Dover Athletic 1
Calais
Racing
Union
0
Hoverspeed Channel Cup
Saturday
16 July 2005
Dover Athletic: Darren Smith (Paul Hyde, 46mins),
Tony Browne, Daniel Braithwaite (James Rogers, 57mins
(James Gregory, 86mins)), Dean Readings, Craig Cloke (Sam Vallance,
76mins), Nicky Humphrey, Tom Hickman (Dale Skelton,
71mins), Lee Spiller (C) (Dave Clifford,
89mins), Craig Wilkins (Walid Matata,
46mins), Tommy Tyne (Chris Wright,
71mins), Anthony Hogg (Rob Smidmore,
84mins).
Subs: Dale Skelton,
James Rogers, Walid Matata, Sam Vallance, Chris Wright, Paul
Hyde, Laurence Ball, Dave Clifford, James Gregory, Rob
Smidmore.
Calais Racing Union from: C Schille, A
Rappin, M Vasseur, C Meirsman, K Hurtrel, C Liebart, M
Millien, J Briesmalien, G Vasseur, M Hoguet, M Daikite, N
Devilliers, Y Piedbois, S Marques, M Boulanger, N Basile,
Loorius, J Jandau, M Playe, K St Georges, C Rollet, F Baron, J
Dutitre.
Attendance: 502
Whites started their
pre-season fixtures with a comfortable 1-0 win over their
French neighbours,
Calais
, picking up their
first silverware in the process. The Hoverspeed Channel Cup
match was an unfriendly affair, but a Craig Cloke header
midway through the first half sealed the
win.
The game gave fans the
opportunity to assess the teams chances for the season, and
take a look at the four players brought in during the close
season. Tony Browne, Lee Spiller and Tommy Tyne were of course
returning after a year at Welling, with keeper Darren Smith
the only new face (apart from those that saw him on the bench
for us at Wealdstone at the end of last season). All were
handed starting berths in a
3-5-2 formation, with Tony
Browne and Danny Braithwaite as wing-backs.
The game kicked off 45
minutes late, and despite the sweltering heat it was the
Whites who were first out of the blocks. Our attacking threat
forced the first corner of the game with only four minutes
gone, and Wilkins was unlucky to see his header sail just over
the bar.
Although Millien went
close for the French, Whites continued to look the better
side, and Hickman went close with a drive that just evaded the
angle of the goal, following a corner.
But with 22 minutes on
the clock, Whites first goal of the 2005/06 season arrived.
Spillers deep corner found Wilkins, who headed back into the
danger area where Cloke was on hand to head
home.
An uncharacteristic
mistake by Tony Browne almost gave
Calais
a
way back in immediately, but Darren Smith made a superb tip
over from Daikite, before Whites attempted to increase their
lead prior to the interval. As Wilkins headed the ball down,
Humphrey almost touched it home, but he was curtailed by an
offside flag.
The final action of
the half again had Wilkins at the heart of it, as his header
hit the stanchion of the goal, but the score remained at 1-0
as the sides took a well-earned break.
Calais changed their complete side for
the second period, whilst Whites made only two changes. Paul
Hyde replaced debutant Darren Smith, and Walid Matata took the
place of Craig Wilkins.
The
second half was a rather tepid affair, with both sides clearly
struggling in the heat, and so chances were at a premium.
Vasseur headed wide when well placed for the visitors, but the
better chances were falling to the Whites.
Although the side has only
been back in training just over a week, they have clearly been
working on set pieces, as a quick short kick was played to
Tyne, who crossed from the by-line to Spiller. Some in the
ground thought hed scored, but his header flew into the side
netting instead.
Another free kick
caused danger in the
Calais
defence, when Hogg
curled in from the right, and Cloke connected to direct it
goalwards. Unfortunately it was blocked for a corner, but
Whites were showing promising signs coming forward against a
side well placed in the French league
set-up.
There were a flurry of
substitutions throughout the second half, and one of those,
Chris Wright, got into a good position with around five
minutes to go. But unfortunately he shot at the near post
rather than laying the ball back, to the annoyance of his
team-mates, and the final chance of the match had gone
begging.
So Whites
started their season with a very encouraging win, and lifted
their first trophy in the process. The side performed well
considering it was their first match, and fans will have left
Crabble optimistic for the coming season.
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