DISASTROUS DOVER ARE UNDONE BY ‘GARY TIME’

DOVER Athletic’s search for a first win of the season continues as they were denied by a ‘Gary time’ winner against Torquay United.

A Dean Moxey own goal gave the visitors an early lead before skipper Armani Little found an equaliser and then scored the winner late on – as United made it four wins out of four to mark their NHS Community Day, leaving Dover manager Andy Hessenthaler to reflect on another defeat.

“It was gut-wrenching to be honest,” said Hessenthaler.

“We started on the front foot, we got the goal and we deserved that over the last few weeks.

“It’s those little things that go against you, when you are down there, you don’t get the rub of the green and we deserved at least a point today.”

By contrast, Gulls boss manager Gary Johnson was pleased that his side were able to dig and come away with the three points despite not playing at their best.

“It’s been handy for us, funnily enough we do talk about it and we don’t call it ‘Gary time’,” said Johnson.

“I said, ‘We’ve got to raise it by 50 per cent because at the minute we’re going to get beat here’ and it’s important that we did react so we had a chance of going away and doing it. I agree with a lot of people that we didn’t play our best, we did okay in the first-half but in the second half it petered out.”

The Gulls were behind after four minutes when Moxey inadvertently nodded a cross from Junior

Tiensia into his own net.

Four minutes later, Dover were forced into an early change as Harry Ransom replaced the injured Reda Johnson.

United’s equaliser eventually came in the 34th minute when Little drove home a low strike from 25 yards.

Torquay then found themselves in the ascendancy as Klaidi Lolos was denied by the reflexes of Lilywhites keeper Adam Parkes on 37 minutes. Four minutes before the break, Lolos went close again as he saw a close range shot turned behind for a corner by Parkes after being teed up by Keelan O’Connell.

In the second half, the Gulls went close eight minutes after the restart as Dan Holman headed a free-kick from Moxey over the bar.

United were then forced into two quick changes as Jake Andrews replaced the injured Chiori Johnson on 62 minutes, just three minutes after Johnson had come on for Byron Moore.

Dover came close to adding a second came in the 72nd minute when Ricky Hanson headed a Koby Arthur into the side netting.

Four minutes later, Gulls’ sub Jake Andrews blasted a long range effort agonisingly wide.

Nevertheless, United managed to come up with a winner on 90 minutes as the ball dropped to Little in the box and he volleyed home to complete his brace. STAR MAN: Armani Little (Torquay) ATT: 2,892 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: Matthew Russell