YOUNG GUNS MUST BEGIN TO DIG DEEP, WARNS HESS
ANDY Hessenthaler says his young Dover Athletic squad have the stomach for a relegation scrap – but need to find the quality to match it.
Hessenthaler’s Whites crashed to another home defeat to remain rock bottom of National League and ten points from safety – albeit with a raft of games in hand.
Moors scored closerange goals either side of the break to secure three deserved points and climb to seventh, well-placed for a play-off push, but were made to work for their win by a Covid-ravaged Crabble side with an average age of just 22.
Hessenthaler claimed: “I can’t fault the boys’ effort, we just didn’t have enough quality in the final third. We have got to keep fighting like that though, if we do, who knows.
“If you take away the two goals, from two mistakes, we’ve dominated the ball at times.
“We had six or seven experienced players out. I knew it was going to be tough with how young we were and how big and strong Solihull are. We are a million miles apart in terms of size of the club and financial status – they were able to bring Adam Rooney off the bench.”
After a quiet first 20 minutes, Moors launched a sumptuous counter-attack with Jimmy Ball and Jamie Ward combining to feed the flying Callum Maycock whose first-time cross from the right flashed across the face of goal.
The deadlock was broken on the half-hour when Ward’s superb corner was met at the far post by Jordan Cranston with Nathan Cameron turning home from close range.
Dover keeper Ollie Webber – making his debut on loan from Crystal Palace – thwarted Kyle Hudlin twice in quick succession, first racing out to smother at the big striker’s feet after a sublime Ward through-ball and then getting a strong hand to Hudlin’s shot after a perfect one-two with Ball. Moors had to wait until eight minutes after the break for the clincher. Hudlin sprayed the ball wide for Ward to chase, he swung in a low cross which cannoned off Will De Havilland allowing Hudlin a close range tap-in.
Dover battled back to boss the closing stages, though Ryan Hanson was denied a late consolation as his header was cleared off the line.
Despite a tenth defeat in 13 games, a win over Barnet on Tuesday would see Dover leapfrog the Bees to climb off the bottom.
“Psychologically that would be fantastic for us,” Hessenthaler admitted. “Nobody knows what is going on with the financial side, and if the season is going to continue. It’s confusing.
“Everyone has an agenda – if the season does finish then obviously it does us a favour. The way it’s going, if there’s no finances coming in, I can’t see the season continuing.”