Dover Athletic 2-1 AFC Hornchurch - The wait is almost over, says Hare

Substitute Pouton’s 78^th minute curler, his fourth goal of the season, owed a lot to a fabulous run from fellow substitute Sam Jones and also illustrated just why the former Gillingham man is one of the best players at this level.

Indeed, watching Tonbridge Angels boss Tommy Warrilow, whose side play Hornchurch at the weekend, conceded, “Pouts is a bit special at this level and he does make a difference for Dover.”

This clearly wasn’t one of Dover’s better performances of the season but by winning their 16^th home game out of seventeen, in such a fashion really does prove how Andy Hessenthaler’s side do not know when to give in.

With Hessenthaler losing his voice during the game, it was left to assistant manager Darren Hare to talk to BBC Radio Kent afterwards.

He said: “We weren’t happy with the first half, especially as we didn’t play very well on Saturday, but we kept at them and now we’re just six wins away from doing what people have been talking to us about for months.”

When asked if he was already fed up with all the media talk of championships and promotion, Hare grinned and said, “We know what we have to do and if we have to win ugly then so be it.”

Whilst the rest of the county was being soaked in driving rain, it was a dry opening half at Crabble, in which neither keeper was truly tested.

That said, Hornchurch keeper Jason Willis did his best on no fewer than three occasions to try and give Hessenthaler’s side the lead.

As early as the ninth minute he almost allowed a Frannie Collin free-kick to squirm under his body and then just before half time, in an amazing sequence of events, the Hornchurch stopper twice nearly conceded bizarrely.

Matt Bodkin’s run and cross down the right was met first time by Collin, but his shot ballooned into the air and almost caught out Willis, who was just able to claw the ball away, only for Sammy Moore to follow up and how the keeper managed to clear the ball away really is beyond belief.

From the terraces, it appeared that Moore’s shot had eluded the keeper, yet somehow the ball stayed out.

Moore, though, was not to be denied as three minutes after half-time his tenth goal of the season broke the deadlock - but again there were question marks against the goalkeeper.

Bodkin was again the provider as he cut in from the left and squared the ball into Moore’s path and although his shot was firm and true it deceived Willis and went straight through his hands into the roof of the net.

As it appeared the Hornchurch stopper was doing a good impression of a one-man Mexican wave.

Stunned into life, the visitors finally started to ask questions of the Dover defence, without ever really threatening Preston Edwards’ goal.

That changed, however, on 72 minutes, when Mark Goodfellow’s shot looped back off the bar, causing bedlum in the Dover area, with the ball ricocheting between the players before Ollie Schulz was adjudged to have handled on the line - pulling off a fabulous one-handed save that Edwards himself would have been proud off and referee Robert Smith had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Schulz was fortunate to only receive a yellow card, whilst keeper Edwards also went into the book for dissent.

After a short delay, Mark Janney stepped forward and powered the spot kick into the Dover net.

Five minutes later came Pouton’s moment of magic that sealed the points, although Collin twice late on missed the chance to confirm the victory.

As referee Smith blew the final whistle, Dover were confirmed as the first team in the country to guarantee a play-off place - not that that will please Messers Hessenthaler and Hare as they both know that their charges are just eighteen points from securing back-to-back titles.

Dover Athletic: Preston Edwards, Laurence Ball, James Rogers, Dean Hill, Ollie Schulz, Sammy Moore, Jerahl Hughes, Andy Hessenthaler (Alan Pouton 63), Matt Bodkin (Sam Jones 65), Frannie Collin, Lee Browning (Shaun Welford 75).
Subs: Sam Gore, Jake Marsh.

Goals: Sammy Moore 48, Alan Pouton 78

Booked: Ollie Schulz 73, Preston Edwards 73

AFC Hornchurch: Jason Willis, Billy Coyne, Michael Spencer, John Purdie, Jim McFarland (Jamie Salmon 88), Mark Goodfellow, Frank Curley (Simon Parker 57), Mark Janney, Ross Wall (Kris Lee 65), Dean Green, Andy Tomlinson.
Subs: Donny Barnard, Joe Sweeney.

Goal: Mark Janney 73 (pen)

Booked: Dean Green 62, John Purdie 81

Attendance: 907
Referee: Mr Robert Smith (New Addington, Surrey)
Assistants: Mr Graeme Ions (Maidstone) & Mr Keith Stone (Ramsgate)