The Weston Homes Stadium

Whites exited the Emirates FA Cup on Sunday, but Andy Hessenthaler’s men put up a brave fight against their League One opponents.

Ivan Toney spectacularly fired Posh ahead early on, but a spirited Dover fashioned chances with Will De Havilland, Bobby-Joe Taylor and Jack Munns all going close in the second half, before late goals from Frankie Kent and Mohamed Eisa sent Peterborough into the hat for Monday evening’s third round draw.

The hosts went ahead in some style with the game’s first shot on target.

Toney lashed in a first-time dipping volley over visiting keeper Lee Worgan from 35-yards after De Havilland’s defensive header had fallen towards Posh’s top scorer.

Toney was almost at it again with another volley, smashing Eisa’s cross narrowly wide of the target following a swift counter attack.

Shooting when the ball was in midair seemed a common theme for United, with Louis Reed slamming an effort straight at Worgan from the edge of the box.

Taylor sent a free-kick sailing over the bar for Dover and home fans were groaning when Eisa squandered the chance to double Boro’s lead.

A quickly taken set piece released Joe Ward, but striker Eisa could only slice his teammate’s pass wide from six yards with the goal at his mercy.

Marcus Maddison then blazed over after being sent clear by Toney as Athletic remained just one goal down at the break.

Posh continued to create chances and after the restart Worgan was called into action to rescue his side.

Worgan turned Eisa’s curling shot behind with his fingertips after the striker ran clear of Dover’s defence and opted to shoot rather than pass the ball across goal to the lieing-in-wait Toney.

Toney was then given an opportunity himself, this time by Fraser Blake-Tracey from out wide, but headed inches over the bar.

Worgan stopped Eisa again, pushing behind his low drive after the striker was unselfishly fed by Toney.

Will De Havilland then had home stopper Christy Pym scampering across his goalline line to catch the defender’s header from Kurtis Cumberbatch’s deep cross.

Michael Woods then scooped over Ricky Modeste’s lay-off and Pym dived onto Taylor’s right-footed strike.

Jack Munns then went closest for Dover, collecting sub Nassim L’Ghoul’s pass and curling the ball onto the outside of the post with Pym a mere spectator.

And just minutes later Peterborough’s passage into the third round was sealed.

Maddison’s corner was stabbed in, via the base of the near post, by Posh defender Frankie Kent.

And Eisa sealed victory for Boro, slotting in sub Serhat Tasdemir’s pass with six minutes remaining.

Earlier, boss Hessenthaler made five changes to the side that started against Maidenhead on Tuesday.

Worgan, Cumberbatch, De Havilland, Rigg and Modeste all came in with Yusuf Mersin named as a substitute, Inih Effiong, Aaron Simpson and Oscar Gobern all missing out through injury and Ruel Sotiriou returning to parent club Leyton Orient following a one-month loan spell at Crabble.

Whites next host Boreham Wood in the National League on Saturday 7th December, kick off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION