Dover 2-0 Eastleigh
DOVER ATHLETIC 2-0 EASTLEIGH
SATURDAY 7th JANUARY 2012
SATURDAY 7th JANUARY 2012
Blue Square Bet South
Match Report by Ray Murphy
It was a disappointing afternoon for the Spitfires as their charge towards the play offs fell off the rails slightly against other play-off contenders Dover Athletic. Arguably more disappointing than the result though was the overall performance when not troubling the home goalkeeper Mikhael Ruiz through the match and the worrying sight of Jamie Slabber being stretchered from the pitch following an awful looking challenge on the Eastleigh leading scorer.
Manager Ian Baird gave a debut to midweek signing Philip Appiah from Farnborough, the midfielder having also seen service with Preston North End and Hayes & Yeading United. Danny Smith dropped to the substitutes bench, that being the only change from the sides last outing on Boxing Day at Havant & Waterlooville.
The match could not have got off to a worse start for Eastleigh. Eastleigh kicked off, the ball was played forward into the Dover area, keeper Ruiz cleared deep back into the Eastleigh half where Andy Forbes' returned header fell back into the Dover defence. Ed Harris returned another header on to which Michael Green repeated the act, the ball this time falling for Graeme Montgomery whose left footed lofted pass arrived on the opposite flank to the Dover left back Tom Wynter. Wynter's pass forward into the path of James Walker saw Walker spread the ball wide to the right where Barry Cogan had acres of room to stride forward slipping the ball across the Eastleigh six-yard box for George Purcell to tap home. All in fifty-six seconds and Eastleigh were a goal behind.
Eastleigh looked for an immediate response. On three minutes Mitchell Nelson's long throw was only half cleared and Appiah sent a half volley just wide. It was Eastleigh who were having the better of the possession. Green made a couple of darting runs from his left back role but his final ball brought no end product. On twelve minutes Montgomery’s left footed floated free kick from the right hand side of the pitch saw Harris head clear but only to Damian Scannell who headed the ball into the path of Appiah, the midfielder stumbling to get to the ball though and the chance being cleared but only for a Montgomery volley to be returned but off target.
The home side were limited to breakaways as Eastleigh tried to pierce through the Dover rearguard with no success. One quick breakaway came on twenty five minutes where following an Eastleigh free kick the ball was cleared to Walker still inside his own half but with Green in pursuit, the striker strode forward cutting inside the on-running Green just inside the area but his left footed shot lacked the power to beat Jack Dovey.
On twenty-nine minutes Tom Jordan headed on Green's long throw for Slabber but his weak header fell nicely for Ruiz, then three minutes later Slabber headed a deep Montgomery cross over the top of Ruiz into the net but the effort was ruled out for offside against the striker. With forty minutes played the challenge on Slabber right by the dugouts saw all the players congregate following Michael Corcoran's tackle. Once peace had been restored with Corcoran shown a yellow card, Slabber left the scene on a stretcher to be looked after by the Dover Club doctor. Though an ambulance did arrive, Slabber decided that due to the seven hour wait at the local hospital to be x-rayed, he would wait to get back to his North London home, the injury being a deep cut and a possible fracture to his left leg.
For the remaining time of the first half and the additional five minutes stoppage time Eastleigh showed more determination at getting back level but their best chance fell from a Scannell corner that was met by Nelson's header which was easily saved by Ruiz.
Dover had a couple of half chances as the second period started, both went off target. On fifty-one minutes Harris lofted a ball deep from his own half over the Eastleigh back line, Terry Dixon raced through with Eastleigh waiting for an offside decision, which never came. Dixon challenged Dovey for the ball to which the keeper did not get the decision of the referee for a free kick in his favour but Dixon managed to screw the ball wide of the open net.
On fifty-three minutes Green's long throw into the path of Scannell saw Scannell cut inside his full back but his shot was covered by Ruiz. A minute later another a Green long throw into the area was cleared by the Dover defence, Nelson's defensive header against Walker fell for Dixon who played a delicately placed ball through the remaining Eastleigh defence into the path of Purcell who held his run to avoid being offside running some forty-five yards despite the close attention of Andy Forbes before planting a low shot down past Dovey's outstretched left hand into the net
Eastleigh’s attempts on goal were from distance, Montgomery trying his luck again on fifty-six minutes but again not powerful enough to trouble Ruiz. On the hour from a Dover corner Dovey produced a double stop to deny the home side adding a third goal to their tally.
Eastleigh still had their fair share of possession but the home side were very quick on their breakaways. From one such break on seventy-four minutes following an Eastleigh corner, substitute Billy Bicknell and Purcell exchanged passes which saw Purcell denied his hat trick by a fine stop by Dovey.
