Dover Athletic signed off the 2025/26 National League South season with a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Chesham United at the Megger Community Stadium, as a George Nikaj brace ensured the Whites ended the campaign with a point in front of a crowd of 1,054.

With little riding on the final-day fixture for either side, Dover started brightly and looked to take the initiative early. Sesay drove forward well from left-back inside five minutes, bursting down the flank but unable to find a white shirt with his cross. Moments later, a loose Chesham effort was swept up by Mensah, who quickly turned defence into attack with a clever lofted pass towards Nikaj, though the visitors managed to recover.

The breakthrough arrived on 13 minutes. Chesham failed to deal with a loose ball at the back and Nikaj reacted quickest, pouncing on the mistake and firing first time into an empty net to hand Dover the lead. It was a gift the Dover number 10 was never going to pass up, and the Whites had the early advantage.

Dover looked confident after the opener and nearly built on it with some neat passing moves. A slick spell of possession on 19 minutes earned another corner, although it came to nothing. Sheriff then tested the visitors from a tight angle after a sharp interchange in midfield, but his effort flew off target.

Chesham gradually worked themselves back into the contest, with Duerell Benito and Yearn beginning to dictate possession in midfield. A dangerous low cross on the half-hour mark forced Gillmore into quick action, while Mensah produced an important intervention shortly after to put off a striker racing through on goal.

The visitors were growing stronger. McClure went close after getting in behind, while a glancing header from a corner drifted just over the crossbar. Babos also tried his luck from distance when he spotted Gillmore off his line, but the Dover goalkeeper recovered well to gather.

Just as it looked like Dover would take their lead into the break, Chesham found their equaliser in stoppage time. Yearn slipped a clever pass down the outside of the defence and Babos reacted sharply, getting across his marker before finishing neatly into the corner to make it 1-1 at half time.

Dover made one change at the interval, with Gurung replacing Jones, but the second half started in frustrating fashion for the hosts. After a fairly harmless situation, confusion at the back proved costly as Gillmore came to claim, only to half-punch the ball against his own defender. The loose ball dropped kindly for Yearn, who calmly looped a volley over the stranded defence and into the empty net to put Chesham 2-1 ahead on 50 minutes.

The game then drifted through a quiet spell, with little goalmouth action as the afternoon heat took hold. Dover introduced Ezenwanne for Sesay on 62 minutes, handing the academy player his senior debut, before Onu and Baptiste replaced Wilkinson and Sheriff.

Onu nearly made an instant impact, chasing a through ball but finding the Chesham goalkeeper quickly off his line. At the other end, Gillmore remained alert when needed, including an important late save as the visitors pushed for a winner.

With ten minutes remaining, Dover found their moment. Nikaj, already on the scoresheet, picked the ball up around 30 yards from goal and unleashed a superb left-footed strike that curled high into the top corner beyond the diving goalkeeper. It was a brilliant finish and a deserved equaliser from Dover’s standout performer.

Nikaj nearly completed his hat-trick just minutes later, swinging another effort narrowly wide of the post, before testing the goalkeeper again with an audacious late free-kick. Ezenwanne also earned applause for a strong defensive challenge late on, showing real commitment on his debut.

Five minutes of added time brought one final spell of Chesham pressure, but Gillmore produced a key stop in stoppage time to preserve the draw.

It meant Dover ended the season with a share of the spoils and a positive result to close the campaign, finishing 2025/26 with National League South football secured and plenty to build on for next season.

Dover Athletic XI:
27 Gillmore, 2 Charles-Cook, 21 Mensah, 4 Jones, 16 Beadle, 3 Sesay, 6 Cocoracchio, 25 Hanson (C), 23 Wilkinson, 11 Sheriff, 10 Nikaj

Subs:
14 Baptiste, 15 Gurung, 9 Onu, 22 Jallow, 18 Marjoram, 19 Agbebi, 17 Ezenwanne

Chesham United XI:
1 Goode, 5 Brown (C), 6 Stevens, 11 Joseph, 17 Adebiyi, 18 Babos, 19 McClure, 21 Duerell Benito, 24 Yearn, 28 Lench, 31 Williams

Subs:
3 Lafleur, 8 Rasulo, 10 Weiss, 12 Oliyide, 20 Roberts, 22 Addae, 27 Bennetts