Dover Athletic 2-0 Welling United - We have nothing to fear, says unbeaten Hessenthaler

Monday 31st August 2009

DOVER ATHLETIC 2-0 WELLING UNITED
Blue Square South
Bank Holiday Monday 31st August 2009
Stephen McCartney reports from Crabble

DOVER ATHLETIC boss Andy Hessenthaler says his side have nothing to fear as they remain unbeaten after their opening seven games to remain at the top of the Blue Square South table.

Two first half goals from midfielders Sammy Moore and Lee Browning ensured they defeated their Kent rivals Welling United in front of the largest crowd at Crabble this season.

Both sides went into this game with at least five injuries between them, but it was the Dover faithful that enjoyed basking in the Bank Holiday sunshine, as their visitors toiled in the heat.

Welling, who went into this game on a three-match unbeaten run, began the game well and created a couple of half-chances before Dover snatched the lead, against the run of play, through Moore’s tenth minute screamer.

The Wings created their first chance after just 84 seconds when striker Lee Clarke stabbed a shot just past the near post and this was followed by Jake Hobbs cracking a 25-yard curling drive, which sailed over.

Welling, who were without attackers Anthony Finn, Loui Fazackerley and James Lawson through injury, went close twice again through winger Michael Deane.

But Dover grabbed the lead totally against the run of play, with a bit of magic from midfielder Moore - and that was the end of Welling’s bright attacking play, until late in the second half, but by that time, the game was all but over.

Moore capitalised on an error from Sam Hurrell to unleash a stunning 30-yard right-footed drive, which flew across the diving Charlie Mitten to find the top far corner.

Dover’s former Gillingham ace, Nicky Southall, who was partnering Olly Schulz at the back, fired an angled drive just past the far post after Moore cut back a corner from the left.

Dover then called Mitten into action after 21 minutes, in a game where both goalkeeper’s weren’t tested as much as they should have been, as both side’s - playing their second game in three days - struggled to create any real clear cut chances.

Frannie Collin released Browing down the inside left channel and he cut the ball back to Tom Davis, and his angled drive was turned aside by Mitten at the far post, although he did have his left-back Michael Haswell on hand to deal with the bouncing ball.

The vocal Crabble crowd must have chanted “Hessenthaler’s Barmy Army” with the aid of drums for at least twenty minutes during the second half, and their passionate support was rewarded when their side added a second inside stoppage time.

Shaun Welford, a battering ram up front, did wonders to use his strength to hold off the challenge from eighteen-year-old defender Yado Mambo and he cut the ball to the unmarked Browning, who clinically drove his shot across Mitten to find the bottom far corner from 12-yards.

That goal proved to be the killer goal, and the second half was a struggle for both sides in the energy zapping heat.

Dover did create a chance in the 51st minute when Schulz sent a powerful header straight into Mitten’s grateful arms, following Southall’s floated corner from the right.

Welling’s first real chance on target finally arrived in the 66th minute when Hurrell whipped in a cross from the right for Jake Hobbs to turn Schulz at the near post before his driven shot was blocked at the near post by Hook.

And from Deane’s resulting corner from the right, defender Steve King glanced a near post header which sailed agonisingly past the far post.

Welling may have forced the issue had Hobbs called the Dover keeper into action, instead of lashing his shot high over the bar when he only had the goalkeeper to beat in the 73rd minute.

Dover almost made it three when Welford drove a cross from the left for his strike partner, substitute Adam Birchell, who flicked the ball agonisingly past the foot of the near post from close in.

But boss Hessenthaler, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk during the press conference afterwards, was pleased that his side have achieved their August points target.

“Over target by two points,” Hessenthaler, whose side have banked 17 points already, revealed. “We set our target at fifteen, we’ve dropped four points.

“It’s a new league for us, but we never knew what we were going into really. We knew it was a better league but we’ve got nothing to fear, simple as that.

