By Kevin Harris

Whites have been creating a number of chances recently, but only winning by the one goal, and it was widely felt that someone was going to get a thrashing. That's exactly what Lymington got, as Whites netted five goals, but it could easily have been double that.

With the injury to Danny Chapman flaring up again on Tuesday, he was unavailable for this match, so Walker chose an attacking line-up. Carl Rook regained his starting berth, and played up front with Wilkins, but with Matata and Tyne also starting, it was a side that clearly had a lot of goals in it.

Whites immediately took the game to the Linnets, with Hogg volleying over and Matata shooting on target, before keeper Mark Watson tipped Tony Browne's drive over the bar. From the resulting corner, Carl Rook's header seemed to have crossed the line, but the referee decided Lymington's Peter Smith had cleared it in time, though subsequent photos seem to suggest otherwise.

Whites then should have been awarded a penalty, when Rook's shot was clearly blocked by the hands of that man Peter Smith again, but again the officials failed to spot it. Spiller saw his shot well saved at the near post, before, with 16 minutes gone, Dover did take the lead.

A deep corner was headed back into the danger zone by Dean Readings, and Humphrey was on hand to head over the line from a few yards out.

Lymington enjoyed five minutes of increased possession, but once this was over Whites continued to threaten Phil Mitchell look-alike Mark Watson in the Linnets goal. As the crowd sung hilarious songs about Eastenders, Hogg shot over and Rook saw a header blocked and a shot well saved by the keeper's legs.

But with 37 minutes gone, the deserved second goal arrived. Rook collected a ball forward and unselfishly laid it off to Matata on the right side of the area, who proceeded to take a touch and fire the ball into the net.

James Stokoe got close to reducing the arrears for the visitors towards the end of the half, but Readings made a good saving tackle to deny the front man, before the game took an ugly turn.

Carl Rook rose to head the ball on the right touchline, but was clearly caught by the elbow of Lymington's Peter Smith. Whilst Rook was attended to by physio Frank Clarke, Smith pretended that it was merely a clash of heads, and was only given a booking for it, even though he had also committed a bad challenge on Dave Clifford ten minutes beforehand.

Rook went off to get stitches, and so Whites played the final few minutes of the half with only ten men. They still went close to adding to the lead with Wilkins' header tipped over the bar, and then Humphrey heading Spiller's cross just over.

But it was three-nil three minutes into the second period. Lymington's Danny Woods went through the back of Matata in the area, and although he had had stitches put in his head only minutes earlier, Rook stepped up to calmly slot the penalty past the keeper.

The Linnets were back in the game however within three minutes, when James Stokoe was allowed to take the ball around three men, and curled his shot past Hyde and into the net. It was a good individual goal, but Walker was understandably disappointed that the defence didn’t cut it out.

But the three goal margin was regained two minutes later, from a short corner routine by Spiller and Tyne. The latter's cross found the head of Wilkins at the far post, who headed back across goal for Rook to sweep home from a few yards out. It was his first goal in open play for the club, and although he has been playing well since his arrival, hopefully this should give him the confidence to turn his performances into goals.

Lymington made changes, and could have scored through Sean Hogan or substitute Lee Chudy, but although both got into good positions they failed to test Hyde on either occasion.

Hogg's drive was well saved by keeper Watson, before the final goal came. Danny Woods crudely fouled Spiller on the halfway line, and as Hogg fired the resultant free kick into the area, Woods got his head to the ball and sent it over his keeper and into the net.

Even though Whites made three changes in the final ten minutes, the scoreline could have been added to when Humphrey let fly with a drive from 20-yards out, but it was deflected over the bar by Linnets' captain Darren Powell.

So the game ended with an emphatic victory for the Whites, and they sent out a message of intent to the rest of the league with this performance. The attacking threat was relentless, and let's hope we can continue this against Hastings on Tuesday, but it will be a very tough match against a team that is riding high in the league.

Dover Athletic: Paul Hyde 7, Tony Browne 8, Dave Clifford 8, Dean Readings 8, Walid Matata 8 (Dale Skelton, 82mins), Nick Humphrey 8, Anthony Hogg 8, Lee Spiller (C) 9 (Kevin Lott, 80mins), Craig Wilkins 8, Tommy Tyne 8, Carl Rook 9 (James Rogers, 86mins).

Subs (Not Used): Sam Vallance, Darren Smith.

Booked: Paul Hyde (43mins), Anthony Hogg (60mins), Walid Matata (64mins)

Lymington and New Milton: Mark Watson, Sam Carter (James Wilson, 72mins), Peter Smith, Adam Lang, Darren Powell (C), Chris Smith, Trefor Smith (Lee Chudy, 54mins), Danny Woods, James Stokoe, Kevin James (John Mulhern, 58mins), Sean Hogan.

Subs (Not Used): Richard Gregory, Mike Hookway.

Booked: Sean Hogan (35mins), Peter Smith (43mins), Danny Woods (77mins)

Referee: Tony Mason

Assistants: Richard Joss and Martyn Staveley

Attendance: 752