Whites earned a first-ever point at Mill Farm in a game of few chances for either side.

The home team had the best opportunity to score a goal when Jordan Williams’ ran through on goal in the first half, however was unable to get the ball past visiting keeper Yusuf Mersin.

Coasters goalie Montgomery turned away Inih Effiong’s curling strike as Andy Hessenthaler’s men ended a run of back-to-back losses at Fylde.

The match was also Jim Bentley’s first home match in charge of AFC Fylde since his appointment earlier in the week.

Home skipper Danny Rowe curled narrowly off target within a minute of the game starting.

Rowe then went for goal again, heading Luke Burke’s cross narrowly off target.

Matty Kosylo then fired a warning shot wide for Fylde and at the other end, Steven Rigg headed Josh Passley’s cross wide of the far post.

Mersin dived low to grab onto Rowe’s 30-yard free-kick and Oscar Gobern then directed Passley’s cross straight at home stopper James Montgomery.

Athletic can thank Mersin for keeping the scores level after Paul Rooney missed his header.

The defender’s misjudgement let in Williams’ on goal, but the Turkish keeper was out quickly to block the midfielder’s shot.

Effiong blasted wide shortly after the restart and Kosylo opted to shoot when cutting inside for Fylde, only to blast his effort into the side-netting.

Whites then nearly went ahead with one of the best attacking moves of the match.

Effiong and Jai Reason played a one-two and Dover top scorer Effiong forced Montgomery into a diving save.

Williams’ then dragged a 20-yard strike wide as the away side continued to limit their hosts’ chances.

Reason unleashed a 30-yard volley straight at Montgomery and with 10 minutes remaining, Williams slipped in Rowe, but the normally reliable striker curled into the side netting with just Mersin to beat.

The point sees Dover drop one place to 12th on the league ladder, three points outside the play-offs.

Earlier, boss Hessenthaler kept with the same team that started against Eastleigh on Tuesday night. Striker Ruel Sotiriou, signed on loan from Leyton Orient the day before the game, was named as a substitute.

Whites next host Southend United in the Emirates FA Cup First Round Proper on Sunday 10th November, kick-off 12 noon.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

AFC FYLDE REACTION

DANNY Rowe’s double condemned Whites to a second consecutive defeat at Mill Farm on Saturday.

The National League marksmen fired the Coasters ahead just before the break as Chris Kinnear’s side continued their unwanted record of having lost every meeting against Dave Challinor’s team.

Joe Cardle had doubled the home side’s lead when his cross looped over Walker just after the break and James Hardy rounded things off in injury time, running clear and chipping an onrushing Mitch Walker.

Earlier, Andy Bond was first to strike on target for the home side, with Walker comfortably diving onto his low drive.

And Inih Effiong came close to scoring his first competitive goal for Whites just minutes later.

The striker curled a 20-yard effort goalwards, leaving Fylde keeper Jay Lynch with no choice but the tip the ball over the crossbar.

At the other end, Rowe somehow directed his free header from Cardle’s cross wide.

And Fylde thought they had opened the scoring on 14 minutes.

Neil Byrne headed in Cardle’s accurate centre, only for the linesman to disallow the effort for offside.

Cardle himself then tried his luck, escaping out on the right and dragging his shot wide of the far post as the hosts continued to apply heavy pressure.

But it was dangerman Rowe who opened the scoring on 41 minutes, controlling Lynch’s goal kick and firing past a statuesque Walker in the Dover goal.

Josh Passley prevented the Coasters from doubling their lead on the stroke of half-time, heading Ryan Croasdale’s header off the goalline.

But the lead was eventually doubled just two minutes after the restart in fortuitous circumstances.

Cardle’s cross from the right-hand side looped over Walker’s head and into the back of the net via the upright.

Connor Essam almost pulled one back with his head, but could only find the side-netting from Brundle’s corner.

Rowe then almost grabbed a second, fizzing his set-piece centimetres wide of the woodwork.

And Walker was on hand to fist away Danny Philliskirk’s piledriver following a swift Fylde counter attack.

But the game was over two minutes from time after Diarra clipped substitute Gime Toure in the box, leaving Rowe to slam in his fifth goal of the season from the spot.

And with the visitors pushing forward, Hardy rounded thing off at the end.

Earlier, boss Kinnear named the same starting line-up for a fifth consecutive game.

Whites next host Eastleigh on Saturday 25th August, kick-off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

AFC FYLDE REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

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WHITES fell out of the play-off places after the Coasters completed a league double against Chris Kinnear’s side at a cold and windy Mill Farm on Saturday.

Mitch Pinnock fired the visitors ahead from close range after the break, but a leveller from Danny Rowe and further strikes from substitutes Serhat Tasmedir and Jason Hardy moved Fylde above Dover in the standings.

Mitch Walker had to be on his toes early in the match to deny Rowe. The National league top scorer latched onto Sam Finley’s pass, but Dover’s stopper blocked the striker’s shot with his body.

A rampaging run from Jordan Tunnicliffe almost ended with Jack Muldoon putting the hosts ahead, but Walker was out quickly once again to smother the ball.

And Athletic’s number one was needed once again to deny the Coasters twice more.

Walker was forced to beat away Jason Taylor’s fierce strike following a Fylde corner and then minutes later, held onto Rowe’s angled drive.

Pinnock collected Ryan Bird’s pass and blasted straight down the throat of Lynch with Dover’s first meaningful attack of the half.

But the best chance of the half occurred at the other end of the pitch.

Finley’s pass found Henry Jones in space a mere few yards from goal, but the midfielder could only stab over the bar.

Fylde skipper Finley then went for the jugular himself, running and dispatching a deflected shot which Walker held comfortably,

Bird then almost gave the visitors a half time lead. The striker struck Ade Azeez’ pass into the area inches wide of Lynch’s far post.

But Dover converted their next chance when it arrived after the break.

Josh Passley escaped down the right and crossed for Azeez to head into the path of the onrushing Pinnock to blast his side in front.

Simon Grand headed against the bar via the face of Walker as the home side pushed for an equaliser.

And parity was indeed restored minutes later through their danger man Rowe.

The forward, who scored the winner at Crabble when the two sides met in November, turned his markers on the edge of the box and arrowed his 19th goal of the season into the bottom corner.

Eight minutes later the turnaround was complete via Tasmedir.

The substitute collected Finley’s pass outside the area and crashed a shot past a helpless Walker.

Bird headed Tunnicliffe’s goalbound effort off the line, but the points were wrapped up in injury time through another Fylde substitute.

Rowe released Tasdemir, and though the midfielder’s curling shot hit the post, hardy followed up to lift the ball into the roof of the net after rounding a defender.

Dover next host Leyton Orient in the league on Saturday 3rd March. Kick off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

AFC FYLDE REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

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