Dover Athletic 4-1 Ramsgate - Hessenthaler: Second half display was a joy to watch

A crowd of 1,417 braved the horrible swirling wet conditions and their loyalty was rewarded as Andy Hessenthaler’s side put on their best display of the season to inflict Ramsgate’s first league defeat on their travels.

It took the league leaders just 132 seconds to open the scoring when striker Frannie Collin scored the first of his two goals, but Ramsgate striker Mo Takaloo took his tally up to seven with a 26^th minute penalty.

But the dazzling Whites turned on the style during the second half and man-of-the-match Lee Browning added a second after 49 minutes - before Collins' second - and Alan Pouton’s penalty nine minutes from time polished off an impressive performance.

The home side didn’t take long to open the scoring as Collin punished some poor goalkeeping from Jack Delo.

Nicky Southall fed the overlapping Pouton down the right-hand side and his low whipped in right-footed cross off the slippery pitch was spilt by the former Herne Bay goalkeeper and Collin fired home from six-yards out.

Dominant Dover squandered a couple of chances through Southall and Collin before Ramsgate levelled on 26 minutes.

Canterbury referee Mr Phillip Knight awarded the Thanet side a penalty and Takaloo fired his right-footed penalty into the bottom left-hand corner.

A back-peddling Delo did well to tip over a looping cross-come-shot from 35-yards, as the ball was heading towards the top far corner.

Ramsgate, however, almost took the lead with their best chance of the game with eleven first half minutes remaining.

A great defence splitting pass from striker Jay May, starting for the first time since his loan move from Blue Square South side Bromley, was latched onto by Simon Pettit, who curled the ball past the advancing John Whitehouse from fifteen-yards, but could only look on in agony as the ball curled past the top of the far post.

That chance lifted Ramsgate’s confidence but they really should have taken the lead just four minutes later.

Simon Pettit’s delivery was met by Takaloo’s thumping header from inside the six-yard box, but the ball agonisingly flew over the crossbar.

And on the stroke of half-time, Collins’ angled right-footed drive, thumped against the inside of the Ramsgate post as this enthralling game ended 1-1 at the break.

And another chance came Ramsgate’s way inside the opening minute of the second half.

Dane Sutton’s right-footed free-kick from deep dropped kindly for May, who turned and cracked a right-footed shot over the crossbar.

But Dover Athletic turned on the style during the second half and proved no-one in this division will be able to live with them this season.

Delo did well to hold onto Pouton’s right-footed pile-driver from 30-yards, which skidded off the excellent playing surface at Perrys Crabble.

But a stunning Browning right-footed volley, after 49 minutes, sent Dover Athletic on their way to their eighth straight win.

Browning, who received special praise from his boss afterwards, burst towards the heart of the Ramsgate defence, before laying the ball off to Southall to the right.

A first time cross from the man on loan from Gillingham was met by a crisp volley from Browning, which flew past a stranded Delo and nestled inside the bottom left-hand corner.

Goal number three soon followed, after 54 minutes, with a set-piece routine that delighted the Crabble faithful.

Instead of shooting, Southall laid the ball to Collin beside the defensive wall, and the former Gillingham striker lashed the ball, right-footed, through the stunned goalkeeper’s fingertips and into the roof of the net.

Takaloo tried to add to his tally later on, but his fierce drive from an acute angle was beaten out by the ever-alert Whitehouse.

Dover Athletic polished off their champagne performance with a fourth goal, courtesy of Pouton’s 81^st minute spot-kick.

Remembering that Hessenthaler can call upon the likes of Giuliano Grazioli and Jerahl Hughes from the bench, it was a dazzling run down the left by Hughes, evading two challenges, that set up Southall and his piledriver was beaten out by Delo and Browning was tripped inside the area.

With his right-foot, Pouton lashed the penalty into the top right-hand corner, almost breaking the net in the process.

Ramsgate had Delo to thank for making two fine saves late on.

Browning set up Grazioli whose drilled right-footed shot was blocked by the goalkeeper’s legs at his near post and then Browning was played in by Pouton’s delicate chip, although his right-footed volley was palmed over.

Dover Athletic boss Andy Hessenthaler, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards, was delighted with the dazzling football from his side.

“I thought we were fantastic, second half,” he said. “I wasn’t too disappointed with the first half to be honest. We had some decent play, just didn’t get on the end of things.

“It was a tricky night for the conditions. Obviously, first half they sort of bombarded us a bit, which we’re pretty much used to these long throws now and we didn’t really defend them particularly great in the first half.

“I always felt at 1-1 we were in the game. If we upped our game with the football, I felt they would tire.

“They came out of the blocks to be fair to them and played 100 mile per hour and I just felt they would tire.

“I feel we do have the quality within our team to actually start passing the ball on a pitch like this and they would tire and I think that showed second half. Our quality did come through.”

Hessenthaler has told his players to remain patient during the opening stages of games as they have quality in abundance.

“I said to the players in there, what we said at half-time is pretty much (what) we’ve been saying most of the half-time’s,” said Hessenthaler.

“There’s more to come from us and I think it’s going to be the case pretty much this season, that we’re going to be very, very resilient in the first half, be hard to play against because we’ve got good footballers.

“I think teams will come and make it very difficult for us in the first half because we’re top of the table.

“I think second half, if we’re well in the game at half-time, then we’re too strong for teams. I think we’ve got too much with the football, especially out here.

“The pitch is big, we’ve got great people who love having the ball.

“Lee Browning was again outstanding tonight, Alan Pouton on the football, Nicky Southall, whose absolutely top quality, he pushed into midfield and we’ve brought in little (Jerahl) Hughes, with a bit of pace.

“We had great options on the bench (and) Shaun Welford, he put a great shift in, Frannie (Collin) obviously and we took them off and we’ve got that luxury to bring players in.”

Hessenthaler added: “It was very pleasing on the eye second half and it was a joy to watch.”

Despite his side sitting top-of-the-tree with nine wins out of ten, Hessenthaler says it’s too early to call his side champions.

When asked it we’ve seen the Ryman Premier League champions in action tonight, the Gillingham legend replied: “No! Not at all. Not as far as I’m concerned, too early to say.

“Potentially we’ll be up there without a doubt. I wouldn’t commit myself to saying that because it will be unfair and it’s too early too think about that.

“So old cliché, take every game as it comes, keep the momentum going and see where we go.”

We apologise to Ramsgate fans - we were unable to interview manager Jim Ward after the game.

Dover Athletic: John Whitehouse, Matt Fish, Sam Gore, Dean Hill, Ollie Schulz, John Keister (Jerahl Hughes 64), Nicky Southall, Alan Pouton, Shaun Wellford (Nathan Bailey 77), Frannie Collin (Giuliano Grazioli 69), Lee Browning.
Subs: Lawrence Ball, Sam Jones.

Goals: Frannie Collin 3, 54, Lee Browning 49, Alan Pouton 81 (pen)

Booked: Matt Fish 25, John Keister 25, Shaun Welford 43, Sam Gore 60, Alan Pouton 82

Ramsgate: Jack Delo, Jake Eastwood (Dan Dolton 72), Dan Tanner, Nick Davis, Will Graham, Andy Hadden (Warren Schulz 63), Simon Pettit (Ben Brown 55), Dane Sutton, Lee Minshull, Mo Takaloo, Jay May.
Subs: Steffan Ball, Joe Dowley.

Goal: Mo Takaloo 26 (pen)

Booked: Lee Minshull 29, Andy Hadden 53, Mo Takaloo 67, Warren Schulz 85

Attendance: 1,417
Referee: Mr Philip Knight (Canterbury)
Assistants: Mr Paul Beadle (Sevenoaks) & Mr Stephen Roots (Tunbridge Wells)

Visit www.dafctv.co.uk for match highlights of this east Kent derby