Dover Athletic 2-1 Brackley Town - Hessenthaler wants perfection despite premier scalp

DOVER ATHLETIC 2-1 BRACKLEY TOWN
FA Carlsberg Trophy Second Qualifying Round
Saturday 3^rd November 2007
Stephen McCartney reports from Crabble SeaFrance Stadium

Despite his Dover Athletic side beating higher league opposition to qualify for the final qualifying round of the FA Trophy today, Andy Hessenthaler believes his side can play better.

Goals from strikers Frannie Collin and James Dryden sealed a comfortable win over a Brackley Town side that went into the game in fourth place in the British Gas Business Premier League table.

But the promotion chasing Ryman League Division One South hosts, with only Tooting & Mitcham United above them in the table, made the Northamptonshire side look ordinary.

The Whites restricted their higher league opponents to having just one shot on Dean Ruddy’s goal during the first half, and when they did score, cancelling out Collin’s ninth goal of the season, it was totally against the run of play, leaving the Crabble faithful stunned to silence.

Hessenthaler decided to watch the game from his technical area, bringing James Rogers back into the side to play in a three-man midfield, with John Keister and Jon Wallis.

Lee Browning was forced to sit-out due to a calf strain, and striker Shaun Welford, back at the club after three successful seasons with Ramsgate, was cup-tied.

Craig Cloke, who according to Hessenthaler’s programme notes was suffering from a suspected torn thigh muscle, proved how passionately he cares about his home-town club.

The versatile player, who came on with Byron Walker with twenty minutes remaining, slotted into the middle of the park, having replaced Rogers.

And it was his left-footed cross from the right, which enabled Dryden to head home his seventh goal of the season, to wrap up the victory with fourteen minutes remaining, and secure a place in Monday’s draw for the third qualifying round.

“Clokey’s unbelievable!” Hessenthaler told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards. “People read the programme notes about Clokey, he had a scan in the week and looking at it, he probably had a tear in his thigh muscle.

“I obviously didn’t think he’d be anywhere near being involved for a few weeks, but that’s Clokey!

“He wants to play, he gave us a great option on the bench, he came off the bench and done well and a great ball for Jimmy (Dryden).

“We keep talking about Jimmy all the time to be fair to him, that’s three (goals) in three (games now).

“He had a bit of a kick up the backside as we say a few weeks ago and he’s responded to me and that’s fantastic.

“Clokey, you can play him anywhere, he’s so enthusiastic, he’s got a desire to go out there and win and do well, so fantastic for him and he’s got out there and back involved.”

When Ryman League Division One South sides lock horns with Ryman Premier League sides there is normally a gulf in class.

But the Whites proved that they will easily compete with Premier sides next term if Hessenthaler can guide the club to promotion at the end of his first season at Dover.

Brackley Town were in attendance last Monday night when Metropolitan Police were outclassed as Whites romped to a convincing 5-2 victory.

So Roger Ashby’s side stifled the midfield with five players in a bid to stop Dover Athletic doing the same thing to them.

The first chance of the game, however, arrived for Dryden in the eleventh minute.

The former Folkestone Invicta hit-man latched onto a ball over the top from left-back Sam Gore, but his left-footed drive brought a smart save from former Oxford United goalkeeper Richard Knight.

Halfway through a frustrating first-half it was the same man that went close, when his left-footed shot from thirty-yards screamed past a diving Knight, but also agonisingly past the near-post, crashing into the advertising boards.

But Dover Athletic deservedly opened the scoring with 26 minutes and 46 seconds on the clock.

Former Chatham Town and Gillingham striker Collin received a pass following a flick from strike-partner Mark Lovell, and lashed a shot into the corner of the net from eight-yards.

Disappointing Brackley took almost 35 minutes to create their first and only chance of the first-half.

Craig Farley stabbed a volley into Tom Winters path and the striker set up Danny Spencer, whose 20-yard drive brought a comfortable save from American Dean Ruddy.

Experienced midfielder John Keister, who played well throughout, was unlucky not to double Dover’s lead with eight first half minutes remaining.

Keister shaped to shoot at goal, before fooling the visitors by exchanging passes with Lovell, before he was thwarted by a smart save from Knight.

The floodlights lit up Crabble during the half-time break, meaning winter is well and truly on it’s way.

And substitute Scott Hadland’s introduction lit up Brackley, albeit for a short time, as they tried to get the ball down and play some football.

Dover went agonisingly close to increasing their lead twelve minutes into the second half when Wallis’ drove his left-footed shot agonisingly past the foot of the far-post, following Lovell’s cut back.

Dover Athletic were in such control of the game, it was a shock when Winters netted his eighth goal of the season after 63 minutes.

The Crabble faithful were stunned to silence when they saw their visitors break down the left and Winters was played in by Scott Hadland, before firing across Ruddy and into the bottom right-hand corner.

The Kent side almost responded just 57 seconds after their set-back but Collin slammed his shot into the side netting.

And the Northamptonshire side almost stole victory with fifteen minutes remaining when Jamie Kearns played in Winters, whose shot trickled across the face of goal.

But home-grown hero Cloke sent over a cross from the right, which found an unmarked Dryden at the far-post, and from six-yards, his header looped into the left corner.

Brackley went in search of another shock equaliser late on; with central defender Josh Green looping a near-post header just over, and Spencer had a couple of chances but in truth, they didn’t deserve a second bite of the cherry.

“It was a good win, it wasn’t a fantastic performance,” said a modest Hessenthaler.

“They obviously came and watched us on (Monday) night, done their homework on us.

“They stifled us in midfield, four at the back, five in midfield, and just one up top in the first half, but I thought we did ok first half. We passed the ball ok in spells.

“Second half we weren’t on it to be fair, a little bit lazy at times on our decision making and we caused ourselves a problem again by giving another sloppy goal away.

“But it’s a win, we’re in the next round, keeps our momentum going, going into the game on Tuesday against Sittingbourne so I can’t fault the boys’ effort again.”

The former Gillingham star explained why he left himself out of the starting line-up.

He said: “We made a couple of changes - I left myself out to have a little look on the sidelines, give myself a little bit of a rest obviously with the big programme we’ve got coming up in November, so we did that.”

But he wants his side to play well for the entire 90 minutes.

“We weren’t really at the races second half, but in the end it was a good win and focus on the next game,” said Hessenthaler.

“It was quite comfortable wasn’t we by half-time and they had one shot in the first half, and straight at Dean (Ruddy).

“But our concern is that we have given another goal away and from set-pieces against, corners, free-kicks, we look a bit nervy at the moment.

“So it’s something we’ve got to work on in the training ground. Darren (Hare) and myself will get them out there and work on that but because of the schedule, it’s not easy because we’ve got lots of games coming up.

“But we’re a little bit frustrated after the game. We’ve had a little bit of a meeting in there. I think the key for us is consistency of our performances.

“Yes, allright, we’re winning at the moment but we know we can play better than that today.

“At the end of the day it’s us being a little over critical at times but we want them to get better. Simple as that!”

Despite promotion back into the Ryman Premier League high on the agenda, Hessenthaler wouldn’t mind a Trophy run too.

“Credit to the boys, playing against a team in a higher league, it’s a good scalp and who knows if we get a decent draw, and hopefully at home, we can hopefully go on a decent run in the FA Trophy,” he said.

“It will be lovely to get as close as well, if not go all the way.”

To view Hessenthaler’s and Keister’s interviews - and match highlights - visit www.dafctv.co.uk

Dover Athletic: Dean Ruddy, Matt Fish, Sam Gore, Matt Bourne, John Keister, James Rogers (Craig Cloke 70), Jon Wallis, Craig Wilkins, James Dryden, Frannie Collin (Liam Quinn 86), Mark Lovell (Byron Walker 70).
Subs: Ryan Andrews, Gavin Wright.

Goals: Frannie Collin 27, James Dryden 76

Booked: Matt Bourne 39

Brackley Town: Richard Knight, Steve Jackman (Scott Hadland 45), Michael Love, Guy Hadland, Martin Brown, Josh Green, Craig Farley, Dave Savage, Jamie Kearns, Danny Spencer, Tom Winters.
Subs: Robbie Beard, Phil Murphy, Andy Williams, Tom Willshire.

Goal: Tom Winters 63

Attendance: 583
Referee: Mr Graham Atkins
Assistants: Mr Kirk English & Mr Dave Raval