EFFIONG’S FREE-KICK IS HANDY FOR BOSS ANDY

DOVER downed Concord thanks to Inih Effiong netting his precise free kick late into the second half to progress to the first round of the FA Cup.

The hosts could consider themselves hard done by having gone toe-to-toe with their National League visitors.

Dover had good claims for a penalty turned down just before the half-hour when Connor Essam appeared to be pulled back in the box by Michael Clark, referee Paul Howard opting not to award a spot-kick or book Essam for diving.

Sam Beasant had to be sharp to stop a low Effiong snap shot midway through the first half whilst up the other end the Dover defence was on point to block both Danny Green and Tosan Popo efforts.

As the game wore on, Concord looked the most likely to snatch a winner but against the run of play the Whites won a free-kick.

And Effiong stepped up and curled home a brilliant 25-yard strike with just three minutes left to hand Dover boss Andy Hessenthaler his first win since returning to the Crabble hotseat.

A heavy spell of late pressure was applied by the hosts, but to no avail as the closest they came to an equaliser was Tyrone Sterling’s looping header beating Mitch Walker, but not the crossbar.