Dover Athletic 3 – 0 Margate

Todays fixture was between two teams who have the oldest rivalry in the league. After last season 10-0 demolishing, Dover were looking to continue their fine form and enhance their 100% record, however, Athletic were for the second week running without several key players due to injury.

The first half started with Dover displaying serious intent from the first whistle. The game begun with high tempo, with both teams making a series of early challenges. Margate set up in a defensive 4-4-2 formation while the home team employed an attacking 3-5-2 looking to create space in and beyond the oppositions back line.
Dover’s possession rate was far superior to their opposition seeing stats of 65% to 35% in the favour of the home team. Having said that, it was a frustrating first 39 minutes for Dover, creating chance after chance but lacking the quality in the final third, that was until substitute Striker Jack Gealer hit an unstoppable shot 40 yards from goal to make the score 1-0 Dover on 40 minuets. The half ending with athletic one nil to the good.

Second half saw Dover turn up the heat, Dual Signing Josh Fordham, along with midfielder’s Harry Andrews & Liam Jones having outstanding performances winning practically every ball they challenged for.
On 48 minutes a great cross into the Margate box found in form striker Jack Gealer once again in great space, he drove into the box and unleashed a fine shot narrowly missing the bottom left hand corner. On 60 minutes, Dover strung a series of fine combination passes together from midfield transitioning into the margate 18 yard box, a lofted ball found Attacking Midfielder Ben Cassingena who nodded the ball just over the bar.

Another fine attacking phase from Athletic moments later, saw Ben Cassingena through 1v1 with the goal keeper, Cassingena going for placement rather than power with the Margate keeper making a decent save, down to his left.

On 65 minutes a whipped ball into the margate box found Striker Cody Allcock who finished with the slightest of touches on the volley into the far top right hand corner giving Dover a 2-0 lead. On 68 minutes Jack Gealer came close once again with a shot which went wide.

Dover maintained the high press, linking up extremely well in the second third of the field. Some great combination play down the right wing allowed for Midfielder Finlay Fletcher to beat his man and fire a low hard drive from the edge of the box on 69 mins, the Margate keeper equal to the shot.

The game was wrapped up on 80 minutes when Jack Gealer once again found himself in space on the 6 yard line slotting home his second and Dover’s third of the match to end the game with a 3-0 home win.

Managers Comments:
Today we had seven players out, which gave an opportunity for the squad players to go out and impress. We maintained high rates of possession throughout the match, however, our final ball lacked quality on several occasions which was disappointing, it was a frustrating first half, knowing we had created so many goal scoring opportunities without making them count. As the game grew it was evident the three points would be maintained, as long as we were able to find the net. We created 17 goal scoring opportunities, and converted 3. On another day that would have been a high scoring game.

I was pleased to see both Jack Gealer and Cody Allcock get their rewards in front of goal after some hard work over recent weeks. But undoubtedly there were two players who stood out today, Josh Fordham and Harry Andrews, so Man of the Match this week is shared between the pair, well done to the both of you, two first years making real progress.

As far as the result is concerned, we could have done better in certain situations, and we will continue to work on those areas especially final delivery, however, tonight we sit top of the league, and kept a clean sheet. We now have a week off, before we are back looking to maintain our unbeaten record against Hastings at home on 15th October.