Category: Match Report

MATCH REPORT: DOVER 0-1 WREXHAM

Manager Andy Hessenthaler’s patched-up side suffered late heartbreak after Jordan Davies’ goal six minutes from time secured all three points for the promotion-chasing Red Dragons at Crabble.

Hessenthaler was forced to play players out of position with on-loan Crawley Town defender Harry Ranson pulling out on the morning of the match due to illness.

Millwall loanee Junior Tiensia played at right-back rather than left with Danny Collinge suspended, while Seth Nana Twumasi, who only turned up to get treatment for his knee injury, found himself replacing Ranson, and doing it in a pair of borrowed boots too!

Twumasi hasn’t trained for three weeks either, but it didn’t show as he produced an outstanding performance at the back in substitute Noah Carney’s boots.

Despite the changes, Whites made the visitors work hard and it could have been such a different result with Hessentahler’s team seeing a penalty claim waved away after TJ Bramble was bundled over by visiting captain Luke Young four minutes before half-time.

Whites hit the woodwork three times in the second half before Wrexham won it at the death after Davies’ corner eluded everyone.

The win sees Wrexham move up to fourth while Whites remain winless and bottom.

MATCH REPORT: SOUTHEND 4 – 1 DOVER

Dover’s winless run continued as they were defeated by Southend United at Roots Hall.

Rhys Murphy – a prolific goalscorer in the National League – scored twice in the first half to put his side into a controlling lead.

Dover made changes at half time and did look brighter, however went three down on the hour mark through Sam Dalby.

With 20 minutes to go, Ryan Hanson got his first goal for his hometown club as Whites looked go get back into the game, however moments later Southend’s regained their three goal lead through Jack Bridge.

Adam Parkes was forced into to good save early on after a cross into the box found Murphy, but the Watford loanee did well to deny the striker.

Murphy looked dangerous and went close for a second time in the first 20 minutes when a counter attack from the home side found its way to the ex-Republic of Ireland U21 international but his shot was just wide of the far post.

It would be third time lucky for the striker who gave the home side the lead on the half hour mark as the striker was in the right place at the right time to poke home from close range from a Zak Brunt corner.

The former Gillingham man doubled his tally and his teams lead five minutes later after sending Parkes the wrong way from the penalty spot after Travis Gregory took down Jack Bridge in the box.

Dalby added a third and put the game to bed on the hour mark after the attacker’s curling effort beat Parkes in Whites’ net.

Dover were still getting chances and almost got one back through Ben Williamson who’s shot deflected off the crossbar and over.

From the resulting corner, thoughts of a comeback was on as Whites got one back through Hanson, who was able to stick a foot out to poke the ball home.

However, the thoughts of a comeback was short-lived as moments later Southend got a fourth through Bridge when the ex-Bromley midfielder picked the ball up on the left hand side from a nice through ball and fired it into the far corner.

MATCH REPORT: DOVER 2-5 STOCKPORT COUNTY

By Alex Hoad

Koby Arthur’s stunning volley could not prevent Dover slipping to another Vanarama National League defeat at home to Stockport County on Saturday.

Whites produced perhaps their best performance of the season to battle back to go into the final half-hour level at 2-2 thanks to Arthur’s strike and Ben Wiliamson’s first goal for the club from the spot, however, the superior fitness and class of the hugely ambitious visitors proved decisive in the end as they ran-out 5-2 winners.

Boss Andy Hessenthaler handed starts to Reda Johnson and Yannis Drais and Dover made a bright start, though the early chances fell to the visitors as Ollie Crankshaw fizzed a shot past the angle of Adam Parkes’ post and bar after just four minutes and the on-loan Watford keeper held a low shot from Paddy Madden seven minutes later.

At the other end, some good hold-up play from Aaron Cosgrave saw him tee-up Arthur soon after, only for the Whites livewire to see his shot deflected just over the bar.

Ryan Hanson tried his luck with a low strike from 20 yards on 20 minutes but Scott Quigley broke the deadlock at the other end three minutes later when he collected a pull-back, cut inside, and fired in a shot that took a huge deflection and looped into the net past the helpless Parkes.

