Dover Athletic 1-1 Tooting & Mitcham United - We have to settle for the play-offs, says Walker

DOVER ATHLETIC 1-1 TOOTING & MITCHAM UNITED
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 10^th March 2007
Stephen McCartney reports from Crabble

Clive Walker has admitted that his side will find it tough to land the Ryman League Division One South title after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Tooting & Mitcham United today.

His Dover Athletic side are sitting in the final play-off berth with 53 points with nine games remaining, aware that Fleet Town (49 points), Tooting & Mitcham United (48 points) and surprise package Horsham YMCA (48 points) have games in hand.

And with leaders Maidstone United winning 3-1 at Molesey today, the Stones are now ten points clear of fifth placed Whites.

When asked if the automatic promotion spot is beyond his side, Walker told www.kentishfootball.co.uk:  “I would have thought so at this present time, yes, but who knows?

“You give people ten points (to) start with, with what, nine games left, they’ve got a chance haven’t they?”

The best player on the pitch during a poor first half was Tooting & Mitcham’s skipper Allan McLeod.

And the former Bromley player broke the deadlock after 25 minutes by scoring his fifth goal of the season with a sweet finish.

But the Terrors, managed by former Bromley trio Billy Smith, George Wakeling and Frank Coles, didn’t captalise on their advantage and Dover Athletic deservedly levelled with 21 minutes remaining when substitute Tommy Tyne netted his 13^th goal of the season from the penalty spot.

Dover Athletic created a few half chances early on during a very low key first half at Crabble but James Rogers, Anton Innocent and Craig Wilkins never going to trouble visiting goalkeeper Dave King.

And King got his body behind the ball to save Shane Hamshare’s fierce right-footed drive from 35-yards after nineteen minutes.

McLeod was, however, puling the strings for the Surrey side and carved open a chance for his side after 22 minutes.

McLeod initially rolled the ball to his former Bromley team-mate Danny Carroll on the half-way line before the midfielder played the ball back to roaming McLeod.

McLeod’s cross from the right was met by a glancing header from Paul Vines from twelve yards, which flew over Glen Knight’s bar.

But Tooting & Mitcham United broke the deadlock after 25 minutes to stun the subdued Crabble faithful.

And it was McLeod who started and finished the move when he exchanged a one-two with striker Eben Allen before stroking the ball past a flat-footed Knight from twelve yards.

Craig Cloke’s acrobatic effort at the far post went straight into King’s grateful arms after 36 minutes following a cross from the by-line by Innocent.

And at the other end an unmarked McLeod squandered an excellent opportunity to give the Surrey side a two-goal lead but he drove his shot agonisingly past the foot of the near post.

Despite a poor first half, things improved for the Kent side and local hero Cloke revealed what inspired them.

“In the first half we was a bit poor and towards the end of it we started getting our act together,” he told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“In the second half we showed our spirit and dragged a point out of it but really we could have won.

“But in the second half Clive said to us “play as it was your last game,” and it meant a lot to us and we came out and showed the character and spirit to get a point.”

And it was Cloke who lifted the game as he almost equalised after just 54 seconds into the second half.

Innocent intercepted Joe Vines’ square pass before slipping the ball for Cloke, who was a driving force from midfield, but his right-footed shot from fifteen yards was comfortably saved low down by King.

Dover’s best chance came on 51 minutes when Danny Chapman’s free-kick was flicked on by Craig Wilkins, playing at the heart of defence, and the ball dropped to James Dryden, but his volley from eight yards screamed over the top of the far post.

But alert defending from Rogers on the near post denied McLeod from scoring direct from a corner just two minutes later.

A clash of heads meant Chapman and Francis needed lengthy treatment and McLeod’s resulting right-footed chipped free-kick from 25-yards was comfortably dealt with by Knight.

King, who started his career with Kent League side Thamesmead Town, tipped Rogers’ dipping volley over his crossbar and was relieved when Cloke’s header was cleared off the line following Rogers’ corner before Hamshare drove his shot wide.

But the Kent side deservedly equalised from the penalty spot after 69 minutes.

Hamshare’s corner was met by Wilkins’ near post header, which was well saved by King and after surviving a scramble, Jason Pinnock was penalised for bringing down Hamshare on the left hand side of the penalty area.

And Tyne lifted the gloom when he sent King the wrong way with a right-footed penalty that he drove into the bottom left hand corner.

Dover Athletic had penalty appeals turned down when Wilkins was pulled back following another Cloke throw, and Cloke later blazed a shot against the roof of the stand.

And inside stoppage time Joe Vines met McLeod’s sixth and final corner of the game, but his towering header went over Knight’s bar as these two play-off contenders had to settle for a draw.

“First half I thought we were poor, we got a couple of lads who haven’t played for a bit and it looked like it,” said Walker, whose now walking without using his walking stick after his back operation.

“Second half I thought we picked the game up quite well, probably had the best chances and we should have really won the game in the end If I’m honest.

“I thought we had two great chances with Jimmy Dryden and Craig Cloke, a couple of balls that dropped in the box and we should have got on the end of.

“They cleared off the line twice I think. That’s just the story of our season really - the chances are there, you’ve got to be taking them really.”

Walker admits his side must pick up the wins to claim their second play-off place in two seasons.

He said: “We’ve got to start picking up some wins. We ain’t done bad recently but it’s like today’s game. That was a win for us really.

“I thought we had enough chances to win this game but it was never going to be easy because they ain’t a bad side Tooting.

“Let’s give them a bit of credit, they ain’t a bad side but I thought second half we completely dominated the game and we really should have taken at least two of the chances.”

Walker expects to be without Daniel Braithwaite, Tony Browne, Matthew Bourne and Lee Spiller for Tuesday night’s Kent Senior Cup quarter-final tie with Bromley at Crabble.

“I’ll use some of my fringe players Tuesday because I can’t afford anymore injuries to be honest,” revealed Walker.

“I don’t think they will be fit Saturday so that leaves me a bit thin on the ground to be quite honest for the first time this season.”