Dover midfielder Dixon, a recent acquisition from Bradford City, was expressing his game with some skilful passes and flicks linking up the play for Dover as they threatened further goals. In stoppage time Dover had the opportunity to add two goals thanks to Dixon’s artistry. First a long ball from the Dover defence was collected in the area by Dixon who back heeled the ball into the path of Bricknell who only managed to fire into the side netting, then racing on to a through ball himself he was denied by the onrushing Dovey saving at his feet.
Manager Ian Baird gave a debut to midweek signing Philip Appiah from Farnborough, the midfielder having also seen service with Preston North End and Hayes & Yeading United. Danny Smith dropped to the substitutes bench, that being the only change from the sides last outing on Boxing Day at Havant & Waterlooville.
The match could not have got off to a worse start for Eastleigh. Eastleigh kicked off, the ball was played forward into the Dover area, keeper Ruiz cleared deep back into the Eastleigh half where Andy Forbes' returned header fell back into the Dover defence. Ed Harris returned another header on to which Michael Green repeated the act, the ball this time falling for Graeme Montgomery whose left footed lofted pass arrived on the opposite flank to the Dover left back Tom Wynter. Wynter's pass forward into the path of James Walker saw Walker spread the ball wide to the right where Barry Cogan had acres of room to stride forward slipping the ball across the Eastleigh six-yard box for George Purcell to tap home. All in fifty-six seconds and Eastleigh were a goal behind.
Eastleigh looked for an immediate response. On three minutes Mitchell Nelson's long throw was only half cleared and Appiah sent a half volley just wide. It was Eastleigh who were having the better of the possession. Green made a couple of darting runs from his left back role but his final ball brought no end product. On twelve minutes Montgomery’s left footed floated free kick from the right hand side of the pitch saw Harris head clear but only to Damian Scannell who headed the ball into the path of Appiah, the midfielder stumbling to get to the ball though and the chance being cleared but only for a Montgomery volley to be returned but off target.
The home side were limited to breakaways as Eastleigh tried to pierce through the Dover rearguard with no success. One quick breakaway came on twenty five minutes where following an Eastleigh free kick the ball was cleared to Walker still inside his own half but with Green in pursuit, the striker strode forward cutting inside the on-running Green just inside the area but his left footed shot lacked the power to beat Jack Dovey.
On twenty-nine minutes Tom Jordan headed on Green's long throw for Slabber but his weak header fell nicely for Ruiz, then three minutes later Slabber headed a deep Montgomery cross over the top of Ruiz into the net but the effort was ruled out for offside against the striker. With forty minutes played the challenge on Slabber right by the dugouts saw all the players congregate following Michael Corcoran's tackle. Once peace had been restored with Corcoran shown a yellow card, Slabber left the scene on a stretcher to be looked after by the Dover Club doctor. Though an ambulance did arrive, Slabber decided that due to the seven hour wait at the local hospital to be x-rayed, he would wait to get back to his North London home, the injury being a deep cut and a possible fracture to his left leg.
For the remaining time of the first half and the additional five minutes stoppage time Eastleigh showed more determination at getting back level but their best chance fell from a Scannell corner that was met by Nelson's header which was easily saved by Ruiz.
Dover had a couple of half chances as the second period started, both went off target. On fifty-one minutes Harris lofted a ball deep from his own half over the Eastleigh back line, Terry Dixon raced through with Eastleigh waiting for an offside decision, which never came. Dixon challenged Dovey for the ball to which the keeper did not get the decision of the referee for a free kick in his favour but Dixon managed to screw the ball wide of the open net.
On fifty-three minutes Green's long throw into the path of Scannell saw Scannell cut inside his full back but his shot was covered by Ruiz. A minute later another a Green long throw into the area was cleared by the Dover defence, Nelson's defensive header against Walker fell for Dixon who played a delicately placed ball through the remaining Eastleigh defence into the path of Purcell who held his run to avoid being offside running some forty-five yards despite the close attention of Andy Forbes before planting a low shot down past Dovey's outstretched left hand into the net
Eastleigh’s attempts on goal were from distance, Montgomery trying his luck again on fifty-six minutes but again not powerful enough to trouble Ruiz. On the hour from a Dover corner Dovey produced a double stop to deny the home side adding a third goal to their tally.
Eastleigh still had their fair share of possession but the home side were very quick on their breakaways. From one such break on seventy-four minutes following an Eastleigh corner, substitute Billy Bicknell and Purcell exchanged passes which saw Purcell denied his hat trick by a fine stop by Dovey.
Dover midfielder Dixon, a recent acquisition from Bradford City, was expressing his game with some skilful passes and flicks linking up the play for Dover as they threatened further goals. In stoppage time Dover had the opportunity to add two goals thanks to Dixon’s artistry. First a long ball from the Dover defence was collected in the area by Dixon who back heeled the ball into the path of Bricknell who only managed to fire into the side netting, then racing on to a through ball himself he was denied by the onrushing Dovey saving at his feet.
Comments
Post a Comment