Dover U13s maintained their 100% league record as the dismantled Margate at Hartsdown Park. Ason Limbu and Leighton Murray were dominant for the whites early on, and it was their combination that ended in Limbu delivering the ball into the box for Rory Sutcliffe. His first time effort was heading for the top corner, but somehow Callum Hickman managed to pull off and amazing headed goal line clearance to prevent the opening goal. Minutes later it was Limbu again who got in behind the home defence and provided an inch perfect cross for Tyler Watson. He got the ball down well and beat his man before firing a ferocious shot goalwards, which the Gate ‘ keeper did brilliantly with to tip over the bar.
The ball rarely entered the Dover half, but when it did Louie Procopi, Harry Sharman, James Hardman and Jake McCarthy were quick to snub out any potential threats.
The breakthrough came just after George Hunt came on as a substitute. He combined with Sutcliffe on the edge of the box and found himself in behind where he cooly slotted a left footed shot into the bottom corner. Although Dover continued with all of the pressure, they were unable to add a second in the first half.
Dover started the second half in the same vein that they finished the first, constantly applying pressure to the Margate back four who were camped deep in their own half. Dover probed down the left and right, passing brilliantly to open up the Margate side. Eventually an opportunity came, with Jake McCarthy delivering a fantastic ball into the box, and Hunt was there again. His first time volley lobbed the keeper to make it 2-0 to Dover. Then came a piece of individual magic. A good Dover move down the right hand side was played into Jye Stoner 25 yards from goal. His first touch was a beautiful flick between his legs to open up the space for a strike. His shot flew past the keeper into the top corner for one of the best goals of the season from the young Dover side.
Dover kept moving the ball, and got their rewards. A move from right back went across the midfield via a series of first time passes, and Murray released Stoner on the left hand side. His cross-shot was poked in by Tyler Watson, although there was some discussion over whether or not he made contact. The consensus was that he had and Watson was given the goal. Dover nearly made it five when Sutcliffe played Limbu in behind the Gate defence. Unfortunately, and unusually he took a heavy touch and the chance slipped away.Margate scored a good goal of their own minutes later. Alex Dack played Owen Wilkinson in behind the Dover defence, and his cool lob looped over the onrushing Freddie Marsh to grab a consolation goal for the home side.
Overall it was an extremely pleasing performance with Harley Scrivener and Ned Odlin back in the engine room, and their passing ability made Dover look like a completely different team to the one that lost in the cup last week.
Man of the match: Leighton Murray
