Dover Athletic FC v Eastleigh FC

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Date Time League Season Attendance Dover Star Player Home Scorers
25th February 2017 3:00 pm National League 2016-2017 1,164 Ricky Miller Miller (4, 72, 80)

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RICKY Miller’s fourth hat-trick of the season ensured there was no happy return to Eastleigh for Richard Hill at Crabble on Saturday.

Caretaker boss Hill, who was in charge of his first game since Martin Allen’s sacking last Wednesday, could only watch as Dover condemned the Hampshire side to fourth consecutive National League defeat.

Miller struck in either half to take his league tally to 30 and 35 overall as boss Chris Kinnear’s side completed the double over the Spitfires to remain fifth ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Woking.

Home fans didn’t have to wait long to celebrate a goal – Miller opened the scoring after just three minutes.

Eastleigh goalkeeper Ryan Clarke parried Nicky Deverdics’ shot and predator Miller finished it off from close range.

Hill, who was in charge at Eastleigh between 2012 and 2015 and guided them to promotion into the National League before resigning, saw his side respond with former Dover loanee, central defender, Ayo Obileye, heading well over Steve Arnold’s bar.

Ross Stearn blazed over after being released by James Constable before Craig McAllister’s dangerous cross just failed to find an onrushing Tyler Garrett as Eastleigh looked for a quick reply.

Miller headed a Deverdics free-kick wide after the striker had been bundled over just outside the box.

But it was the visitors, who are are still searching for their first win of 2017, who came closest to scoring with almost the last kick of the first half.

Constable’s smart turn and half volley whistled just past the frame of Arnold’s goal.

Dover boss Kinnear was forced into making a change at half-time with Ricky Modeste struggling with a knee problem and he was replaced by James Hurst.

Miller started the second half as he finished the first, seeing an effort go wide before team-mate Ross Lafayette, playing against his former club, and wearing a bandage to protect a cut forehead from a first-half collision, saw an effort deflected away.

Lafayette then saw a couple of efforts saved by Clarke before both he and the goalkeeper played their part in Dover doubling their advantage in the 71st minute.

Miller found himself on the end of Lafayette’s clever chest down and Clarke let Miller’s half-volley slip through his grasp and roll into the net.

Eight minutes later, Miller completed his treble after robbing defender Adam Dugdale, who pulled up with a groin injury in the process, before curling past Clarke.

Earlier, Kinnear made one change with Eastleigh loanee Connor Essam not able to play against his parent club.

That saw Bondz N’Gala make his debut for Dover against his former club and he gave an impressive first performance in the heart of the defence.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”183″ gal_title=”DAFC v Eastleigh 25/02/17″]

Dover Athletic

18Steve Arnold Goalkeeper
2Sam Magri Defender
21Bondz N’Gala Defender
6Richard Orlu Defender
15Jamie Grimes Defender, (c)
3Aswad Thomas 16 Defender
7Ricky Modeste 27 Midfielder
9Private: Ricky Miller 17 Forward 4', 72', 80'
26Joe Healy Midfielder
32Nicky Deverdics Midfielder 4'
25Ross Lafayette Forward 72'
30'
11Mitchell Pinnock Forward
16Tyrone Sterling 3 Defender Thomas 85'
17Moses Emmanuel 9 Forward Miller 82'
23Jack Parkinson Defender
27James Hurst 7 Midfielder Modeste 46'
  3 3 2 1

First Team Manager: Chris Kinnear

Eastleigh FC

31Ryan Clarke Goalkeeper
20Gavin Hoyte Defender 56'
24Ayo Obileye Defender
5Adam Dugdale 29 Defender
3Mike Green Defender
14Sam Togwell Midfielder, (c) 45'
36Ben Strevens Midfielder
33Tyler Garratt Midfielder
11Ross Stearn 7 Midfielder
19Craig McAllister Forward
9James Constable 18 Forward
7Mekhi McLeod 11 Midfielder Stearn 75'
8Ben Close Midfielder
18Scott Wilson 9 Forward Constable 75'
29Hakan Odoffin 5 Defender Dugdale 82'
37Graham Stack Goalkeeper
  3 2

First Team Manager: Richard Hill

Substitutions
3
3
Goals
3
0
Assists
2
0
Yellow Cards
1
2
Red Cards
0
0

Officials

RefereeReferee's AssistantsFourth Official
Antony CogginsGregory Read
Wayne Cartmel
Jack Packman

Ground

Crabble Athletic Ground
40 Crabble Rd, Dover, Kent CT17 0QJ, UK