BIRD ON SONG TO KEEP OUT DRAGONS

RYAN BIRD’S close-range strike helped Athletic slay the Dragons on a sunny afternoon at Crabble. The striker cooly slotted home Kane Richards’ lay-off on 19 minutes to leave Wrexham pointless ahead of their 280-mile journey home. But the trek back to North Wales may well have been sweeter had home stopper Mitch Walker not denied Mark Carrington early on from a few yards after Manny Parry’s attempted clearance rolled into his path. It was Bird who drew first blood and the former Newport County man nearly made the wound deeper, but his looping header from Femi Ilesanmi’s cross just cleared the crossbar.

Nortei Nortey, signed from Wrexham in the summer, forced Chris Dunn into a low save with a 20-yard effort.

The 100 travelling fans had to wait until the half hour mark to see their side’s next effort. Sam Wedgbury nodding James Jennings’ cross just wide.

Wrexham came out firing after the break and they almost stole a point at the death but Shaun Pearson could only direct his header wide with the goal gaping.

Triumphant Dover boss Chris Kinnear said: “We are happy with that as it is a young side playing against a club who have invested a lot in experienced players. The performance at times was a bit scratchy, but on saying that we went through phases were we created chances and that is all you can do.”

“It was a good team performance without reaching the heights that we will do as the season progresses.”

Downbeat Dragons boss Dean Keates added: “Our game plan was working and we were to getting down the sides of the their back three.

“We should have taken the lead early on but credit to Dover, they put a lot of balls into the box, played the percentages and in the end they came out on top.”