In an afternoon dominated by heavy rain and strong winds, Dover Athletic fell to a 2-1 defeat against Horsham in a closely contested match at the Megger Community Stadium. The difficult weather conditions, which turned the pitch into a muddy challenge for both sides, set the tone for a scrappy yet intense encounter.

The game began with Horsham asserting early dominance, earning two corners within the first three minutes. However, their momentum was interrupted in the 7th minute when Reece Myles-Meekums replaced the injured Bobby-Joe Taylor, forcing an early tactical adjustment. Despite the substitution, Horsham continued to press, with their wide players creating several chances. Dover goalkeeper Jordan Gillmore was called into action multiple times, making key saves in the 9th and 10th minutes to deny the visitors an early lead.

Dover slowly grew into the game and created their first real opportunity in the 23rd minute, but George Nikaj and Luke Baptiste were unable to convert during the attack. The Whites came close again three minutes later when George Wilkinson’s effort narrowly missed the target. However, it was Alfie Matthews who broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute. A powerful strike from the edge of the box took a deflection off a Horsham defender and found its way into the net, giving Dover a deserved lead after withstanding Horsham’s early pressure.

The home side went into halftime with a narrow 1-0 advantage, but it was clear that Horsham would not back down. The second half began with both teams battling for control. Dover had chances to double their lead, with Wilkinson firing a shot over the bar in the 55th minute. Meanwhile, Horsham kept pushing forward and were rewarded in the 72nd minute when James Hammond scored from a corner to level the game.

Just three minutes later, Horsham took the lead through Reece Myles-Meekums. A seemingly harmless cross caught Gillmore off guard and looped into the net, leaving the home side stunned. Dover responded immediately, pushing for an equaliser. They came agonisingly close in the 79th minute when Matthews’ free kick was saved by Horsham goalkeeper Lewis Carey, and Jake Elliott cleared a follow-up effort off the line.

Dover introduced fresh legs in the closing stages, but Horsham’s defense remained resolute. The visitors managed the game well, making strategic substitutions to see out the remaining minutes. Despite Dover’s best efforts, they were unable to break through, and the match ended 2-1 in Horsham’s favor.

Dover remain top of the Isthmian League table and head to Hendon on Saturday.

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 (C), 23 George Wilkinson, 25 Charlie Naylor, 26 Jacob Mensah SUBS: 4 Jeremiah Gyebi, 5 Joe Tennent, 9 Eniye Amgbaduba, 15 Tamas Amgbaduba, 24 Francis Mampolo

Horsham:
1 Lewis Carey, 2 Jake Elliott, 3 Harvey Sparks, 4 Danny Barker, 6 Jack Strange, 7 James Hammond, 8 Charlie Hester-Cook, 12 Bobby-Joe Taylor, 11 Ola Ogunwamide, 20 Lee Harding (C), 19 Chris Dickson SUBS: 14 Joel Daly, 9 Shamir Fenelon, 16 Montel Agyemang, 17 Lucas Rodrigues, 18 Reece Myles-Meekums

Isthmian League – Premier Division
Attendance: 849
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: David Spain
Venue: Megger Community Stadium