Dover Athletic 0-0 AFC Wimbledon - We rode our luck today, admits Brown

Table-topping Ryman Premier Leaguers, Dover Athletic, were by far the better side for most of this FA Cup Third Qualifying Round showdown, in front of a sunkissed crowd of 2,710.

Hardworking striker, Shaun Welford, squandered a hat-trick of excellent chances for the Kent side, but they had to settle for a draw and a lucrative trip to Kingsmeadow on Tuesday night, but go into that full of confidence after making their high-flying Blue Square South visitors feel very nervous indeed.

Brown, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards, admitted “we rode our luck today,” He added: “I’m a very relieved manager. I thought Dover were excellent today and caused us all sorts of problems, more than what we’ve been caused all year and on another day, could have had at least two or three goals.”

Dover Athletic, who went into this game having won all off their last ten games, were already without the likes of playmaking midfielder Jon Wallis (hamstring), striker Giuliano Grazioli (back) and defenders Craig Cloke and Ollie Schulz.

Goalkeeper John Whitehouse was added to that list when he injured his thump during the warm-up and Rob Lindley made his second start of the season - keeping his second clean sheet in the process.

Lindley made a morale-boosting save inside the opening five minutes as he smothered the ball from Jon Main’s feet after the former Tonbridge Angels striker latched onto Danny Kedwell’s pass.

That was after a angled Frannie Collin shot caused difficulties in the AFC Wimbledon defence, one that was missing skipper Jason Goodliffe and Alan Inns, and then Alan Pouton’s drilled angled shot was cleared off the line following Sammy Moore’s out-swinging corner from the right.

Nine-goal hit-man Main should have done better with his head in front of a packed River End, but he planted his header past the left-hand post after Chris Hussey delivered a 15^th minute free-kick from the inside left-channel.

But Dover Athletic should have opened the scoring with the best chance off the first half just three minutes later.

Moore played the ball inside to Collin who in turn released attacking left-back down the flank and his cross dropped into Welford’s path with the goal at his mercy, but the former Ramsgate striker cracked a right-footed volley from eight-yards, which ballooned over Andy Little’s crossbar.

The one and only time that the ball found the back of the net came in the 34^th minute, but Kedwell’s headed goal was ruled out.

The striker, who has played for numerous clubs here in Kent, met Hussey’s corner from the right, but had nudged the goalkeeper in the air before thumping his header into the net from inside the six-yard box.

Dover Athletic were playing really well during the first half, to the delight of the home faithful and Collin’s angled right-footed stung Little’s fingers, when he saved at the second attempt, at his near post.

Whatever Brown said to the Blue Square South side during the interval, had the desired effect as they had their best spell early in the second half.

Winger, Sam Hatton whipped in a teasing curling cross from the right, which had Lindley flapping at the near post, which bounced off the crossbar; central midfielder Kennedy Adjei’s low shot brought a comfortable low save from Lindle and another chance came their way, on the counter attack when Kedwell slid the ball for Main, whose right-footed drive brought a low save from Lindley, who parried the ball before pouncing on it before Kedwell could.

But Dover Athletic rode the storm and called Little into action on the hour-mark.

Moore rolled his corner back to Lee Browning, who, instead of shooting, slid the ball back to Moore, who whipped in the cross from the right. This was met by solid defender Lawrence Ball, whose flick was beaten out by Little at his near post.

Impressive winger Tony Finn was lively throughout and he flashed an angled right-footed drive just past the post.

However, the rest of the game belonged to the Kent side, especially after the introduction of pacy winger, Jerahl Hughes.

And they really should have sealed a deserved victory, following their seventh (out of nine) corner of an entertaining game.

Moore delivered the ball from the right and this was met by Welford’s towering header, which bounced agonisingly off the crossbar and AFC Wimbledon were able to live another day.

With AFC Wimbledon hanging on, Welford squandered yet another chance two minutes into time added on.

Sam Jones appeared to over-hit the ball to fellow substitute Hughes down the right, but Hughes managed to keep the ball in and crossed from the by-line but Welford’s header was once again off target.

Dover Athletic boss, Andy Hessenthaler, was delighted with the performance from his players, as they impressed in front of their largest crowd of the season.

“I thought it was an outstanding performance by our players,” he told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“I thought it wouldn’t have been an injustice to come in at half-time three-nil up really. The opportunities we created in the first half, we certainly would have come in at half-time in the lead, but unfortunately we didn’t.

“We just said to the players second half ‘keep performing’ and to be fair to them, second half, we didn’t start as well and all credit to them. They came out of the blocks and caused us a few problems second half.

“They had a good spell, then we pulled ourselves together really, brought on (Jerahl) Hughes, who gives us that extra inputs going forward with a bit of pace.

“I don’t think we wanted the game to finish at the end because I think there was only one winner really. I felt we needed another ten minutes - we would have won it but we didn’t but credit to the players.”

Hessenthaler added: “There’s a lot of belief we can go there Tuesday night and win this game.”

Despite his hat-trick of missed chances, Welford received nothing but praise from his manager.

“I thought he was tremendous, he deserved a goal on his performance and I felt for him a bit because I would have loved, the one that hit the bar, I would have loved to see that to have gone in because he deserved it,” said Hessenthaler.

“His effort and his desire was second to none and our biggest criticism was that he hasn’t scored.

“You need a Shaun Welford at your club because he brings the best out of other people.”

Hessenthaler also praised second choice goalkeeper Lindley, who did what he had to well against a Wimbledon front-two that failed to shine like we know they can.

“We had to throw young Rob Lindley in there in the deep end and I thought he done fantastic today,” said Hessenthaler. “It couldn’t have been easy for the kid.”

Dover Athletic: Rob Lindley, Matt Fish, Sam Gore, Dean Hill, Lawrence Ball, John Keister, Sammy Moore, Alan Pouton (Jerahl Hughes 70), Shaun Welford, Frannie Collin, Lee Browning (Sam Jones 86).
Subs: James Rogers, Andy Hessenthaler, Nathan Bailey, John Whitehouse, Michael Walsh.

Booked: Matt Fish 15, Lawrence Ball 72

AFC Wimbledon: Andy Little, Luke Garrard, Chris Hussey, Kennedy Adjei, Ben Judge, Jake Leberl, Sam Hatton, Tom Davis, Danny Kedwell, Jon Main (Belal Aiteouakrim 81), Tony Finn.
Subs: Michael Haswell, James Pullen, Belal Aiteouakrim, Luke Pigden, Chris Sullivan, Dean Mason.

Booked: Chris Hussey 65

Attendance: 2,710
Referee: Mr David Rock (Hatfield, Hertfordshire)
Assistants: Mr Bernard Morss (Barkway, Hertfordshire) & Mr Michael Cottee (Hornchurch, Essex)

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