City made a very positive start and took the game to their opponents right from the off. Showing good passing and movement City enjoyed the bulk of the early possession and created the first opportunity of the game in the fourth minute. Good work down the left by Shane Wardley allowed Richard Skelly to swing in an accurate cross for Leon Gutzmore but the striker was unable to extend the Athletic ‘keeper.
Dover responded almost immediately, Jamie Day broke free on the right and his cross found Nicky Dent but the visitors’ striker failed to make the most of a presentable opportunity.
After this early scare City began to gain the ascendancy. Wilson produced a powerful shot from a Hayes free kick. The influential midfielder then turning provider playing a good angled ball over to Matt Clements which gave the speedy winger a shooting opportunity.
Two minutes later Hayes and Clements combined superbly to set up Leon Gutzmore but the big number 10 was leaning back as he struck the ball and his shot flew over the bar. Moments later it was Clements again, getting through an awful lot of work, who put Gutzmore in the clear on the right but with Adam Wilde striving to get into the box the cross was over hit and the opportunity gone.
Dover managed briefly to break City’s stranglehold on the game but Simon Glover was caught offside as the team from Kent threatened the home goal. The resultant clearance from Martin Davies reached Adam Wilde who homed in on goal only to be foiled by Paul Hyde who smothered at his feet.
It was Adam Wilde, having an influential game, who had the next opportunity too. The unlikely source on this occasion being a left wing cross from Colin Vowden who was upfield for a corner. Wilde brought the spiralling ball down superbly but shot wide.
City’s controlled football coupled with the dominance they were beginning to exert over the midfield, where Che Wilson was showing the quality that made him a regular at Bristol Rovers last season, allowed them to sustain and build on their early pressure. On 25 minutes an in-swinging Adie Hayes corner saw Leon Gutzmore challenge Dover ‘keeper Paul Hyde. After the ball was cleared the two appeared to clash. After a lengthy consultation with his assistant the referee booked both players.
Five minutes later another Hayes corner, again expertly delivered, saw Wilde connect with a deft back-header which forced the alert Hyde to punch behind.
Dover’s frustration came to boil on 35 minutes when Dean Readings picked up a yellow card (presumably for dissent) as Hayes prepared to take yet another corner. From the resultant kick Gutzmore headed home but Colin Vowden had already been penalised for a push.
City controlled the remainder of the half without managing any further meaningful efforts on goal. Dover were much the happier to hear the half-time whistle with the score-sheet blank.
The break came at the wrong time for City who never really recaptured their momentum after the interval. Dover worked on preventing the Lilywhites feeding Matt Clements and as such the City attack lacked the menace of the first period.
On 55 minutes Danny Chapman broke swiftly down the right. Shane Wardley made a great recovery run and did well to get a head onto the cross, however, the ball fell invitingly for Lee Spiller on the edge of the box, his fierce drive cannoned off the back of Simon Glover and looped over the stranded Martin Davies, 1-0 Dover.
City re-grouped. Three minutes later a Wooding free-kick from wide on the right found Colin Vowden in the box but his shot was saved by Paul Hyde diving to his right.
The game was now becoming increasingly tetchy. On the hour mark Nicky Dent became the third Dover player to be booked, again this appeared to be for dissent. He was soon to be followed by Danny Chapman who felled Adam Wilde twice in quick succession.
As City pushed for an equaliser Kevin Wilkin replaced Richard Skelly in order to partner Leon Gutzmore up front. This appeared to give the home side some attacking momentum and shortly afterwards a raking cross from Jack Wignall found Adam Wilde whose shot was comfortably dealt with by Hyde.
Leon Gutzmore, with another battling performance to his credit was then replaced by Ryan Jenner, however City found themselves hanging on as Dover enjoyed their best spell of the match. One of several dangerous left wing corners from Matt Carruthers forced Jack Wignall into a last gasp clearance. Lee Spiller then struck a fierce drive which Martin Davies could only parry but the City stopper recovered superbly to deny Simon Glover by diving at his feet to block the follow up. City weathered the storm due in no small part to the commanding Colin Vowden who, like Martin Davies, impressed against his former club.
On 76 minutes Jamie Day became the fifth Dover player to find his way into Mr Bryan’s notebook.
With ten minutes left City netted a deserved equaliser. Matt Clements ran the width of the pitch to chase a Shane Wardley clearance down the left flank. His efforts were rewarded with a throw in deep in Dover territory, from which Kevin Wilkin cleverly won a corner. Ryan Jenner, who settled in superbly looking very comfortable at this level, flighted in an excellent near post kick which Wilkin dispatched with a trademark flick header.
City pressed for a winner and an Adam Wilde cross-shot bounced off the top of the bar soon afterwards. As Dover looked to consolidate Jamie Day made way for Kristian James.
In City’s last meaningful effort on goal Adam Wilde chased a Colin Vowden through ball but the visitors’ ‘keeper got to it first. There was a late scare for City when Davies spilled an injury time cross but the referee blew for a push and the points were shared.
The Milton Road faithful were treated to the best City display so far this season. The impressive Che Wilson was adjudged man of the match but this was essentially an impressive team performance. The City players were disappointed not to have taken all three points from a Dover side looking to return to the Conference at the first attempt, all in all a very encouraging evening.
