Dover 0-1 AFC Fylde
(Rowe 78)

WHITES title bid was dealt a blow following a single-goal loss to AFC Fylde at Crabble on Saturday.

Danny Rowe, currently top of the National League goalscorer charts, stunned a season-high home crowd of 2,860 – in attendance for the club’s second Community Day of the season, with a goal twelve minutes from the end.

The striker fired his eleventh of the campaign past Mitch Walker after capitalising on Manny Parry’s mistake as Chris Kinnear’s men slipped to a second consecutive defeat

Whites made a bright start and Zaine Francis-Angol nipped in ahead of James Alabi with the loanee waiting to pounce on Mitch Pinnock’s cross. Ryan Bird then headed straight at visiting keeper Jay Lynch from Pinnock’s accurate cross.

Andy Bond fired an effort straight at Walker and Dover’s stopper was able to grab onto Rowe’s low drive after evading a couple of challenges in the area.

Giancarlo Gallifuoco headed Mitch Brundle’s cross directly at Lynch and the Australian defender had another chance before the break, but nodded his skipper’s back-post corner harmlessly over when well-placed.

After the break, Walker dived to block Bond’s piledriver, with the home stopper agile enough to catch Sam Finley’s rebound.

The hosts pressed for a winner, but were unable to find a way past Lynch as the goalkeeper made a succession of impressive saves.

The goalkeeper tipped away Bird’s flicked header with Gallifuoco unable to head the rebound on target.

Then, an already diving Lynch lifted a glove to keep out Pinnock’s deflected shot after a run and pass by sub Anthony Jeffrey.

And the keeper turned Brundle’s goalbound free-kick around the post with some home fans already celebrating what seemed a certain goal.

But it Rowe who had the final say on the result.

As parry tried to dribble the ball out of defence, the attacked stole the ball off the defender and slotted in the winner in spite of Dover calls for a foul.

The result sees Whites drop to fifth in the standings, two points off top.

Earlier, boss Kinnear named an unchanged line-up from Tuesday’s defeat at Dagenham & Redbridge.

Athletic next travel to Bromley on Saturday 2nd December. Kick off 3pm.

Dover: Walker, Gallifuoco, Essam, Parry, Fazakerley (Deen-Conteh 82), Brundle (c), Nortey (Jeffrey 66), Ilesanmi, Alabi (Daniel 45), Bird, Pinnock.

Subs not used: Okosieme, Richards.

Fylde: Lynch, Burke, Tunnicliffe, Edmundson, Francis-Angol, Montrose, Finley (Taylor 87) (c), Bond, Mangan, Rowe (Blinkhorn 84), Tasdemir (Smith 60).

Subs not used: Jones, Grand.