Kentish Football 
Milton Keynes Dons 1-0 Dover Athletic - I think we could've got something, admits Chris Kinnear
The FA Cup with Budweiser Second Round
Saturday 7th December 2013
Stephen McCartney reports from Stadiummk
PROUD Dover Athletic boss Chris Kinnear says he has challenged his side to remain unbeaten for the rest of the season after their FA Cup run was ended by Milton Keynes Dons.
The League One hosts were grateful to midfielder Ben Reeves’ 50th minute winner – against the run of play at the time – but Dover Athletic had chances to snatch a replay at Crabble but the heroes in yellow shirts failed to take four excellent chances.
Dover Athletic took 1,068 noisy fans up to Milton Keynes but The FA Cup hasn’t engulfed the imagination of the locals as only 2,992 home fans bothered to turn up for this Second Round tie.
The Dons’ two lowest crowds of the impressive all-seater 30,500 Stadiummk have been in The FA Cup, as 4,049 watched Karl Robinson’s side ease past Skrill Premier side FC Halifax Town 4-1 in the First Round.
But Dover Athletic can take home £42,500 in prize money from The Football Association after beating Guernsey, AFC Rushden & Diamonds, Oxford City and Corby Town in The FA Cup this season – and the plaudits for their brave performance and their fans’ excellent non-stop support from within the lower tier of the North Stand.
The sparse crowd paid tribute to South African Nelson Mandela - who died at the age of 95 on Thursday night - with a minutes’ applause before kick-off.
And having lost their last three league games to Bradford City, Colchester United and Coventry City, Milton Keynes (in 12th place in the table) started the game on the front foot – against a Dover Athletic side that went into the game unbeaten in five and 12th place in the Skrill (Conference) South.
“I think we could have got something, but that’s the way it is,” said proud manager Kinnear, 59, after the game.
“The lads’ have gone away disappointed, believe it or not. If we had been beaten three or so, they walk away and think ‘oh they’re a lot better’.
“They were not much better! The only thing is they should be a First Division side but should be Championship or Premiership when you look at this ground shouldn’t it?
“They were a little bit more comfortable on the ball – they work on the ball every day – our lads have got to get up Monday and go to work! They’ve (Milton Keynes Dons) just come back from Dubai, so a little bit different to our lads.”
Robinson, who made four enforced changes, saw his side create a couple of chances inside the opening five minutes.
Dover Athletic keeper Mitchell Walker made a comfortable save to deny 13-goal striker Patrick Bamford, who linked up well with right-winger Samir Carruthers.
And left-winger Jason Banton was given time and space to drill a right-footed dipping shot from 35-yards, which was tipped over the bar by the Dover Athletic stopper.
Carruthers then played the ball in from the right, which was dummied by Alan Smith and Banton’s right-footed drive deflected wide for a corner.
Smith, 33, who has played for the likes of Leeds United, Manchester United and Newcastle United, was playing in the middle of the park and he was kept in James Rogers’ pocket on his 50th appearance for the League One club.
An unmarked Banton swept a right-footed drive from 25-yards narrowly over the Dover Athletic crossbar after Carruthers’ cut the ball back to him after Reeves and Bamford were causing problems on the edge of the box.
Milton Keynes Dons wasted a decent opportunity from a 23rd minute free-kick which saw nine-goal Shaun Williams come up from the back to sweep his left-footed free-kick past the near post from 25-yards to the delight of the travelling fans.
But Dover Athletic weathered the early storm and grew in confidence the longer the half went on.
The Kent side’s first opening arrived within two minutes later, when Tom Murphy won the ball before sweeping the ball out wide to right-winger Ricky Modeste, whose speculative effort bounced once into David Martin’s gloves.
But Dover Athletic really should have snatched the breakthrough in the 28th minute, after forcing a throw beside the corner flag.
Skipper Craig Stone hurled a throw-in towards the near post which saw lone target-man Nathan Elder cause problems and after his shot on the turn was blocked, the ball came out to Chris Kinnear (junior), 23, the former Corinthian midfielder who hooked a first time half-volley agonisingly over the bar from just inside the box.
Milton Keynes responded by throwing bodies forward but their shooting was woeful, Reeves’ left-footed angled drive curling jus wide of the far post.
The crowd cheered a shot on target in the 35th minute, which Walker made a comfortable catch from Stephen Gleeson’s right-footed free-kick from 25-yards.
Milton Keynes squandered another chance to make their possession count when Reeves swung in a corner from the right and left-back Dean Lewington planted his header over from 12-yards.
