GOAL-SHY DOVER ARE PUNISHED BY WHITELY

COREY Whitely ensured winless Dover Athletic went empty-handed again in a tense Kent derby at Crabble.

It’s now four home games without so much of a goal for Andy Hessethaler’s men, who have still only shaved one point off their minus-12 tally.

Ravens hot-shot Michael Cheek had scored in all five previous games this season but saw a penalty saved by goalkeeper Adam Parkes and rattled the bar as Bromley looked like they might run riot in the early stages.

But, to their credit, Dover dug deep to set-up a grandstand finish.

“We were unlucky not to go in at half-time three or four up but Dover defended well,” admitted Ravens boss Andy Woodman.

“The keeper saved the penalty and they were quite resolute. We had a game plan to attack and on another day we’d have been a few goals up but we’ve got back to back wins and clean sheets so, no complaints from me.”

Whitley had already seen a shot deflected past the post on six minutes, before putting matters right seconds later, driving towards the box and unleashing a fierce low drive from 20 yards which Parkes could not prevent creeping inside his near post.

Whitley almost created a second goal on 14 minutes, winning a penalty under pressure from Danny Collinge after latching onto a long Chris Bush ball down the left, only for

Cheek to see his fierce spotkick down the middle saved by Parkes’ trailing leg.

Parkes was called into action again to deny Jude Arthurs just before the break, and Cheek went even closer on 55 minutes, curling a sublime freekick which thumped the underside of the bar before bouncing out, with Ravens fans convinced the ball had crossed the line.

George Alexander dragged a shot across goal when clean through while ex-Raven Sam Wood saw frenzied appeals for a penalty for handball dismissed by referee Sunny Gill as Dover sought an equaliser.

Cousins needed to be alert to save a deflected strike from former Bromley man Ben Williamson, tip over Ricky Miller’s deft free-kick and collect a Collinge header as Whites pressed.

But it was Bromley who should have put the game to bed – Williamson finding the foot of the Bromley post, before Alexander hit the outside of the woodwork from an angle.

Hessenthaler said: “The first half we were nowhere near it. It’s a derby game but we didn’t get after them – we made it too easy for them. We were good for the last half hour but we didn’t get the rub of the green.

“We had a right go in the second half, but we’ll keep going, my wife and kids will make sure they tell me, ‘keep working and keep your head up.’”

STAR MAN: