Leatherhead 0 Dover Athletic 0

Dover Athletic leapfrogged over Kingstonian into sixth place in the Ryman League Division One table – but were held to a goal-less draw at Leatherhead tonight, writes Mike Green.

Chances were at a premium tonight in the Fetcham Grove mud. 

The best first half chance fell to the home side as early as the fourth minute when visiting goalkeeper Darren Smith had to be at his best to deny striker Dave Stevens.
 
Anthony Hogg had Dover’s best chance of the half with a free kick that Tommy Dunn moved smartly to save.
 
But as the first half wore on the tensions began to show for Clive Walker’s side as the game turned fractious.
 
Dover, did, however, have the ball in the net after ten minutes but Chris Chase’s lob was ruled out for offside.
 
Dover created the better chances in the second half but when they found a way through keeper Dunn proved unbeatable.

Craig Wilkins screwed a shot across the face of goal as Leatherhead failed to clear a corner – too far for a lunging Craig Cloke to break the deadlock in the opening seconds of the half.
 
Substitute James Rogers had another chance for Dover after 69 minutes when he beat Dunn only for Tanners’ skipper Iain Hendry to hack clear.
 
From the resulting corner Chase sent over a fabulous cross where Lee Spiller’s flying header was only denied by a fabulous save from the backpeddling goalkeeper who went full length to palm the Dover’s skipper’s header over the bar.
 
Dover were reduced to ten men late on when Danny Chapman was sent off following a melee involving 16 players after he was initially fouled by Tommy Moorhouse. 

Leatherhead almost stole the points at the death as substitutes Julian Thompson and Ronnie Green both used their pace to exploit ever gaping gaps as Walker’s side pushed for the victory.

A point gained or two lost or perhaps more importantly an influential part of Dover’s jigsaw will now be missing for their last two crucial league games and potentially a play-off semi-final.