“We weren’t great today, they were better than us in the first 10-15 minutes and we settled down a little bit and started doing the things that I asked them to do.

“But in the end a good goal scored against the run of play, to be fair, good goal from Sammy Moore. I was about to give him a telling off to be fair, for dwelling on the ball, and he’s nicked it off the fella and he’s hit a great strike, which he’s capable of doing.

“And (it was) fantastic work from Shaun Welford, a great time to score, just before half-time. He done fantastic and a good finish from Lee Browning.”

Hessenthaler admitted their impressive 2-1 win at Eastleigh just 48 hours earlier - and today’s Indian summer took it’s toll on both sets of players.

“Two games in three days, so it wasn’t a fantastic spectacle and the pitch is lovely but it’s quite dry,” said Hessenthaler.

“The weather we had today, very zapping on the players’ energy levels and very difficult for them so it was unfortunate for the teams.

“It was huff and puff for both sides really second half. We just needed that real bit of quality and that’s why we brought Birch (Adam Birchall) on to get a run really, get his ankle going.

“It was one of those games, but I can’t ask any more from the players.”

Hessenthaler added: “We’ve got nothing to fear. There’s nothing won or lost at this stage of the season, there’s a long, long way to go but I can’t praise my players enough, they’ve been fantastic for the first month of the season.”

Welling United boss Andy Ford, who was also speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk, was pleased with his side’s start - but it all went wrong after Moore’s stunning strike.

“I thought we started well, the best we’ve started for quite a while to be honest and individual errors have cost us goals today,” he said.

“Sam (Hurrell) has lost it on the edge, obviously a well taken goal. Up until the we were on top, but I thought our formation caused them a bit of a problem, which they said as well and once you get a goal you get confidence and that’s what we were lacking today.

“Even at the end with Jake (Hobbs) going through one-on-one, even if we had scored then maybe it would’ve made it a bit more interesting.”

Speaking about his injury crisis, Ford added, “It’s just a nightmare at the minute, but we’ve just got to get on with it and see where we go and hopefully we can get (some points).”

The Wings were held to a goal-less draw by Braintree Town at Park View Road just 48 hours earlier, and the last thing that Ford wanted was another game today.

“It’s always tough,” he said. “You don’t get time to recover from knocks or anything. It’s where your squad’s come in but we’re being stretched big time at the moment.”

Ford blamed Hurrell and Mambo for Dover’s goals today, but other than that he was pleased that his side matched Dover all over the pitch.

Taking the positives out of their fourth league defeat, Ford said, “The way we started was good, our shape was good to start with. We just needed a goal. It was just two individual mistakes.

“You take those two things out of it, there was not much between the two teams. I think Dover are building up quite a bit of a reputation. I don’t think we were too far off them to be honest.

“The injuries are leaving us a little bit weak at the moment, not having the (quality first team starters) available.”

Dover Athletic: Lee Hook, Danny Walder, Sam Gore, Dean Hill, Olly Schulz, Nicky Southall, Sammy Moore, Tom Davis (Jerahl Hughes 67), Shaun Welford, Frannie Collin (Adam Birchall 67), Lee Browning.
Subs: John Keister, Jake Marsh, John Whitehouse.

Goals: Sam Moore 10, Lee Browning 45

Booked: Dean Hill 19

Welling United: Charlie Mitten, Steve King, Michael Haswell (Lheureux Menga 79), Dean Cracknell, Yado Mambo, Steve Perkins, Michael Deane, Craig Rocastle, Jake Hobbs, Lee Clarke (Tommy Whitnell 67), Sam Hurrell.
Subs: Lee Protheroe, Matt Bennett.

Booked: Dean Cracknell 30, Craig Rocastle 90

Attendance: 1,321
Referee: Mr Lee Vennamore (Maidstone)
Assistants: Mr Graeme Ions (Maidstone) & Mr Simon Finnigan (Maidstone)