Dover Athletic 0-1 Bath City - We were well below our best today, admits Nicky Forster

DOVER ATHLETIC  0-1  BATH CITY
The FA Cup with Budweiser Fourth Qualifying Round
Saturday 29^th October 2011
Paul Parkinson reports from Crabble

DOVER ATHLETIC’S FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round jinx returned as Bath City overcame their problems this season to claim a First Round Proper berth with a 1-0 win at the Crabble.  

Andy Gallinagh’s header, 45 seconds into the second half, settled the tie in favour of the Blue Square Conference Premier visitors, as Dover Athletic failed to produce the form that had seen them unbeaten in six since manager Nicky Forster’s arrival.

Forster said: “We’re disappointed obviously to go out of the competition.  I think we can accept being beaten, but it was the manner in which we were beaten.  As a group we were well below our best today.

“I think we huffed and puffed with little cutting edge all over the field today, but we didn’t get enough ammunition up to the front and didn’t look to hurt them that much.  

“We didn’t move the ball quick enough, have the tempo that we needed, and we conceded a poor goal.  From that they grew in stature and, with all respect to Bath, I’d thought we could win the game and go further in the competition.  But we weren’t at our best.”

Although only eight places separated Dover (who reached the Third Round last season after wins over League Two sides Gillingham and Aldershot Town before going out at Huddersfield Town) and Bath in the league pyramid, the fortunes of the two clubs this season couldn’t have been more contrasting up to this point.  Dover’s recent form had seen them climb to Seventh place in Blue Square Bet South, whereas Bath had won just one game in the Conference National, lying bottom, nine points adrift of safety.

With the confidence of their recent form behind them, Dover started the game quicker, using the pace of Leon Redwood on the left wing to terrorise the Bath defence, in particular stand-in full-back Sekani Simpson.  

It was a Redwood cross that brought the first chance of the game after 8 minutes, with Barry Cogan heading into the side netting at the back post from a narrow angle.

Dover had the ball in the net four minutes later, with George Purcell tapping in from close range after Ollie Schulz had met Cogan’s corner, but the referee’s whistle had already sounded for a foul by Schulz on opposite number Gethin Jones.

Bath tried to play a fast pressing game, disrupting Dover’s attempts to pass out from the back, and their first chance in the game came on the half hour, as Lee Phillips capitalised on a Dover mistake to release the outstanding Marley Watkins.  As Watkins drove into the area, Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz did enough with a sliding tackle to slow down the Bath midfielder, allowing Tom Wynter to clear.

Soon after, Bath also saw a goal’ruled out for a foul, as Alex Russell stabbed the ball home following Jones’ header, but again, Mr Brook’s whistle brought play back, this time for a foul on Jaimez-Ruiz.

Dover closed the half on top, as Purcell saw a spectacular effort turned over the bar by an equally acrobatic save from veteran Bath keeper, Glyn Garner.  Cogan’s cross was slightly behind Purcell, but somehow the forward managed to get a firm contact with a heel flick, that arrowed towards the top left corner until Garner’s intervention saved the day.

With their first effort of the second half, just 45 seconds after the restart, Bath capitalised on Wynter’s poor clearance to take what would prove to be a decisive lead.  

A Marc Canham corner from the left was met at the near post by Jones’ header.  Jaimez-Ruiz somehow managed to turn the effort onto the bar, but the ball rebounded into the path of Andy Gallinagh, who had signed an extended loan deal from Cheltenham Town 24 hours earlier, to head in from close range.

The visitors could have extended their lead on 52 minutes, as Lee Phillips’ sliding volley from a Paul Stonehouse cross cleared the bar by inches.  

Stonehouse, a late replacement for Lewis Hogg who was injured during the warm-up, was instrumental in most of Bath’s good play in the second half, and set up a Canham effort that Jaimez-Ruiz did well to turn over.

In response to falling behind, Forster sent on Harry Baker and Kyle Vassel, and Baker’s pace and cross from the left created a good chance for Purcell, whose header flashed across goal but past the right hand post.

In desperation, Dover resorted to hitting the ball long, but it was Bath who came closest to scoring again.  

Jamie Cook, who last year played against Manchester United in the Fifth Round at Old Trafford for Crawley Town, picked up the ball in the middle of the Dover half.  Cook, on for Phillips, dribbled past two to the edge of the area, but Jaimez-Ruiz was able to claim his weak left foot flick with ease.

One note of comfort for the Dover supporters is that boss Forster won’t lie down after today’s defeat.  He reflected on his time at the club so far, and came out fighting, stating, “From our point of view, we knew there would be a time when we wouldn’t win.  We’ve had a fantastic reception since coming here,  so we need to put things into context.  We’ve lost one game in 7, so we’ve been delighted with the start, but we know a defeat would come.  It’s just the manner in which we were beaten today is disappointing, but it’s how we respond from here.  We’ll draw a line under it, look for a response and go again.

“Let’s put this into perspective.  I’m disappointed with the performance, we all should be and we all are, but it’s been a magnificent achievement over the last four weeks.  We’ve pushed on and got ourselves where we want to be.  The playoffs are our priority, so it gives us a chance to concentrate on that, so it’s how we respond now from this defeat.  That’s the test of a good team.  Not how you react following a win, but coming back to winning ways after you’ve lost."”

Dover Athletic:  Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz, Shane Huke, Tom Wynter, Agustin Battipiedi (Nathan Ashton 74), Ollie Schulz, Ed Harris, Barry Cogan, Glen Southam, James Walker (Harry Baker 54), George Purcell, Leon Redwood (Kyle Vassel 54).
Subs:  Phil Starkey, Sam Cutler, Ross Kitteridge, Luke I’Anson.

Bath City:  Glyn Garner, Sekani Simpson, Paul Stonehouse, Jim Rollo, Gethin Jones, Adam Connolly, Lee Phillips (Jamie Cook 74), Marc Canham, Marley Watkins, Alex Russell (Mark Preece 90), Andy Gallinagh.
Subs: Scott Murray, Lewis Hogg, Danny Webb, Jason Matthews, Ben Swallow.

Goal: Andy Gallinagh 46

Attendance: 922
Referee: Mr Carl Brook (St Leonards, East Sussex)
Assistants: Mr Graham Kane (Ditchling, East Sussex) and Mr John Pike (Hurstpierpoint, East Sussex)
Fourth Official: Mr Colin Mallows (Burgess Hill, West Sussex)