Dover 2
(Sutherland 44′, Charles-Cook 67′)
United 2
(McLean OG 4′, Hall 21′)
United’s 2023/24 campaign began with a 2-2 draw away at Dover Athletic on Saturday afternoon.
An own goal inside the opening stages of the game saw Gary Johnson’s side open the scoring, before Asa Hall doubled the advantage on 21 minutes. However towards the end of the first 45, the hosts steadied the flow of play and moments before the interval Zidane Sutherland made it 1-2. As both sides battled in tough conditions, it was Roman Charles-Cook who scored the only goal of the second half to see the points shared at Crabble.
After a corner a piece inside the opening stages, it was United who found themselves a goal up with just four minutes on the clock. Lewis Collins made his way down the left flank before his low cross found Dover man Chevron McLean, who could only bundle the ball into his own net, 0-1.
On 15 minutes it was the hosts who went close through George Nikaj with a low effort fired just wide, but moments later, the ball was down the other end with Brad Ash whose flicked effort was beyond Dover goalkeeper Billy Terrell, but crashed back off the post before John Oyenuga was quick to clear.
After going so close moments earlier, it didn’t take Gary Johnson’s men much longer to double the advantage. In the 21st minute Aaron Jarvis and Brett McGavin exchanged passes before the latter played the ball down the right channel for Will Jenkins Davies, whose cross found Hall on the penalty spot, with the United skipper cooly placing the ball into the back of the net, 0-2.
The hosts went close to reducing the deficit one minute later when a corner found Charlie Naylor unmarked 8 yards out, but Dover’s number 15 could only direct his header over goal.
On 38 minutes Mark Halstead made an excellent save to deny Zidan Sutherland, with a strike from 30 yards out seeing United’s number 1 stretch to tip the effort over the crossbar. A few minutes later the men in white went on to breakthrough, through the same man who went close just moments earlier, as a deep cross into the United box was met by Sutherland, whose left-footed effort curled in off the post, 1-2. After five additional minutes, the scoreline remained 2-1 to United at the halfway stage.
The home side seemed to continue the second half as they concluded the first, with their 44th minute goal seeming to have inflicted some confidence into the side. In the 51st minute it was substitute Oreofe Bello who went close to finding a leveller, with Halstead tipping the effort onto the bar.
As the rain continued to pour the home side continued to press. On 65 minutes Nikaj teed the ball up for McLean, before the latter fired over. However, moments later the hosts found a leveller. Nikaj and Sutherland combined before finding Charles-Cook who made it 2-2.
Moments after the restart, the ball was upfield with Jarvis, but United’s number 9 was unable to keep his footing and could only see his shot go wide. One minute later Jarvis had another headed effort go wide. The game then entered a period of end-to-end play before in the 80th minute Dillon De Silva worked well down the right wing and cut inside, before curling his shot wide.
With ten minutes left on the clock both teams went on to push for a winner, but nothing could separate the sides and the game ended 2-2.
DOVER: 1. Billy Terrell, 3. Roman Charles-Cook, 5. Michael Olarewaju, 6. James Dunne (c), 8. Joshua Anifowose, 9. Zidane Sutherland (20. Nick Dembele 74′), 10. George Nikaj (22. Luke Baptiste 83′), 11. Iffy Allen (21. Oreofe Bello 40′), 12. Chevron McLean, 15. Charlie Naylor, 25. John Oyenuga.
SUBS NOT USED: 4. Peter Ojemen, 18. Henry Young.
Yellow Cards: Nikaj 60′, Brundle 75′, Charles-Cook 82′, Terrell 85′
UNITED: 1. Mark Halstead , 4. Tom Lapslie, 8. Asa Hall (c), 9. Aaron Jarvis, 10. Lewis Collins (17. Dillon De Silva 66′), 11. Brad Ash, 14. Brett McGavin (3. Dan Martin 55′), 15. Finley Craske, 16. Shaun Donnellan, 18. Will Jenkins Davies (21. Dean Moxey 86′), 23. Ollie Tomlinson.
SUBS NOT USED: 7. Ryan Hanson, 22. Rhys Lovett.