It was a warm afternoon in Kings Langley as Dover thrashed Potters Bar Town 0-8 in the season opener, putting the Whites at the top of the table for the first match week! 

The game started evenly, with Potters Bar arguably having the best chance of the first 20 minutes, as they got in behind and forced Walker into a fantastic stop to his left. The hosts also had other chances in the first half to go a goal up but did not convert. Dover looked nervous for the first 25 minutes and were struggling a bit to find their feet. 

However, the first goal did eventually come and it went the way of Dover. A lovely clipped ball from Stewart was nodded home at the back post by George Nikaj, who carried on his scoring run from preseason into this opening game. 

Nikaj then set up the second not long after, assisting Baptiste with a nice ball across the box for the Dover man to jab home for goal number two. 

The scoring for the first half was nowhere near finished, as another lovely ball came in from the left which landed at the feet of Soares Junior, who rifled his effort into the top left corner to make it 0-3 to the Whites. 

One more goal was to follow for Dover, with Nikaj pouncing on a short back pass from the centre half. Our number 10 rounded the goalkeeper and slotted home his second and Dover’s fourth before half time. The game was fully in the control of Jake Leberl’s men. 

The second half started just how the first ended, with Dover dominating the play. Chances were coming for the away side, mainly from wide positions with Sesay and Stewart being the most dangerous on the left with their excellent deliveries.

It wasn’t until the 65th minute that Dover added a fifth. A good effort by substitute Drakes-Thomas was parried straight into the path of Nikaj, who tapped in his hattrick with ease. Soon after, Sesay delivered a fantastic cross into the box which was headed out only as far as Pont, who smashed in number 6 for the Whites. 

Dover weren’t finished there either. Goal number 7 came from a well delivered corner and it was Tennent who found himself free in the box to head home for his first goal for the club. 

Drakes-Thomas was the last of the scorers in Hertfordshire, his goal coming in the 89th minute and what a goal it was. Some nice footwork in the box allowed him some extra space and he finished past the goalkeeper on his weaker right foot to seal a memorable victory for Dover. 

It was a record equalling win for the Whites in the season opener, but a tough derby against local rivals Folkestone Invicta awaits us all on Tuesday night, with Jake Leberl’s men looking to make it two wins from two to start the season off. 

Match Report by Fred Deveson

Potters Bar Town 0

Dover Athletic 8
George NIKAJ (33′)
Luke BAPTISTE (42′)
Ruben SOARES-JUNIOR (45′)
George NIKAJ (47′)
George NIKAJ (65′)
Harrison PONT (68′)
Joe TENNENT
 (80′) Jaiden DRAKES-THOMAS (89′)

Lineups:

Potters Bar Town: 1 Seb Stacey, 2 Prosper Keto, 3 Layne Eadie, 4 Jamie Dicks, 5 Isaac Currie, 6 Ronnie Henry, 7 Samrai Gebrai, 8 Joe Re, 9 Steve Cawley, 10 Max Jessop, 11 Ore Bello. SUBS: 12 Daniel Aldana, 14 Calvin Ekpiteta, 15 Ryan Hayes, 16 Hamid Salam, 20 Finn Rushton

Dover Athletic: 1 Mitch WALKER, 2 Roman CHARLES-COOK, 3 Fuad SESAY, 5 Joe TENNENT, 6 Luca COCORACCHIO, 7 Luke BAPTISTE, 10 George NIKAJ, 11 Lindell STEWART, 14 Ruben SOARES-JUNIOR, 16 Harrison PONT, 23 George WILKINSON. SUBS: 4 Jeremiah GYEBI, 9 Eniye AMGBADUBA, 15 Tamas AMGBADUBA, 19 Jayden SILCOTT-BROWN, 20 Jaiden DRAKES-THOMAS

Isthmian League – Premier Division
Attendance: 204
Kick-off: 3pm
Venue: The Orbital Fasteners Stadium