Dover rallied and were level just after the half-hour when Hanson’s quick feet saw him fouled in the box by Ethan Pye, allowing Williamson the chance to send Ethan Ross the wrong way and slot home his first Whites goal from the spot.

Dover continued to press and Danny Collinge saw a powerful goalbound header blocked on the line – possibly by teammate Johnson – as the hosts pushed for a second but three minutes before the break they were unable to clear a John Rooney corner allowing Madden to sweep home at the far post.

A thunderous 25-yard strike by ex-Bolton Wanderers captain Antoni Sarcevic came back off the underside of the bar in added time, with Quigley’s follow-up effort ruled-out for offside.

After the turnaround it took just five minutes for Dover to draw level as the impressive Arthur showcased superb technique to lash a dropping ball into the top corner on the volley from the edge of the box past the stunned Ross.

Rooney – brother of former England star Wayne -showed superb vision to beat the backpedaling Parkes with a 45-yard lob soon after but saw his audacious effort thud into the crossbar.

The pivotal moment arrived when sub Travis Gregory was denied by Ross at the far post with Williamson unable to turn in the rebound. Moments later Dover hearts were broken at the other end as the defence parted allowing Crankshaw to slot in the loose ball after a Parkes parry on 67 minutes.

The wind left Dover’s sails and the full-time visitors’ superior fitness proved telling in the final 20 minutes. Parkes had already denied Quigley and Rooney when defender Liam Hogan rose to nod home a far-post corner to make it 4-2 on 76 minutes.

Parkes patted down another rasping Quigley drive before he and Madden helped tee-up sub Ben Whitfield to tap in a stoppage-time fifth.

The defeat leaves Dover 17 points from safety with a game in hand and 32 fixtures remaining.

County, who were led by interim boss Dave Conlon after the midweek sacking of Simon Rusk, moved up to ninth, four points below the play-off places.

MATCH REPORT: DOVER 1 – 1 YATE TOWN

Ricky Miller’s first goal since his summer return to Dover ensured the club lived to fight another day in the FA Cup after earning a replay at Yate Town on Tuesday.

Miller came off the bench for the second half and scored the equaliser for Andy Hessenthaler’s side in the 61st minute after Olly Mehew had given The Southern League Premier Division South side an eighth-minute lead.

Whites finished the Fourth Qualifying Round tie with 10 men after player-coach Reda Johnson was sent off just 18 minutes after coming on as a second-half substitute.

Dover started well enough and captain Sam Wood, who was playing in midfield rather than his usual left-back, saw his effort saved by Yate goalkeeper Andy Hannah.

But it was Yate who opened the scoring, and with their first attack, when the unmarked Mehew tapped home captain Dave Sims-Burgess’ cross

Dover pressed for an equaliser and Hannah saved well from Aaron Cosgrave and Yannis Drais.

Midfielder Drais’ game soon came to an end after a horrible collision with Yate defender Will Tunnicliff saw the Frenchman leave Crabble in an ambulance with a rib injury.

He was replaced by Ryan Hanson, who was making his own injury comeback following a knee injury.

Miller got his side back on level terms when he scored from close range following good work by the impressive Cosgrave.

Johnson saw red not long after following an earlier yellow card.

The team from Gloucestershire looked to take advantage of their extra man and almost won it in stoppage time when Sam Kamara’s shot from outside the box whistled just wide of Adam Parkes’ post.

Tuesday’s replay at Lodge Park kicks-off at 7.45pm.

Earlier, Millwall loanee Junior Tiensia came back into the side after missing the past four games through injury in place of injured midfielder Koby Arthur.

MATCH REPORT: DOVER 1 – 2 BARNET

By Alex Hoad

Another Aaron Cosgrave rocket was not enough to prevent Dover falling to a third straight home defeat, going down 2-1 to Barnet in Vanarama National League on Saturday.

The on-loan AFC Wimbledon striker added another impressive long-range strike to his showreel to register his 4th goal of the campaign, but it wasn’t enough to prevent an 8th loss in 11 matches.

Whites remain 17 points from safety – thanks in large part to the league-imposed 12 point penalty – despite netting at Crabble for the second time in 4 days having begun the season with no goal in four matches at Crabble.

Barnet began the day second-bottom but made it four games unbeaten under caretaker boss Dean Brennan and climbed to 17th after another improved display.

