Season: 2018-2019

Dover Athletic v Dagenham & Redbridge

TWO first-half goals condemned Dover to a fourth consecutive home defeat and left Andy Hessenthaler’s men marooned at the bottom of the National League by five points.

An early strike from Tomi Adeloye and a header from Harry Phipps meant Athletic’s first game back in the Crabble dugout ended in a loss.

Kadell Daniel’s early 25-yard snapshot tested visiting keeper Elliot Justham.

But the Daggers had the lead on ten minutes with their first meaningful attack.

Adeloye skipped past two challenges before curling a sumptuous effort past the despairing dive of Mitch Walker in the Dover goal.

And Phipps stabbed wide from a corner as the away side pushed to double their lead.

Angelo Balanta curled just off target from the edge of the box and Mitch Brundle saw his shot bravely blocked by defender Matt Robinson.

Another block, this time from Dagenham captain Ben Nunn denied Jamie Allen on the turn.

And at the other end, Josh Passley last-ditch tackle denied the counter-attacking Alex McQueen.

But the Essex side doubled their lead from the resultant corner.

A corner from the right was powerfully met by Phipps, who thundered a header into the bottom corner with a minute of the half remaining.

Following the restart, Inih Effiong thundered Joshua Debayo’s cross onto the crossbar.

Walker was needed to deny McQueen from extending the Daggers lead, palming the forward’s angled shot into the air, before gathering at the second attempt.

Effiong was then denied by the woodwork for a second time.  Bobby-Joe Taylor teasing pass was crashed against the angle of post and bar by the striker.

Dover forward Effiong then struck the woodwork for a third time, this time seeing Justham pushing his curling free-kick onto the post.

Sub Jai Reason volleyed Effiong’s lay-off narrowly over, while Walker was out quickly to deny Jack Munns following a poorly placed back pass.

And Allen’s header wide from Debayo’s pass summed up Whites’ night in front of goal.

Justham tipped over Essam’s late headed effort, but Dover were unable to pull a goal back.

Earlier, boss Hessenthaler made two changes to the side that started at Braintree on Saturday with Jamie Allen and Daniel coming in for Nortei Nortey and Bedsente Gomis, who started as substitutes.

Whites next host Maidenhead United in the National League on Saturday 3rd November, kick-off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”278″ gal_title=”DAFC v Dagenham & Redbridge 30/10/18″]

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Braintree Town v Dover Athletic

A PENALTY from Reece Grant 12 minutes from time saw Whites slip to last place on the National League ladder in their bottom-of-the-table clash in Essex on Saturday.

Grant slotted down the middle of the goal after Mitch Walker had upended Lyle Della-Verde in the penalty area, leaving Andy Hessenthaler’s men six points from safety.

Kevin Lokko had headed Athletic back on level terms 11 minutes earlier to cancel out Justin Amaluzar’s 13th-minute opener for Town.

Whites almost made the ideal start, however, Inih Effiong was unable to convert Bobby-Joe Taylor’s pinpoint cross.

Instead, it was the hosts who went ahead with their first shot on target.

A corner from the right was met by Amaluzar, with the ball finding the bottom corner via a deflection.

Connor Essam tried to level but was unable to beat home keeper Ashley Jones with his downward header.

And the score was almost doubled when Grant pounced on hesitation by Josh Passley, but his angled drive was pushed behind by Walker.

Following the restart, Virgil Gomis wasted a good chance for the home side, blasting over from the edge of the area from a quick throw-in.

Another corner from Town almost snuck into the bottom corner of Walker’s goal, but a combination of Dover’s goalkeeper and Stuart Lewis were able to clear the danger.

Amaluzar went close to grabbing his second of the afternoon, tricking his way into the area and sliding wide of the mark.  At the other end, Effiong sent a shot whizzing just over the crossbar.

And it was Dover’s new signing, introduced from the bench just moments earlier, who conjured up the equaliser.

