Keith Scott and Tommy Tyne were unable to beat Steve Dickinson on Saturday afternoon.

Dover somehow managed to come away with nothing from this must win fixture against a less than impressive Southport side, despite having twice as many efforts on goal as the visitors and four times as many shots on target.

The size of the task facing caretaker manager Clive Walker should not be underestimated. The Whites remain in the relegation zone and have played two more games than the sides immediately above them. With no money to improve Dover's already depleted squad, and doubts over the long-term off-the-pitch future of the club, Walker has a mission every bit as tough as the one he and Bill Williams faced when they first arrived at the club five years ago.

Injury to Matt Carruthers and Lee Shearer's suspension again forced Walker to select a makeshift side. Dover were at least strengthened by the return to Crabble of Ben White. The Gillingham youngster was begining a second loan period with the Whites following his impressive displays with Dover last season. Playing with three centre-halves, Steve Norman moved inside from his normal wing-back role to play on the left of the back three whilst Darren Davies reverted to the left wing-back role from his normal defensive midfield position. Midfielder Jamie Day operated at right wing-back as White slotted into the midfield three alongside Jimmy Strouts and Neil Le Bihan.

It was Dover, shooting towards the River End, that had the best of the early chances. Davies cutting in from the left shouted for Tyne to leave the ball for him but his low shot was blocked at the near post by Southport keeper Dickinson. Jimmy Strouts came even closer, crashing a shot against the bar as the ball dropped for him from a corner.

Neil Le Bihan was the pick of the Dover players.

Neil Le Bihan was in inspired form for Athletic and was at the heart of Dover's best play. Vowden and Leberl looked good at the back but they were caught out on 27 minutes when Steve Whitehall poked Lane's corner into the net on his 35th birthday.

Keith Scott could and should have put Dover back on level terms before the interval. Dover's top scorer powered through the middle to find himslef one-on-one with Dickinson. Scott did everything right except for his finish, which rolled a couple of yards wide of the far post.

Throughout the afternoon Dickinson's handling was faultless. He claimed every cross cleanly, leaving Tyne and Scott little to pounce on.

In the second period only a fine block from Paul Hyde prevented Parke from doubling Southport's lead.

There were some good individual performances from Dover, but there were also too many players who had quiet games. In the former category, as well as Le Bihan, Leberl and Vowden, Jamie Day deserves a mention for a workman like display in the unfamiliar wing-back role. He has received a lot of criticism this season but his application could not be faulted. However, normally reliable performers such as Tommy Tyne, Darren Davies and Ben White were not at their best. Davies and Tyne were replaced in the second half, by Chris Allen and John Ovard respectively.

Corners represented Dover's best chance of equalising, and it was from one Steve Norman kick that the Whites had their best opportunity. Somehow a combination of weak finishing, goalkeeper Dickinson, and an unfortunate block by Ovard kept the ball out in a desperate scramble in the Southport six-yard box.

Athletic now have a very tough few weeks. Barnet visit Crabble next Saturday. The high-flying Londoners thoroughly outplayed Dover at Underhill in August so the Whites will have to be on top of their game to get anything from that match. Then comes the small matter of the first ever East Kent derbies at Conference level. Dover travel to Hartsdown on Boxing Day and host Margate at Crabble on New Years Day. With local pride at stake these are games that are impossible to call. Margate haven't won in eight and the Whites are still misfiring. With games already running out (only 19 Conference matches remain before the end of the season), Dover must dig deep and get a decent haul of points from the next three games or 2002 could be a very bleak year.

Ben White on his return to Crabble.

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