DOVER made it five wins from six in the league with a comfortable 3-1 win over Woking.

Athletic made two changes. Lafayette, rested for the Guiseley game, replaced the suspended Ricky Miller and Aswad Thomas came in for Jack Parkinson, who in turn was amongst the substitutes. Woking unsurprisingly kept the same side that comprehensively beat Maidstone on Saturday for their first away win of the season.

The visitors pelted crosses into the Dover box from the off and one of those was almost converted by Chigozie Ugwu, but Jamie Grimes did enough to prevent him from making a solid connection.

Kieran Murtagh had a golden opportunity to open the scoring, but skied his effort well over from the edge of the area after a receiving a pass.

Moses Emmanuel had Dover’s first real opportunity on the quarter hour, blazing over from ten yards after latching onto Lafayette’s free kick.

Top scored Ricky Miller may not have been playing, but Whites showed they had no trouble finding the back of the net in his absence and in the 20th minute, Lafayette headed in from point-blank range following some great play and an accurate cross from Mitchell Pinnock on the left-hand touchline.

Skipper Grime’s weak backpass had Ugwu in search of his third in two games, but Steve Arnold was alert to clear the ball away in the nick of time.

Playmaker Fabio Saravai then stung the palms of Arnold with a swirling volley.

Murtagh should have done better when he collected a deep cross and shot from close range, but his effort was all wrong and cleared the bar.

Dover were far more clinical in front of goal than their visitors and Emmanuel prodded home a few minutes before the break after Lafayette miscontrolled Sam Magri’s pea roller of a shot.

Lafayette made it a birthday to remember as he scored his second after the restart, slotting in Grimes long raking free kick.

Woking had a route back into the match on 56 minutes, Ugwu accurately nodded Jake Caprice’s cross into the bottom corner.

Pinnock came desperately close to a fourth for Athletic, his superb control and shot forced Hall into a terrific diving save with Jim Stevenson’s shooting just wide.

Lafayette, on the hunt for a hat trick, was denied by a sprawling stop from Hall with Emmanuel unable to convert the rebound.

The comeback was almost on as Sub Delano Sam Yorke stabbed the ball wide after Arnold spilt a shot into his path.

But Whites kept their two-goal margin to record a third league win on the spin. They remain in 6th, one point off the playoffs, but have gained ground on leaders Forest Green who could only draw with Tranmere.

THE rain may have soaked Crabble, but it did nothing to dampen the spirit of the players as they defeated Guiseley thanks to a quick-fire double from Moses Emmanuel.

Dover, who presented the newly redeveloped Family stand complete with brand new changing rooms, scored two goals after the break.

Having played Cambridge less than 48 hours earlier, manager Chris Kinnear opted to make five changes. Jack Parkinson, Sammy Moore, Moses Emmanuel, Mitchell Pinnock and Steve Arnold came in to replace Aswad Thomas, Ross Lafayette, Ricky Modeste, Chris Kinnear Jr and Mitch Walker.

Guiseley named the same side that beat Torquay a week earlier.

It was a dull first half if truth be told as neither team could get into any sort of rhythm in the wet conditions. Ricky Miller’s stabbed effort from close range and Alex Purver’s low driven attempt for Guiseley the only moments of note.

Miller was booked for a foul early on and will now miss Tuesday’s Crabble clash with Woking after picking up his fifth yellow of the season.

Athletic came out for the second half with added purpose, opening the scoring within a minute as Miller’s run and shot took the slightest deflection of Emmanuel to wrong-foot Johnny Maxted, though both strikers claimed the strike as their own.

There was no doubting the scorer of the second three minutes later as Emmanuel neatly slotted home after Jim Stevenson’s blocked strike fell kindly for him as the away defence could only look on.

Miller came desperately close to adding to his recent glut of goals, but Maxted saved his low shot and reacted quickly to parry Emmanuel’s follow up.

Dover looked to make the game safe and Moore came close with a long-range effort that flew just over the bar, whilst Emmanuel almost completed a hat trick at the death, chipping Miller’s cut back just over.

The result sees Whites stay in 6th, just one point behind 5th placed Barrow. Next up for Dover is a home tie with Woking on Tues 22nd November, ko 19:45.