Signed from Chelmsford the day before, Jai Reason crossed with his first touch for Lokko to power a header into the far bottom corner of Jones’ net.

But Whites’ lead only lasted for ten minutes after a penalty was awarded to the home team after A race to the ball ended with Walker fouling Della Verde in the penalty area.

Grant duly converted from 12 yards, but Dover were able to muster one more chance.

Effiong turned and fired goalwards with time running out, but his effort was straight into the clutches of Jones.

Earlier, boss Hessenthaler made one change to the side that started last week’s FA Cup win against Concord Rangers.  Taylor started in place of the injured Jamie Allen.

Whites next host Dagenham & Redbridge on Tuesday 30th October, kick-off 7:45 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”277″ gal_title=”Braintree Town v DAFC 27/10/18″]

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Darren Hare

Darren Hare returned to Dover for a second spell in October 2018, this time as joint first-team coach, having served as number two during Andy Hessenthaler’s first reign as gaffer.

Hare, who is also Andy’s brother-in-law, featured for a number of Kent clubs as a player, with stints at Dover, Gravesend & Northfleet, Folkestone Invicta, Canterbury City, Herne Bay, Thanet, Ashford Town, Hastings Town and Sittingbourne.

The former striker has also managed in the county, taking charge of Canterbury, Folkestone and most recently Hastings, as well as a spell as acting manager of Gillingham in December 2004, when employed as Head of the Gills’ Youth Development.

Hare also held a similar role for the Kent County FA and was Head of Education and Welfare in the academy system at Crystal Palace in 2005.

Darren returned to Crabble following the appointment of Hessenthaler as boss last season as Dover’s latest management team steered the club from second-bottom of the National League to 13th place.

 

 

 

 

Andy Hessenthaler

Whites’ gaffer Hessenthaler returned to Crabble in October 2018.

A combative midfielder on the pitch for the likes of Watford, Gillingham and Barnet, Hessenthaler had great success as Athletic’s player-boss between 2007 and 2010, winning back-to-back promotions to take Dover from the Ryman South division to the Conference South.

And after ending the 2009/10 season as runners-up in the second tier of non-league, Hessenthaler returned to Gillingham as boss for two campaigns, steering the Gills to two consecutive eighth-place finishes in League Two.

A third stint at Gillingham followed two seasons later, this time as assistant boss, a similar role he held at Leyton Orient the following year, before being made manager at Brisbane Road in 2016.

Dismissed by the O’s later that same year, it wasn’t long before Hessenthaler was back in football, joining Eastleigh before the start of the 2017/18 season, initially as assistant manager, before taking over from Richard Hill as boss just eight months after joining the club.

Hessenthaler left the Spitfires 15 games into the 2018/19 campaign for a Dover side second-bottom of the National League on seven points.

Athletic were not in the relegation zone for long as Hessenthaler successfully steered the club to safety with three games to spare, as Dover finished last season in 13th place on 60 points.

Concord Rangers v Dover Athletic

A STUNNING free-kick from Inih Effiong sent Athletic through to the FA Cup first round proper, though Andy Hessenthaler’s men left it late to seal their place in Monday night’s draw.

The big striker curled home from 25-yards, his third goal in two games, in an evenly matched contest at the Aspect Arena on Saturday afternoon.

And hosts Concord were inches away from forcing a replay in dramatic fashion when Tyrone Sterling headed against the crossbar deep into injury time.

But Whites valiantly held on to seal their first competitive away win on the road since April this year.

The first opportunity of the game fell the way of the home team, but Alex Wall was unable to direct his header from a free-kick anywhere other than at visiting keeper Mitch Walker.

And Effiong almost carried on where he left off last weekend at the other end, swivelling and blasting at the legs of Sam Beasant in the Concord goal.

From the resultant corner, Mitch Brundle curled goalwards from 25-yards, only for Beasant to pluck the ball from underneath the crossbar.

And Dover’s next chance fell the way of Nortei Nortey.

The midfielder sprinted onto Effiong’s flick-on and bore down on goal, but his final shot flew the wrong side of the post.

Effiong placed a volley wide after latching onto Brundle’s ball over the top and at the other end, Tosan Popo was twice denied by last-ditch blocks from Josh Debayo and Kevin Lokko.

Claims of a shirt pull on Connor Essam in the home penalty area were also waved away by referee Paul Howard in the closing stages of the first-half.

Following the restart, Lokko’s close-range header was well held by Beasant and Danny Green’s wicked free-kick flashed by every Rangers in the penalty area.

And Lokko was inches away from giving Whites the lead.

The defender flicked Brundle’s cross towards goal, only to look up and see the ball bounce agonisingly wide.

A swift counter-attack involving Jamie Allen and Effiong ended with Brundle smashing an effort right down the throat of Beasant.

And Whites were almost out of the FA Cup altogether when Jack Midson nodded a corner off target.

But instead, Whites secured their space in Monday night’s draw thanks to Effiong’s late winner.

Earlier, Boss Hessenthaler made one change to the side that started at Harrogate last weekend with Nortey replacing the suspended Anthony Jeffrey.

Whites next travel to Essex for their National League fixture at Braintree Town on Saturday 27th October, kick-off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

CONCORD RANGERS REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”276″ gal_title=”Concord Rangers v DAFC 20/10/18″]

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Harrogate Town v Dover Athletic

AN INJURY-TIME leveller from Kelvin Langmead denied Andy Hessenthaler a debut win in the first match of his second spell in charge of Dover.

Two second-half strikes from Inih Effiong cancelled out Aaron Williams first-half opener for the home side, but Langmead stooped to head home in the fifth minute of time added on.

And Anthony Jeffrey was sent off a minute later for his part in a confrontation with George Thomson.

Earlier, Dover’s first chance fell to Kevin Lokko, with the defender volleying over Jeffrey’s corner.

And visiting keeper Mitch Walker was needed soon after to keep Liam Kitching at bay.

Walker denied Harrogate’s 19-year old, before palming the ball away before any of the home players could follow up.

But the hosts were ahead on 26 minutes.

A free-kick from Muldoon was headed back across goal by Callum Howe into the path of Aaron Williams to slot his side in front from just a few yards.

Walker fisted away Joe Leesley’s swerving shot as Whites went into the break a goal down.

But that stat changed just after the restart thanks to Effiong’s first goal for Dover.

After Jeffrey had beaten his man out wide, Effiong collected the winger’s pass and fired low past Belford.

The striker then almost put Athletic in front just moments later, cutting inside and striking just wide of the post.

And Effiong also had an impact at the other end of the pitch, heading off the line from a Harrogate corner.

Another chance for Dover saw Jamie Allen strike the crossbar, volleying Effiong’s deep cross into the ground and onto the woodwork.

But striker Effiong was not finished yet.

The forward doubled his tally of the season, running into the penalty area before planting the ball into the bottom corner.

Josh Falkingham forced Walker into a smart save from range, diving onto the home captain’s long-range drive.

And Walker then rescued the away team with a fine stop.

Howe rose highest to meet a corner, only to see the keeper acrobatically tip the ball over the bar.

But Whites were unable to hold out for the three points as Langmead headed in a Kitching’s cross.

And the away team ended the match with ten men after Jeffrey was given his marching orders following a skirmish with Thomson.

However, the red card had little impact with the referee calling for time on an entertaining match just seconds later.

Earlier, Hessenthaler kept just four players from the side that started against Salford last week, including debuts for Stuart Lewis and Josh Debayo, who signed permanently from Maidstone and on loan from Cheltenham respectively.

Whites next travel to Concord Rangers in the Emirates FA Cup fourth round qualifier on Saturday 20th October, kick-off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

HARROGATE TOWN REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”275″ gal_title=”Harrogate Town v DAFC 13/10/18″]

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Maidstone United v Dover Athletic

TWO late goals from Athletic’s youngster were not enough as Dover were knocked out of the Kent Senior Reliance Cup at the Gallagher Stadium on Tuesday night.

