DOVER ARE DENIED BUT STILL MAKE THEIR POINT

BOTTOM club Dover Athletic were made to wait longer for a first victory of the season despite giving in-form Yeovil Town a scare at Huish Park.

Adi Yussuf equalised for the Glovers 13 minutes from time, cancelling out TJ Bramble’s second-minute opener for Andy Hessenthaler’s men.

The conditions were tough to play in, but it only took Dover a little over 90 seconds to open the scoring. Bramble found some space in the 18-yard box and tried his luck – and Grant Smith tried to get a hand to it before it trickled into the back of the net.

Dale Gorman went close for the Glovers from a freekick just outside the box, but the Dover defence stood firm in the first 45 minutes with the strong Somerset wind in their favour. Bramble went close to doubling his tally again in space in Yeovil’s box, but Dan Moss’ superb tackle kept the lead to just one at the break.

Yeovil lacked urgency particularly going forward and the lack of creativity was mirrored by the atmosphere at half-time with the Glovers on the back of two away wins in the National League.

The wind was with the Glovers in the second half and a change in shape gave the home side renewed vigour. Dover goalkeeper Josh Bexon was on fine form as he saved efforts from Tom Knowles and substitute Sonny Blu Lo-Everton.

Another Gorman freekick was cleared off the line just after half-time and Luke Wilkinson’s follow-up was also cleared.

The spirited Bexon, however, was finally beaten on 77 minutes when Jordan Barnett’s cross found Yussuf who claimed the final touch into the back of the net.

Despite ending the match with 10 men after Knowles was taken off with concussion with all three substitutes used, it was the home side who knocked on the door for the winner, but Dover stood firm to take a precious point back to Kent.

Yeovil manager Darren Sarll told The NLP he was limited in what changes he could make, but they were needed.

He said: “I thought a draw was right for two reasons. One, I didn’t think we were very good, and a win would have papered over the cracks and this group of young people need to understand what a campaign looks like and how you build momentum and points and progressive positions in the table. I was – of course – happier with point. Both teams deserve enormous credit for playing in those conditions.

“I am balanced in that we probably got what we deserved.

“I don’t think our team is built to have the ball, it is built to chase, it is built to run and it was a bit of a role reversal, and we struggled with that in the first half.”