The Hive

A stoppage-time header from Inih Effiong gave Dover a first-ever win against Barnet on Tuesday evening.

The substitute headed in after home keeper Scott Loach had parried Jai Reason’s long-range strike.

The victory sees Andy Hessenthaler’s side extend their unbeaten league run on the road to six matches.

Early on, Jack Taylor peeled off his man from a corner, only to send his effort from the penalty spot high into the stand containing 143 visiting fans.

At the other end, Steven Rigg headed Kevin Lokko’s centre off-target following a free kick.

The first shot of the match came from Kurtis Cumberbatch’s curling effort from the edge of the area, only for home goalie Scott Loach to punch the shot away.

Barnet’s top scorer Simeon Akinola sprinted onto a long ball, however man-of-the-match Will De Havilland arrived in the nick of time to head back to visiting stopper Lee Worgan.

Jack Taylor blazed high over the bar from 20-yards seconds after the restart and Akinola couldn’t quite connect to Ephron Mason-Clark’s fizzed ball across the penalty area.

Worgan was then called into action to save Barnet’s first shot on target.

Dover’s stopper stuck out a strong arm to stop Medy Elito’s bullet header at the back post, with James Dunne off target with his follow-up header.

Worgan wasn’t finished there, flinging himself across goal to palm away Dunne’s curling effort.

Bobby-Joe Taylor went closest to scoring, clipping the top of the crossbar with a fierce 25-yard drive.

Sub Effiong sprinted clear with five minutes remaining, however, Bees captain Callum Reynolds saved his side with a last-ditch challenge.

But Effiong was not to be denied and netted his first goal of the campaign in the third minute of stoppage-time to lift Dover to fourth on the National League table, one point behind current leaders Solihull Moors.

Earlier, boss Hessenthaler made four changes to the side that started the 2-1 win against Wrexham on Saturday. Cumberbatch, Taylor, Ricky Modeste and Bilal Hinchiri replaced Effiong, Aaron Simpson, Oscar Gobern and Jack Munns.

Whites next host Torquay United on Saturday 17th August, kick-off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

BARNET REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

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TWO second-half goals at The Hive saw Whites lose their four-match National League unbeaten run in Saturday’s lunchtime kick-off in front of the BT Sport cameras.

Jack Taylor volleyed in to put Barnet ahead on 56 minutes and substitute Mauro Vilhete sealed the points in injury time.

Earlier, Taylor tried his luck from range early on but blasted over for the home side.

Wesley Fonguck then went for goal from a similar distance, seeing his low drive deflected narrowly wide.

Dan Sweeney headed a corner off-target as the Bees continued to have the better of the first half.

But Whites were the first team to register a shot on target.

From a corner, Stuart Lewis fired goalwards, however, Mark Cousins dived low to parry the midfielder’s shot.

The Barnet stopper was needed again soon after, grabbing onto Anthony Jeffrey’s low strike.

Inih Effiong then went close, collecting Jeffrey’s cross and crashing a volley inches over the crossbar.

Dover’s striker then diverted Bobby-Joe Taylor’s drive goalwards, only for the Barnet defence to hack the ball clear.

Following the restart, Ephron Mason-Clark missed the best opportunity of the match so far.

After Kevin Lokko missed his header, the midfielder sprinted clear and after rounding Walker, smacked the ball against the back stanchion with just the covering Mitch Brundle to beat on the goalline.

But Taylor spared his teammates blushes with the opening goal just moments later.

A long ball from defender Callum Reynolds found Taylor in space to place a first-time volley past the outstretched Walker.

Mason-Clark tried to atone for his earlier miss in spectacular fashion, curling a 25-yard effort just wide.

Effiong had a good chance to level, taking advantage of hesitation from Elliott Johnson to bear down on goal, but Athletic’s top scorer lashed wide from an angle.

Mauro Vilhete was denied by Walker on two successive occasions. First, after an attempted clearance fell the way of the substitute with the stopper bravely blocked his shot.

Walker then tipped over a Vilhete header from a corner to keep Whites’ in the contest.

And Medy Elito clipped the top of the Dover crossbar with a curling effort from the edge of the area.

Vilhete was not to be denied as the attacker wrapped up three points in injury-time, finishing off a slick Barnet counter-attack to end a run of three consecutive home league defeats for John Still’s men.

Earlier, boss Andy Hessenthaler made one change to the side that started their last league game against Fylde. Ricky Modeste, after signing for Dover last week for a second time, replaced the injured Jai Reason and other new arrival Scott Doe was named as a substitute.

Whites next host Maidstone United in the National League on Boxing Day, kick off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION