Dover Athletic 4 Hemel Hempstead Town 0 Vanarama National League South
After a decent start to the season and four points from the two opening games, Mark Jones new look squad seemed to have a much tighter look about them, especially at the back but they have found themselves rather worryingly shipping goals again with ten conceded in three defeats on the bounce. It’s difficult to find positives in a four nil reverse but the final score line was somewhat harsh on the visitors who created a number of chances throughout the game and it could be argued that Ryan Sandford in the Dover goal was the busier keeper, but four nil it was and it could have been worse with Craig King saving a first half penalty. Hemel conceded after they had just seen Michael Dada’s shot on the turn well saved by Sandford. A ball into the box saw the dangerous Alfie Pavey win the header at the back post, he knocked it into the six yard box where Jake Goodman flicked it over his head with his back to goal, leaving King helpless as it smashed past him into the roof of the net. Dara Dada looked like the player who was most likely to get on the scoresheet for Hemel and he had another chance on 20 minutes but his effort flew just wide. Dover were awarded a penalty when a high boot appeared to catch Pavey in the face, it looked a tad harsh and the big striker was soon on his feet to take the penalty but maybe justice was done as Craig King dived to his right to save the spot kick.
Hemel’s best chance to draw level came on 37 minutes when a superb ball from Ryan Hope found Cole Dasilva in space down the right, he drove into the box before laying it back to Charlee Hughes who hit it first time only to see it get the slightest deflection of a defender which was enough to take over the bar when it had looked odds on to be heading into the back of the net, summing up the way things are going for the Tudors at the moment. As has often been the case recently Hemel then conceded a second after missing a good opportunity and it came just before the break, when Jordan Higgs was allowed far too much time and space as he ran into the box, he played a couple of quick passes before driving the ball home to put Dover in the ascendancy at half time. HT 2-0 The Tudors came out with more intent in the second period and forced Dover back but they couldn’t make their possession count. Jordan Greenidge made a great break into the box before firing in a shot that Sandford did well to block, the rebound just falling frustratingly behind Hughes and Castiglione as they followed up. Hemel continued to force Dover back but the home side missed a great chance to go three up when Pavey put a free header wide of the post after a rare foray into the visitors area. Dasilva then saw his shot clip the foot of the post with Sandford beaten and the Dover keeper was called into action again, saving well from Ogu Obi who fired in a shot from the edge of the box. As the clock ticked down the inevitable happened. With Hemel pushing up Sandford launched a long ball down the middle of the pitch which caught the backline out, King raced to the edge of his box but Noah Carney just beat him to it and somewhat agonisingly scuffed it past him and into the bottom corner to make it 3-0. This obviously took the sting out of the Tudors efforts and in injury time, Luke Baptiste rubbed salt into the their wounds by adding a fourth when he cut into the box from out wide before driving the ball home via a deflection that took it past King. So a four nil defeat that whilst being very harsh on Hemel was still enough to drop them into the bottom four and with high flying and big spending Dartford up next, things don’t get any easier for Mark Jones side.
Hemel: Craig King; Cole Dasilva, Bayley Brown (Bradley Webb 31) Jack Westbrook, Kory Roberts, Josh Castiglione; Michael Dada, Godfrey Poku, Ryan Hope; Jordan Greenidge (Craig Fasanmade 68) Charlee Hughes (Ogu Obi 60) Subs not used: Alfie Williams, David Saunders. Attendace 603
Tudors Man of the Match Michael Dara Dada
Sorry for Lack of Photography as i did not attend. Stadium Photo, Compliments of Mitch. the two Player Photos Compliments of Dover FC.
Thank you Stephen Fletcher.
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