Report

A LATE penalty denied Dover a first win of the season in the Kent derby.

Tim Schmoll’s handball was duly punished by Frankie Sutherland’s fierce spot-kick two minutes from time after goals from Jamie Allen and Kevin Lokko had cancelled out Dan Johnson’s early opener for the hosts.

Whites almost made a great start, Allen lobbing wide after latching onto Mitch Brundle’s ball – instead, it was a perfect beginning for the home team after three minutes.

Defender Johnson strode forward and fired a deflected effort into the bottom corner of Mitch Walker’s net.

Dover responded and a long throw from Brundle, flicked on by Schmoll, almost reached Allen, but home keeper David Gregory was faster than Dover’s striker to the ball.

But Allen did not have the wait long for his first goal of the season.

Josh Passley’s exquisite pass found Brundle and after beating his man, Athletic’s skipper fizzed in a pass for Allen to slot in.

Gregory then needed to be at his best to stop the visitors taking a 2-1 lead.

The stopper stretched to tip Brundle’s 30-yard piledriver onto the top of the crossbar.

George Porter’s swirling volley flew past the wrong side of the post and Allen was furious to see the referee wave away the claims his header crossed the line.

Following the restart, Walker was quick off his line to beat Bobby-Joe Taylor to a long ball.

And Brundle went close once again, bustling through the Bromley defence and curling an effort narrowly off target.

The Dover pressure continued and a flowing move involving Nortei Nortey and Allen ended with Passley seeing his shot blocked at Gregory’s near post.

Jack Connors was in the right place on the back post to stop Omar Bugiel’s header from creeping in from a corner.

But Connors had a big say as Whites’ went ahead for the first time this season.

Substitute Reece Meechams kicked the ball against the defender, allowing Connors to whip in a ball for the lying-in-wait Lokko to slide home into the far corner.

Brundle had his hands on his head after his free-kick only just cleared the bar.

And substitute Kadell Daniel could only curl wide as Dover hit Bromley on the counter-attack.

Those misses proved costly as Sutherland converted his penalty to ensure the points were shared.

Earlier, boss Chris Kinnear named the same side that started the previous match against Wrexham.

Whites next travel to Gateshead on Saturday 11th August.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

BROMLEY REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

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