GEORGE Thomson’s stunning late winner saw the points head to North Yorkshire on Saturday.

The midfielder let fly from 25-yards and though Mitch Walker got a touch, Dover’s stopper was unable to stop the ball from going into the top corner in a dramatic ending at Crabble.

Jamie Allen had levelled matters with just over ten minutes remaining to cancel out Mark Beck’s early goal and Jai Reason then had Andy Hessenthaler’s men on course for their first win in four National League matches with a spectacular volley two minutes later.

But Beck levelled from close range on 84 minutes before Thomson won the game with just moments to spare.

It was the worst possible start for Athletic as Harrogate went ahead after just six minutes.

Jack Muldoon sprayed the ball across to the onrushing Jack Emmett, who in turn passed the ball into the area for Beck to head in from just yards out.

Kevin Lokko awarded National League Player of the Month for January earlier in the week, though he had levelled after heading home Bobby-Joe Taylor’s cross, only for the linesman to rule the goal out for offside.

Reason chased down Taylor’s through ball but saw his effort blocked by visiting keeper James Belshaw, who sprinted out of his area to deny Athletic’s midfielder.

Beck and Fallowfield nearly combined once again with tall striker Beck heading his right back’s cross narrowly over.

Following the restart, both Inih Effiong and Josh Falkingham were off target for their respective sides from distance.

Some neat interplay ended with Emmett curled just off target from the edge of the box.

Effiong was unable to convert Dover’s best chance of the half so far.

The forward sprinted onto Allen’s through ball, however, Belford was out quickly to block the Effiong’s shot, with the rebound bouncing off Dover’s forward and into the arms of Harrogate’s grateful keeper.

Goalkeeper Belford then saved his side twice in succession, first denying sub Alfie Pavey from point-blank range and then turning Allen’s angled drive around the post.

Effiong was unable to get his shot through a barrage of Harrogate defenders from close in and Dover’s forward then was just off target with a header from Brundle’s corner.

But Athletic finally made the breakthrough on 79 minutes thanks to Allen’s fifth league goal of the campaign.

A Brundle long throw made it’s way to the forward who slammed the ball into the far corner.

The home side were ahead in spectacular fashion just two minutes later.

Another Brundle throw was only half-cleared to Reason, who volleyed into the top corner from 25-yards.

But the scoring was not over and the visitors hit back on 84 minutes through Beck’s second of the game as the tall striker slotted sub Aaron Williams pass into the top corner.

And Thomson won it in stunning fashion, smashing the ball into the top corner from all of 25-yards to win it for the away side.

Earlier boss Hessenthaler made one change to the side with Taylor replacing Nortei Nortey, who was ill.

Whites next travel to Salford City in the National League on Saturday 16th February, kick-off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

HARROGATE TOWN REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

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A LATE winner from Greg Olley saw Whites lose in the league for the first time this year.

Deep into injury time of the National League’s only fixture of the day due, the midfielder stabbed in Scott Barrow’s cross from close range, via the head of Connor Thomson, to complete a remarkable second-half turnaround by the Heed at Crabble.

Kevin Lokko had headed Whites ahead, but Fraser Kerr levelled with a  similar nodded goal after the break.

And the win was sealed seconds before the final whistle as Gateshead won at Crabble for the first time in five attempts.

Mitch Brundle almost scored early on against his former side, forcing visiting keeper Aynsley Pears to save his swirling free kick.

Josh Debayo, after tackling right-back Robbie Tinkler, sent a wicked ball into the box, however, the nearest man Brundle, was unable to connect.

But it wasn’t long before Andy Hessenthaler’s men were ahead.

With the game nine minutes old, Lokko sent a looper header from  Brundle’s corner over Pears’ and into the net for his sixth goal of the season.

Captain Brundle was at the heart of everything as he nearly doubled Dover’s lead at the back post, only to be denied by the legs of Pears after Jamie Allen had flicked on Debayo’s looping cross.

At the other end, Steven Rigg didn’t get enough power from Scott Barrow’s corner to trouble home goalie Mitch Walker.

Brundle then swept Jai Reason’s clever set-piece goalwards from 20-yards, but Pears once again thwarted Dover’s skipper.

A brave block from Lokko stopped Tinkler’s goalbound effort and Walker punched out Thomson’s driven pass from the byline as Athletic held onto their narrow lead

Following the restart, Olley beat two players before sending a scorching shot inches wide of Walker’s post.

Rigg then suffered the same fate, collecting the ball, but slotting wide of the mark.

