Rakish Bingham’s last-gasp penalty meant Fleet took full advantage in the fight at the top of the table just as it seemed the two Kent rivals were going to share a point at Crabble. Having conceded a penalty to see Dover gain a foothold in the game, Haydn Hollis was the man to win one at the other end that provided the platform for maximum points.
With both Havant and Chelmsford not playing in the league, and Dartford losing, the late win provided plenty of cheer for the travelling support as they witnessed a first win in Dover since our promotion season this month in 2011.
Fleet had two changes on the board with Franklin Domi and skipper Chris Solly starting, while making way were Craig Tanner and Alex Finney. And for the third time this season, former Fleet players Jake Goodman and Lee Martin lined up against their old club.
But it was a former Dover player who made the earliest in-roads, Dominic Poleon slipping his marker from Omari Sterling-James’ through ball to force Stuart Nelson into a save low in his six-yard box. Hollis then had to head away a dangerous cross from Luke Wanadio after Alfie Pavey’s determination in the box had won Dover a corner.
Wanadio provided much of Dover’s best work and on 15 minutes helped earn their best moment as a cross caused some trouble in the Fleet box and Luke Baptiste ended up smashing a shot that was cleared after Solly had headed away an earlier effort.
It was a largely an affair of attrition on an understandably sticky pitch and it took until the 24th minute for another opportunity to come Fleet’s way, Sterling steering a ball into the path of Domi but he was crowded out of getting that one on target. That was Sterling’s last involvement as an earlier knock on him meant he succumbed to that injury and Darren McQueen – scorer of two goals at Crabble in the last three visits – replaced him.
Edser then sent across a corner with the ball arrowing over the players in the middle to nestle in the far top corner but that was ruled out to the bemusement of the Fleet bench.
Fleet were just starting to push on into Dover territory as they took the lead 10 minutes before the break. A period of pressure around the box saw Bingham and Christian N’Guessan carry their side forward. The latter slid the ball through for Domi to run on to and he held off the white shirts to fire past Stuart Nelson.
Domi might have helped provide a second on 42 minutes as he did just enough to hold off Myles Judd in the box for Greg Cundle to arrive to wrap his foot around a shot that curled towards the top corner until well saved by Nelson.
Fleet were on the ball again as the second-half restarted, McQueen twice attacking from the right before Bingham’s run through the middle produced an effort that wasn’t too far off as Nelson got across to gather.
Dover fans were jubilant on 50 minutes when Pavey drifted into space waiting for a Jordan Higgs pass through the box but as Pavey converted past Cousins, he had strayed into an offside position and the flag went up. But that gave the home side plenty of encouragement and Hollis saved the Fleet when he threw himself bravely in front of Pavey’s rocket of a shot on 56 minutes. Moments later, Noah Carney crashed a shot off the underside of the bar that bounced down and away to safety as the Whites began to fancy their chances of an equaliser.
After Poleon almost got away on the break before a challenge that the referee waved away, Wanadio hared upfield and had to be denied by an excellent interception by Solly. In an entertaining half, Goodman then strode forward to send another effort soaring over Cousins’ bar as the Fleet keeper reached for it with his fingertips.
But Dover’s threatened equaliser was made reality with 20 minutes left. A cross to the far right saw Hollis tangle with Pavey and although the Fleet defender caught the Dover player in the face, he protested it was more of a collision than deliberate. Hollis was booked for his troubles after referee Abigail Byrne awarded the penalty and then Cousins was almost the hero as he pushed away Wanadio’s spot-kick but could do nothing to stop the Dover man following up to bury it in the net.
Edser delivered Domi’s pass over the bar on 75 minutes as Fleet tried to wrestle back the initiative but it seemed time was going to tick away on yet another 1-1 draw at Crabble. But with moments of the 90 to go, substitute Ben Chapman got into gear down the left to win a corner. Elliott Romain was blocked on the line as a couple of tackles flew in and as Hollis came back out to challenge, he went over Goodman’s leg and the referee pointed to the spot for the second time. It was plenty of pressure on Bingham’s shoulders but he slammed the ball home for the winner.
There was still time for both sides to press further in time added on in this action-packed second-half. Both Poleon and Edser might have broken clear to catch Nelson unawares while at the other end, Cousins grabbed Hollis’s back header as he advanced to clear. Hollis, Sido Jombati and Solly stood firm to the high balls and crosses into the box to help deliver the winning points and move the visitors into second position.
EUFC: Cousins, Jombati, Hollis, Solly, N’Guessan, Edser, Domi (Romain 80), Cundle (Chapman 59), Sterling-James (McQueen 27), Bingham, Poleon. Subs: Paxman, Coulthirst
DAFC: Nelson, Judd, Paxman, Goodman, Higgs, Pavey, Wanadio, Martin, Sterling, Carney (Kandi 58), Baptiste (Wilkinson 69). Subs: Agbebi, Byford, Oliver
Attendance: 967
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