The Bees thought they were ahead inside 90 seconds when the lively Ephron Mason-Clark fed Daniel Powell down the right and his low cross was slammed home by Mason Bloomfield, only for the goal to be disallowed for offside.Koby Arthur saw a shot deflected over the bar from 20-yards soon after, but the deadlock was eventually broken on 10 minutes as Mason-Clark drove towards the byline before sending a deep cross to the back post.

Ben Richards-Everton nodded the ball back into the centre where Bloomfield arched his neck to turn a close range header past the helpless Adam Parkes.

Whites battled back and Arthur drew a flying save from Aston Oxborough, who also turned a low Matt Bentley effort around his near post on 23 minutes.

The all-energy Cosgrave was inches away from a leveler when he flung himself at Sam Wood’s looping set-piece just before the half-hour, only to see his header trickle past the post with Oxborough stranded.

Powell flew down the left and fired a shot past the post before the break while 10 minutes after the interval, Rob Hall showed some superb trickery to create space before seeing a near-post shot blocked by Parkes.

After scoring the opener, Bloomfield turned provider for the crucial second just before the hour, threading a defence-splitting pass for Powell to run through and slot past Parkes.

Dover did halve the deficit five minutes later when the tireless Cosgrave fizzed a rocket just inside the post from well outside the box – reminiscent of his breathtaking strike at Altrincham.

Andy Hessenthaler introduced Ricky Miller and Khale Da Costa in an effort to salvage a point and Da Costa sent a diving header straight at Oxborough from a deep Miller cross with 20 minutes remaining.

Hall saw a shot blocked by Parkes and Bees sub Kian Flanagan could only find the side-netting on the break in the closing stages while Jake Goodman’s glancing header in stoppage-time went straight to the grateful keeper as Dover fell to a sixth one-goal defeat of the season so far.

MATCH REPORT: DOVER 1 – 2 ALDERSHOT TOWN

Despite scoring for the first time at Crabble this season, Whites continue to look for their first National League win after a home defeat against Aldershot Town.

Tommy Willard gave the away side the lead from a counter attack, before Aaron Cosgrave scored his and Whites’ first goal at Crabble this season to level.

Aldershot retook the lead through Toby Edser in the second half and despite efforts from Dover, they held on to take all three points.

Earlier in the day, Andy Hessenthaler made two changes from the defeat to Grimsby on Saturday, with Cosgrave and Ricky Miller coming in for Matt Bentley and Khale Da Costa.

Cosgrave almost gave Whites the perfect start within the first five minutes, however after getting past an onrushing Mitch Walker, the angle closed on him and the attacker was forced to look for options, which he almost found in Miller who was running into the box, but the pass just missed the foot of Whites’ number nine.

Moments later, Miller did get a sight at goal, but after receiving the ball outside the area, his shot was blocked by the defence.

Chances kept coming for Whites and it was Miller again who would’ve felt like he should’ve done better. Cosgrave did really well to collect a long ball before beating a defender, but after getting it into the box he squared it towards Miller who mistimed his shot with it being easily cleared.

Despite looking good coming forward, Whites needed loanee goalkeeper Adam Parkes to keep the score level when Korie Andrews ran down the right and after beating a couple of defenders fired his shot, but the goalkeeper did well to keep it out.

Cosgrave kept looking to come forward and almost gave Whites the lead, but after running into the box his shot was saved well at the near post by Walker.

These missed chances came back to haunt Dover as against the run of play, the away side went ahead through Willard. After breaking from a Whites corner, the Shots found themselves in a two on one situation with Andrews squaring it into the path of Willard to score into an open net.

First half chances were hard to come by after this, but Whites were almost level with a couple of minutes to go in the half after brilliant work by Koby Arthur who laid it off to Ben Williamson after running past three defenders, Williamson found space for a dangerous cross, however nobody could get onto the end of it as it was cleared.

Cosgrave looked dangerous throughout the whole game, and got his reward early in the second half with his first home league goal of the season. After collecting a long ball just inside the Aldershot half, the attacker found some space between him and the goal before running into it and opening his body up to shoot into the far corner from an acute angle.

Second half substitute Bentley almost completed the turn around with 20 minutes to go, but after picking up the ball and driving towards goal, he could only pull his shot wide of the target.

Edser reinstated the visitors lead with 15 minutes to go, smashing the ball past Parkes from inside the box after good link up play between Aldershot’s forwards.

Whites looked to come forward late on but Walker made easy saves from Cosgrave and TJ Bramble and Danny Collinge as the away side held on.

MATCH REPORT: DOVER 0 – 1 BROMLEY

An early goal sealed Dover’s fate as they were defeated by Bromley at Crabble.

Corey Whitely gave the visitors the lead inside the first five minutes, before Adam Parkes saved Michael Cheek’s penalty to keep the deficit at one.

Bromley looked the more attacking threat throughout the game, but Dover came into the game towards the end and almost salvaged a draw through Ben Williamson’s stunning strike which hit the post.

Earlier in the day manager Andy Hessenthaler made one enforced change from the midweek draw against Solihull Moors, with Sam Wood coming back into the side for Junior Tiensia.

Bromley looked to attack from the off and were almost ahead inside five minutes, but Whitely’s shot was well saved by Parkes.

However, Whitely was not to be denied as The Ravens took the lead moments later when his drilled effort from outside the area hit the back of the net.

Whitely was controlling the game on the left hand side and won the visitors a penalty with the game not even 15 minutes old.

Last season’s National League top scorer, Cheek, stepped up and struck it down the middle, however Parkes did well to make the stop with his feet after already diving to his left-hand side.

Shots kept coming at Parkes as the first-half continued, but the Watford loanee looked composed in the net as he saved first from Marcus Sablier’s half volley, before making a great one-on-one save with his feet to deny Jude Arthur’s attempt from inside the box.

Cheek couldn’t have come much closer to doubling the away side’s lead early in the second half as is brilliantly struck free kick struck the inside of the bar before bouncing down onto the line and cleared away by Dover.

It was then George Alexander’s turn to go close as his effort, whilst one on one with Parkes, went just wide as he looked for the far post.

Whites, who struggled going forward up to this point, then would have felt aggrieved that they weren’t awarded a penalty when Wood’s effort struck a Bromley body out for a corner, with both fans and players alike bemused that a penalty wasn’t given.

Williamson then went close to equalising as Whites grew into the game as his shot from the edge of the box was well saved by Mark Cousins.

Shortly after, Cousins had to be aware again as Ricky Miller’s free kick was tipped over the bar by the Bromley goalkeeper.

Danny Collinge then went close to equalising late on, but his header from a Wood’s corner was held well by Cousins.

Williamson, and most of the crowd, then thought he’d got the equaliser in the first minute of added time when his shot smashed off the inside of the post.

MATCH REPORT: DOVER 0 – 0 SOLIHULL MOORS

Dover got their third point of the season as they held Solihull Moors to a goalless draw at Crabble.

Both teams would have felt like they could’ve picked up all three points in a game where chances went begging for both sides.

Earlier in the day, Andy Hessenthaler made two changes from the draw with Weymouth on Saturday with Ricky Miller and Jake Goodman coming in for the injured Koby Arthur and Travis Gregory.

The away side almost went ahead immediately when Jordan Cranston’s fizzing shot was deflected wide.

The pressure kept coming by the visitors when the National League top scorer Joe Sbarra picked up the ball in the Dover half before running at the defence and testing Adam Parkes who was able to tip the curling effort around the post.

Parkes then did tremendously well to keep the scores level as the ball was threaded through to Sbarra who was through on goal, however the on loan goalkeeper made himself big to make a great save.

Whites grew into the game and almost went ahead twice in the space of thirty seconds. First, Aaron Cosgrave’s superb solo run didn’t prove rewarding as his shot was blocked by the defender, before Miller tested out Ryan Boot, forcing a save from a solo effort.

A mistake from the visiting defence, then allowed Cosgrave to run after a loose ball which would have seen him be through on goal, however Boot was able to put him off long enough for the ball to go out for a goal kick.

It was the Parkes’ turn to make a great save as he reacted really well to stop Adam Rooney’s bullet header at the front post from a corner.

All of Whites’ attacking threat looked to be coming from Cosgrave, with the on loan attacker going close again towards the end of the half as he picked up the ball from Miller, cut inside the defender, but could only hit his shot straight at Boot.