Barrow took aim with half-time looming, but teammate Rigg was in the way of the left-back’s effort.

Bobby-Joe Taylor then almost made an immediate impact.

After the referee waved away Reason’s penalty claims, the substitute sent a stinging shot which Pears initially spilt, before grabbing the ball ahead of the onrushing Allen.

It was the visitors who mustered an unlikely equaliser on 78 minutes through Fraser Kerr.

The centre-back rose highest to nod in Barrow’s pinpoint cross into the far corner of Walker’s net.

And Ben Clark’s men almost had the lead from Scott Doe’s weak backpass, Tinkler’s final shot deflected wide.

Barrow then flashed a right-footed shot just wide of the mark as the away side pushed for a win.

And the winner duly arrived thanks to Olley’s finish following a swift counter-attack to leave Whites in 19th on the National League ladder, just three points above the drop zone having played more matches than the sides below them.

Earlier, boss Hessenthaler kept with the same side that started away at Havant & Waterlooville last week.  Anthony Jeffrey returned from injury to take his place amongst the substitutes.

Whites next host Harrogate Town in the National League on Saturday 9th February, kick-off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

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NINE-MAN Dover bravely held on for a point against Kent rivals Bromley at Crabble on Saturday.

Kevin Lokko headed Andy Hessenthaler’s men ahead in the first half before Adam Mekki restored parity nine minutes later.

Both Lokko and Bedsente Gomis were both sent off just after the hour mark following a fracas in the Bromley penalty area, though Athletic held until the final whistle, including ten minutes of injury time, to stay unbeaten in the National League in 2019.

Earlier, Inih Effiong evaded the offside trap from Gomis’ lofted pass, only for David Gregory to palm the striker’s curling effort into the air with defender Marc-Anthony Okoye on hand the clear before the ball could bounce over the line.

The visiting keeper was then called into action twice in quick succession, firstly pushing Joshua Debayo’s shot after the left-back’s burst into the box, then patting down Jai Reason’s 25-yarder.

Bromley were then centimetres from taking the lead.

George Porter collected Frankie Sutherland’s through ball and smacked the inside of the post from the edge of the box.

Gregory spilt Nortei Nortey’s drilled effort, however, was able to clasp onto the loose ball before the onrushing Jamie Allen could score.

But Whites were ahead on 30 minutes thanks to Lokko’s fifth goal of the season.

The defender, who was yet to score since Dover’s 2-0 home win against Maidenhead in November, powerfully headed in Mitch Brundle’s accurate free-kick.

But the away side were level just nine minutes later with a goal from a former Dover player.

Frankie Raymond’s free-kick found it’s way to Mekki via the glove of Mitch Walker and the winger volleyed home.

Gregory grabbed Effiong’s low shot and following the restart, penalty cries for a handball against Dover after Stuart Lewis’ sliced clearance were waved away by the referee.

It was Athletic’s turn to strike the woodwork next.

Lokko headed a deep corner towards Effiong, but the striker’s thunderous shot struck the underside of the crossbar and down onto the goal line.

The game then changed when Dover were reduced to nine men.

Following a fracas in the Bromley penalty area, including Jack Holland going to ground following an off the ball incident, both Gomis and Lokko were given their marching orders.

Mekki almost made the two-man advantage count, thrashing across the face of goal and then was unable to make any contact on sub Omar Bugiel’s cross.

And Bromley’s scorer then contrived to miss twice more, firstly seeing his close-range shot blocked by Mitch Brundle on the line before blazing over the rebound.

Walker came to the rescue as the clock moved into ten minutes of injury time, tipping away Richard Brindley’s low drive.

However Athletic resolutely held on to make it five league matches undefeated.

Earlier, boss Hessenthaler made four changes from the home defeat to Harrogate Town in the FA Trophy last week.  Scott Doe returned after being cup-tied, while Gomis, Lokko and Jai Reason also started.  Alfie Pavey, Moussa Diarra and Anthony Jeffrey began as substitutes.

Whites next travel to Havant & Waterlooville on Saturday 26th January in the National League, kick-off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

BROMLEY REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

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WHITES were goalless against the National League leaders at Crabble on Saturday, though Andy Hessenthaler’s men will rue an early penalty miss in front of the highest attendance at Crabble this campaign.

After sending Inih Effiong sprawling when both players went for a 50-50 ball, visiting stopper Dean Brill denied Athletic’s top scorer, diving to his left to save Effiong’s spot kick.