Harrison Kempster converted an 83rd Minute penalty after Bepe Paldon had been fouled with Alfie Bates bundling Whites’ second after fellow substitute had headed a cross back across goal in injury-time.

The Academy side, playing as the first team were attending their first training session with new boss Andy Hessenthaler, were a goal down on 29 minutes when Ollie Muldoon took on Orlu Durojaiye’s pass and crashed a shot past visiting keeper Wesley Miller.

Djurojaiye turned goalscorer 10 minutes later from a corner, powering a header into the top corner to double the host’s lead.

A cross by substitute Jake Cassidy was headed home by defender George McLennan to make the scores 3-0 on 53 minutes.

Blair Turgott rounded things off on 67 minutes, striding forward from the half-way line and firing low past Miller, via a slight deflection.

Late on, Gold Omatayo headed against the bar and though the striker headed the rebound on target, Miller was able to tip the Bury loanee’s effort around the post.

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”274″ gal_title=”Maidstone United v DAFC 09/10/2018″]

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Dover Athletic v Salford City

A HAT-TRICK from Adam Rooney saw Whites well beaten by top-of-table Salford at Crabble on Saturday.

Two quick-fire strikes in the first half, followed by a tap-in to cancel out  Bedsente Gomis strike for Whites just after the break saw the forward move clear at the top of the National League goalscoring charts.

And an error from home keeper Mitch Walker saw Carl Piergianni head in a corner to complete the scoring as Athletic’s first game since the dismissal of Chris Kinnear as manager ended in defeat.

Earlier, Mitch Brundle was first to try his luck, forcing visiting keeper Chris Neal into a low save with a 20-yard strike.

And George Smith drove inches wide from a similar distance as Whites started the game brightly.

At the other end, Rory Gaffney escaped down the left, but the angle was too tight for the striker to find the target.

And Tom Walker crashed Rooney’s pass wise after the forward’s initial shot was bravely blocked by Ejiro Okosieme.

But the league leaders were ahead on 17 minutes thanks to dangerman Rooney.

The striker prodded the ball into the bottom corner following good work from Danny Lloyd-McGoldrick, with the winger beating Bradley Barry for pace and passing inside for the forward to bag his tenth goal of the season.

And Rooney’s eleventh arrived two minutes later.

The attacker beat his marker the far post to head Danny Whitehead’s cross past a statuesque Mitch Walker in the Dover goal.

Okosieme nearly halved the arrears, heading Brundle’s corner into the side netting.

Walker then denied Gaffney with his chest after the striker cut inside and fired on target.

But Dover were back in the game six minutes after the restart thanks to Gomis.

Sub Loui Fazakerley crossed for the Frenchman to slide home his first goal for the club.

But Salford’s two-goal cushion was restored just five minutes later as Rooney netted his first National League treble.

A combination or Okisieme and Walker cleared Scott Wiseman’s low volley as far as Carl Piergianni, whose low shot was steered into the net from just yards out by the poacher.

And the Lancashire side added a fourth on 65 minutes.

Defender Piergianni headed Lloyd-McGoldrick’s corner goalwards, but a misjudgement from Walker allowed the ball to bounce over the line.

Mark Shelton almost made it five goals for City, but he poked Wiseman’s cross narrowly wide.

Earlier, caretaker manager Jake Leberl made four changes to the side that started against Barrow last week.  Jack Connors, Nortei Nortey, Kadell Daniel, Bradley Barry all started in place of Josh Passley, Moussa Diarra, Tim Schmoll and Inih Effiong.

Whites next league match is away to Harrogate Town on Saturday 13th October.  Kick off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

SALFORD CITY REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”273″ gal_title=”DAFC v Salford City 6/10/18″]

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