosts looked to maintain their attacking pressure. However, it was Chippenham who finally broke the deadlock on 73 minutes. Chukwu was played through on goal and calmly slotted past Walker to give the visitors the lead.
Dover responded with further changes, introducing Jallow for Charles-Cook and Coker for Cocoracchio as the Whites searched for a route back into the match.
Their persistence paid off on 84 minutes. Soares-Junior lofted a perfectly weighted ball over the defence for Nikaj to chase. The forward timed his run perfectly and lifted the ball over the advancing goalkeeper to equalise on his landmark 150th appearance for the club.
The Whites pushed hard for a winner and almost found it when Ruben rattled the post in the closing moments.
But the drama was not over. Deep into stoppage time, Chippenham struck again. Chukwu found space in the area and finished to give the visitors a late 2–1 lead and ultimately all three points.
The Whites were left frustrated after conceding so late. Dover now turn their attention to next Saturday’s trip to Chelmsford City.
Teams
Dover Athletic:
1 Walker (C), 2 Charles-Cook, 16 Beadle, 4 Jones, 15 Sodje, 6 Cocoracchio, 25 Hanson, 23 Wilkinson, 7 Baptiste, 14 Soares-Junior, 10 Nikaj
Substitutes:
Mensah, Matthews, Coker, Jallow, Gurung, Sheriff, Mampolo
Chippenham Town:
1 Henry, 2 Colwell, 3 Grant, 6 Haines (C), 7 Scott, 8 Evans, 9 Parsons, 16 Bradbury, 18 Fleet, 27 Phillips, 31 Chukwu
Substitutes:
Mehew, Owen-Evans, Touray, Koszela, Carroll, King, Wanjau-Smith