Earlier Dale Gorman sent an early warning to Dover with a 20-yard strike just over the bar.

After his penalty save, Brill then denied Dover from the resultant corner, tipping away Alfie Pavey’s bullet header from Mitch Brundle’s set piece.

Josh Koroma fired inches over from Macauley Bonne’s pass and Brill collected Brundle’s fierce cross at the other end.

Koroma will wonder how he did not put the Os ahead seven minutes before the break.

The attacker sprinted towards Mitch Walker from Bonne’s clever through ball, successfully lifting the ball over the onrushing keeper, but watched in disbelief as the ball trickled the wrong side of the far post.

Following the restart, Pavey thundered an effort against the crossbar after playing a one-two with Effiong.

Dover’s target man then tried again, firing off target by a matter of centimetres from the edge of the box.

Bedsente Gomis was unable to connect to sub Anthony Jeffrey’s cross and Bonne fired just wide for Orient.

Cries of a foul on Jeffrey were waived away allowing Gorman to take the ball and crash a shot into the side netting.

A quick clearance from Walker almost led to an opener.

The Crabble stopper sprinted out to beat Bonne to the ball and booted the ball upfield where Widdowson’s weak back header allowed Effiong to nip in, but the forward could only place his shot wide.

Justin Edinburgh’s side were then denied by the post just before the start of injury time.

Gorman’s low volley thumped the foot of the woodwork and off a teammate for a goal kick.

Earlier, boss Hessenthaler made three changes to the side that started against Maidstone on Boxing Day.  Pavey, Scott Doe and Joshua Debayo came in for Bobby-Joe Taylor and Ricky Modeste, who were injured, plus Jeffrey who was named as a substitute.

Whites next travel to Maidstone in the National League on New Year’s Day, kicking off at 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

LEYTON ORIENT REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

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THREE second-half goals saw Whites’ win all three points in the Boxing Day Kent derby – though Andy Hessenthaler’s made the worst possible start.

A poor backpass on seven minutes let in Jake Robinson to hand Stones the lead, but Whites rallied with goals from Mitch Brundle, Bedsente Gomis and Inih Effiong in front of Athletic’s biggest crowd of the season.

Earlier, Effiong fired goalwards from Anthony Jeffrey’s cross, but the striker saw his effort blocked by the away defence.

It was the Stones who took the lead in bizarre fashion.

An under-hit back pass from Stuart Lewis was seized upon by  Robinson, who toe-poked the ball past Mitch Walker, injuring himself after colliding with Dover’s stopper.

The visitors then almost doubled their lead through Robinson’s replacement Elliott Romain, who fired a 25-yarder fizzed narrowly past the post.

Ross Worner then denied Whites with a spectacular save.

The keeper, on loan from Sutton United, was at full stretch to tip away Bobby-Joe Taylor’s accurate free-kick.

With half-time looming, Romain flicked a Stones corner wide of the far post and seconds later, Jeffrey sprinted clear of the visiting defence, only to blast his shot wide of the mark.

Seconds before the break another defensive lapse by Dover almost handed the away side a second of the afternoon.

Romain picked the ball off Kevin Lokko in the area but lacked any composure to trouble Walker.

Following the restart, Sean Shields was unable to beat Walker from an angle and a corner at the other end saw Athletic restore parity on 58 minutes.

Captain Brundle headed Taylor’s set-piece across Worner and into the back of the net for his fifth league goal of the campaign.

The game was almost turned on its head when both Jai Reason and sub Alfie Pavey forced Worner into successive blocks.

And the Stones stopper was at it again from another corner, this time stooping low to tip away Effiong’s firm header.

But Worner was powerless to stop Andy Hessenthaler’s going ahead on 75 minutes.

Reason’s lofted ball into the box was met perfectly by Gomis at the far post much to the delight of the 1,600 home fans in attendance.

And Whites’ supporters were cheering once again five minutes later.

With Harry Wheeler’s side pushing forward, Effiong sprinted onto Brundle’s through ball and placed the ball out of Worner’s reach for his eighth of the season.

Dover’s chances of a league win against Maidstone at the third attempt was handed a boost by Rob Swaine’s dismissal on 84 minutes.

The defender was shown a straight red card for a nasty tackle on Lewis by the corner flag.

Earlier, boss Hessenthaler made one change to the side that started at Barnet on Saturday with Reason replacing Jamie Allen.

Whites next host Leyton Orient in the National League on Saturday 29th December, kick-off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

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