WHITES DENIED ROVERS DOUBLE

Forest Green strike late to share points.

KIEFFER Moore’s injury-time strike denied Whites from securing a deserved double over their promotion rivals.

Moses Emmanuel had headed Dover in front midway through the second half at the New Lawn.

The match kicked off forty minutes late due to a power cut in the area.

Dover restricted their hosts until the half-hour mark, debutant Shamir Mullings’ header on target was deflected over by Aswad Thomas.

Ricky Miller, scorer of a hat trick in the 4-3 win against Rovers at Crabble in September, struck from a similar distance to his then winner, forcing Sam Russell into a spectacular save.

Moore almost put the hosts in the driving seat before half time, Steve Arnold diving bravely at the feet of the target man after he was released by Liam Noble.

Whites almost scored from the restart, Miller finding Emmanuel and his flicked effort spun just past the post.

Both teams created chances, Mullings fired straight at Arnold from close range, while Lafayette failed to beat Russell when well placed.

Dover broke the deadline after Ricky Modeste’s pinpoint cross found the head of Emmanuel, who in spite of Russell’s best efforts, found the top corner with his ninth goal of the season.

Forest Green went to close to levelling almost immediately as Moore fired just wide from an angle.

The home side piled on the pressure and with time running out Arnold blocked Pinnock’s free header and Richard Orlu sensationally cleared Moore’s clever lob off the line.

Moore finally took his chance at the death, bundling home after Shamir Mullings had headed Liam Noble’s corner back across the goalmouth.

Earlier, Dover made one enforced change from their midweek FA Trophy loss to Dartford. Modeste came in for a sick Jim Stevenson, while Sammy Moore’s hamstring injury kept him sidelined for a third consecutive game.

Forest Green made five changes from their extra time win over Truro on Tuesday. Darren Carter, Charlie Cooper, Marcus Kelly, Mullings and Moore came in for Dale Bennett, Fabien Robert, Dan Wishart, Christian Doidge and Keanu Marsh-Brown.

The draw sees Dover remain in sixth, one point behind fifth-placed Barrow. Whites play host to Kent neighbours Maidstone on Boxing day.

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”174″ gal_title=”Forest Green Rovers v DAFC 17/12/2016″]