JOE Healy and Aswad Thomas scored the goals as Dover came from behind to beat North Ferriby United and move back into the National League play-off places.
The bottom-of-the-ladder hosts opened the scoring through Curtis Bateson four minutes into the second half before Healy equalised six minutes later with his third goal in as many games.
Thomas completed the comeback to earn his side a massive three points, three that took boss Chris Kinnear’s side back up to fifth.
In a lively start to the game, Ricky Miller had the first shot on target in the fifth minute after he raced on to Connor Essam’s pin-point ball over the top from the back.
But Rory Watson saved his effort easily – and the young goalkeeper denied Miller again moments later – this time from the penalty spot.
Ross Lafayette was bundled over and Watson, on loan from Scunthorpe United, dived to his right to save Miller’s shot.
Reece Thompson, the hosts leading scorer, tried his luck from 25 yards and it needed a finger-tip save from Steve Arnold to keep it out.
Watson saved from Miller again before Lafayette just failed to get on the end of a Miller cross with the goal at his mercy.
Miller was proving to be in the thick of the action and it needed another Watson save to keep out a stinging effort from just inside the effort.
The home side forced a couple of back-to-back corners but neither called Arnold into action.
A Miller knock-down ended with Nicky Deverdics firing just wide from the edge of the box as Dover continued to go in search of an opening goal.
Miller’s run and shot ended with another save from the impressive Watson before Thomas hit the inside of the post with a cross with Watson beaten for once.
Ricky Modeste then had a shot deflected wide as the half ended.
While the first period ended with Dover threatening, it was North Ferriby who wasted little time in doing the same at the start of the second – and they made it count.
A stunning curling free-kick from Bateson beat the wall and Arnold to put his side ahead in the 49th minute.
Dover replied with Watson saving Jamie Grimes’ header from a Deverdics free-kick.
But Watson was finally beaten in the 56th minute.
He flapped at Sam Magri’s cross, the ball fell at the feet of Healy and the midfielder tapped home from close range.
Deverdics hit the side netting before Miller’s low effort beat Watson and rolled just past the post.
Dover hit the lead with another close-range effort courtesy of Thomas in the 70th minute.
Healy’s cross was headed back across goal by Magri and Thomas did the rest.
Earlier, boss Kinnear named an unchanged side from the draw against Wrexham at Crabble a week before.
DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION
https://www.facebook.com/DoverAthleticFC/videos/10155073842919936/
NORTH FERRIBY UNITED REACTION
MATCH GALLERY
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”182″ gal_title=”North Ferriby United v DAFC 18/02/17″]