Moors started to press harder and faster in the second half and Danny Collinge did well to stop what looked like would’ve been a guaranteed goal when he got in the way of a dangerous cross towards Rooney who was the only man in the box.

Second half sub Matt Bentley looked dangerous for Whites when he came on the pitch and almost set up Junior Tiensia, however the full-back shot was deflected into the hands of Boot.

MATCH REPORT: WEYMOUTH 1 – 1 DOVER

Dover picked up only their second point of the season as they held Weymouth to a draw at the Bob Lucas Stadium.

Koby Arthur opened the scoring for Dover midway through the first half, however, Whites were pegged back just before halftime through Josh McQuoid.

Earlier in the day, Andy Hessenthaler made four changes from the midweek defeat against Eastleigh with Adam Parkes, Harry Ransom, Junior Tiensia, and Travis Gregory coming in for Josh Bexon, Jake Goodman, Sam Wood, and Ricky Miller.

Hessenthaler’s men started the game very positively and almost took an early lead after a mistake from Weymouth allowed TJ Bramble to find Aaron Cosgrave. The attacker picked the ball up well and ran towards goal, however his shot was blocked by Tyler Cordner who done well to get back.

Whites will feel hard down after this when Ben Williamson looked to have been brought down by Cordner in the area, however, the referee waved the shouts away.

Despite this, the visiting side continued to look the better side, and they got their rewards for this just after 20 minutes through Arthur whose sensational strike from outside the area gave the home goalkeeper no chance.

Williamson then nearly doubled Whites’ lead on the counter-attack, but he couldn’t get on the end of Bramble’s pass which would have seen him through on goal.

The home side started to grow into the game and was almost level when ex-White Omar Mussa’s corner found Taofiq Olomowewe, however, he couldn’t keep his shot on target.

Parkes then made a great save on his league debut to keep Whites ahead as he dived well down to his left to stop Ollie Harfield’s long-range effort.

However, the home side equalised shortly after through Josh McQuoid who kept his composure to slot past Parkes after being put through on goal.

Some heroic defending from Henry Woods kept the score level as the second half got underway. After a scramble in the box, the ball landed at the feet of Brandon Goodship whose shot is blocked brilliantly by the midfielder.

Bradley Ash then went close twice for the home team. First, a quickly taken free-kick found the forward who could only curl wide, before Parkes did well to push an effort wide after Goodship played the ball off to the forward.

Both sides had chances to take all three points as the game came to an end with Tiensia and Arthur going close for Whites and Cordner went close with a header for the Terras.

MATCH REPORT: EASTLEIGH 4 – 1 DOVER

A poor first-half performance proved costly for Dover as they were blown away by Eastleigh at the Silverlake Stadium.

Ryan Hill opened the scoring for the home side 20 minutes into the game before Harry Pritchard doubled the lead a minute later.

Ben House made it three for Eastleigh with five minutes left of the first half with Josh Hare getting the fourth in stoppage time.

Aaron Cosgrave did get one back for Whites midway through the second half but it only proved as a consolation for Dover.

Earlier in the day, Andy Hessenthaler made one change from the 0-0 draw with Chesterfield on Saturday with Ricky Miller coming back in for Travis Gregory who missed out through injury.

The home side started strong and dominated the early possession. House almost gave them the lead, however, the ball was deflected wide into the side netting, with the resulting corner coming to nothing.

Despite riding out the early storm, Dover couldn’t capitalise and Eastleigh took hold of the game with two goals in the space of a minute.

They took the lead through Hill who collected the ball well into the box before finishing it low past Josh Bexon. Straight from kick off, they doubled their lead when Pritchard got on the end of Hare’s cross to head home.

Hill almost doubled his own tally midway through the first half, but Bexon did well to make the save down to his left-hand side.

However, Eastleigh didn’t have to wait long to get a third as House’s shot from close range beat Bexon.

It got even worse for Whites as Hare fired home to add a fourth on the stroke of half time.

House looked to make it five just after half time but Bexon did well to stop the ball and make a good save.

Against the run of play, Cosgrave got one back for Whites as he did well to get on the end of a cross to decrease the deficit, however, it only proved as a consolation as Dover were easily beaten.