Murphy, who cost Dover Athletic £500 from Ryman Premier League side Margate in the summer, was making some good runs down the left and in the 40th minute he cut the ball back to the unmarked Stone, but his left-footed shot sailed harmlessly over the crossbar.
Dover Athletic’s Academy graduate Sean Raggett, who performed well alongside Terrell Forbes at the heart of defence, should have given his side the lead.
Left-back Tom Wynter floated over a cross into the penalty area where Raggett’s looping header from fourteen-yards was plucked out of the air by Martin.
A fine diagonal pass from Gleeson was picked up by Reeves, whose deflected cross came out to Banton, who cut inside but his right-footed drive from distance sailed harmlessly wide of the far post.
The booing that rang around the sparse stadium at the half-time whistle was testament to Dover Athletic’s resilient performance.
Kinnear said: “Alright, they had a bit of the ball in the first half to be fair but we expected that.
“We came here, we had a go at them. You do have to defend because they’ve got the ball and you have to get back behind the ball. Why sit back and wait for them to score?
“Again, maybe we was over confident because at the beginning there we looked like we’d pull them all over the show and they were kicking the ball off and couldn’t get it and when we had the ball, we looked like the full-time side.”
Dover Athletic received a kick in the teeth as Milton Keynes scored the winner - against the run of play - four minutes and 39 seconds into the second half.
Robinson reacted to the booing and brought on George Baldock at the break and the right-winger made an instant contribution to the game.
Baldock broke down the flank and played a low pass inside to Reeves, who was left unmarked and the 21-year-old midfielder swept a first time right-footed shot into the top right-hand corner from fifteen-yards.
Kinnear said: “It was against the run of play, because we started the second half really well and got at them. That’s where it’s disappointing.
“It was one-against-one at the back against Terrell (Forbes), which is a bit disappointing really because we’ve been attacking, I think we were left a little bit bare at the back.
“But the lads’ didn’t lie down, did they? They got stronger as the half went on whereas a lot of non-league sides would have tired and got beat four or five.”
The winning goal lifted a rather subdued home faithful and the men in white upped their urgency and pegged Dover Athletic back for a while.
Reeves swung in a free-kick which was punched away by Walker and Williams lashed his right-footed shot over the bar from 12-yards.
Walker then gathered the ball after Reeves played in Gleeson, who centred towards the far post towards Baldock, but Raggett slid in to make a fine block.
Baldock was certainly getting the better of Wynter down the right hand side and the winger brilliantly brought a 40-yard diagonal pass under his spell with a quality first touch before cutting inside and curling his left-footed shot screaming wide of the far post from 22-yards.
Walker was called into rare action in the 66th minute when Bamford released Baldock, who once again cut inside but the 22-year-old goalkeeper dived to his left to push the ball around his near post.
Kinnear added: “There wasn’t many times he had to dive about and that – but they’re going to get chances!”
Dover Athletic just needed that break to fall for them. Murphy slid a fine diagonal ball that split open the home side’s back four but Elder was too slow to latch onto the threaded pass and keeper Martin came out of his box to punt the ball into the East Stand.
But Dover Athletic received a huge slice of luck halfway through the half.
Bamford and Reeves linked up and played in Carruthers in behind the Dover Athletic defence and his cut back was sliced against the foot of his near post by Raggett and was cleared towards safety.
Dover Athletic came out of their shell for the final 20 minutes and were agonisingly close to grabbing a replay that they deserved on effort.
“I think it was (close), the way we finished at the end there,” said Kinnear.
“I think we finished a little bit stronger than them with the chances. We were just hoping to get a little header on it drop down, which it did a couple of times.
“We didn’t come here to defend and stick people behind the ball – we were just trying to get ourselves up the pitch.”
Cogan whipped in a cross from the left which sailed across the penalty area and Rogers knocked the ball down and Elder lashed his first time shot over the crossbar from six-yards.
Kinnear said: “I think we really had a go in the last 10-15 minutes with corners and free-kicks and we had chances with Raggett and Elder.”
Milton Keynes Dons’ squandered another chance to kill the game off when a diagonal pass fell to Baldock, who cut the ball back to Reeves, whose left-footed curler sailed wide of the far post.
Milton Keynes Dons missed an open goal inside the final two minutes of normal time – which galvanised Dover Athletic.
Substitute Bendan Galloway broke down the left and he was crowded out by two Dover defenders inside the box so he cut the ball across to the unmarked Bamford, who held his head in his hands after blasting the ball over an empty goal from six-yards.
Milton Keynes brought on substitute keeper Ian McLoughlin for the final 13 minutes due to a niggling injury to Martin – and Dover Athletic created and missed three glorious injury-time chances to force a lucrative replay.
Cogan whipped in a free-kick from the left channel and Raggett rose to plant his header agonisingly over the bar from within a crowded six-yard box.
Kinnear said: “We had chances at the end – they were the ones – Raggett’s got above everyone, headed it and it went over the bar. If he had headed it down, goodness knows what would have happened then, but there you go, that’s the way it goes.”
Cogan then whipped in Dover’s third and last corner (Milton Keynes Dons won eight) and substitute Richard Orlu sent his header agonisingly wide of the right-post.
And another Dover Athletic substitute, Michael Bakare, cut inside before stroking a left-footed shot straight at McLoughlin with virtually the final kick of their FA Cup campaign.
The Dover Athletic team received a heroes’ reception by the travelling fans at the final whistle, but there will be no Kent interest in the FA Cup Third Round Draw tomorrow after Jamie Day’s Welling United also lost, going down to a 3-1 defeat at League Two side Plymouth Argyle.
Kinnear was definitely proud with his players’ performance –as were the supporters’ that made the trip and proves that The FA Cup are special occasions for everybody involved in non-league football.
“When you look at the stadium and the ground, they (Milton Keynes Dons) should be Championship at least really, but our lads have to all go back to their jobs on Monday and they will be proud of themselves.
“But we’ve got to push on. We’ve still got a chance in our league. We’ve got The FA Trophy that we’re still in, which we can get to Wembley in that – that’s our Cup Final really.
“We’re never going to win The FA Cup. The players’ are disappointed by the way the game finished but if it hadn’t finished like that, I think we would have been a bit down but now the players’ can enjoy themselves.
“I think it gives us something to use - we were against this side – can we do this against the sides at our level and push on?”
Kinnear revealed what was said in the group huddle inside the penalty box following the final whistle.
“Jake (Leberl, my assistant) just said to the lads’, why don’t we go through and not lose another game for the rest of the season?
“Alright, that won’t happen but why can’t we try to win every game? We can get to the Trophy Final. Someone from the Conference or Conference South will get to the final, I would imagine.
“If we start a good run in the league who knows where we can go but we weren’t going to win The FA Cup were we? We’ve just got to get on and continue to win games. We haven’t lost many. I think that’s two in fifteen, that’s not bad going!
“I can’t say anything bad about our players – every one of them – everyone to do with the club acquitted themselves well and everyone’s proud of them.”
Kinnear added: “It seems to be a long time ago (when we beat Guernsey in the Second Qualifying Round) but it doesn’t seem right that we’re out of it really. We’d like to go to the next round as well. We’ve just got to think that’s not the pinnacle of our season and try to achieve things in other competitions.”
Mark Goldberg’s side have won all nine home league games after beating bogey-side Farnborough 3-0 at Hayes Lane today.
Kinnear wants the same vocal support to aid his side in the bread and butter of Conference South football.
He said: “Our fans’ really got behind the side and if we can replicate that at home and keep the supporters’ on our side, it does make a massive difference.
“It’s one of the things you talk to players about coming down (to play for us). You say the supporters are on your side, even when things aren’t going right and hopefully we can push on from here.”
Milton Keynes Dons: David Martin (Ian McLoughlin 77), Lee Hodson, Jordan Spence, Shaun Williams, Dean Lewington, Samir Carruthers (Brendan Galloway 77), Alan Smith, Stephen Gleeson, Jason Banton (George Baldock 46), Ben Reeves, Patrick Bamford.
Subs: Tom Flanagan, Giorgio Rasulo
Goal: Ben Reeves 50
Booked: Shaun Williams 84, Lee Hodson 90
Dover Athletic: Mitchell Walker, Craig Stone, Tom Wynter, Chris Kinnear (Richard Orlu 90), Sean Raggett, Terrell Forbes, Ricky Modeste (Michael Bakare 57), James Rogers, Nathan Elder, Barry Cogan, Tom Murphy (Elliott Charles 86).
Subs: Michael Kamara, Brian Woodall, Ashley Carew, Lee Hook
Attendance: 4,060 (1,068 away)
Referee: Mr Brendan Malone (Salisbury, Wiltshire)
Assistants: Mr Michael George (North Walsham, Norfolk) and Oleksandr Saliy (Enfield, Middlesex)
Fourth Official: Mr Anthony Coggins (Bicester, Oxfordshire)
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