Worcester City 0 Dover Athletic 1

TONY BROWNE’S second-half goal earned Dover three points in this Dr Martens League, premier division, clash after an impressive performance against the side in second place in the table.

Fielding the same team that had beaten Gravesend & Northfleet four days earlier, Whites looked solid in defence and always threatened when moving forward.

Worcester started with a rush, forcing three corners in the first two minutes, but Paul Hyde in the Dover goal didn't have a serious shot to save in the first half.

The one occasion that Dover's defence looked in trouble, Mark Patterson was able to hook the ball off the goalline and the danger was averted.

Dover looked marginally the better side and home goalkeeper Danny McDonnell had to dive to his right to stop a Matt Carruthers shot, following a good move down the right involving Browne, Jamie Day and Lee Spiller. Kenny Dyer was also unlucky with a low shot that just cleared the far post.

Nicky Dent was suffering with a head injury, and he was replaced at the interval by Tommy Tyne.

On 54 minutes McDonnell did well to save a shot from Carruthers, and when Tyne headed the ball back into the centre, Spiller saw his header well saved. The ball then broke loose to Browne and he hammered a shot through a crowd of defenders into the net.

This provided the wake-up call that the home side needed and they began to show some urgency. Hyde was called on to make two good saves from Adam Wilde as the home side's attacks picked up momentum down the slope.

Wilde saw another shot deflected onto the crossbar and over and Dover survived a couple of goalmouth scrambles.

Dover looked dangerous when breaking out of defence and a number of moves looked likely to bring further goals, but McDonnell was in good form to deny Carruthers on more than one occasion.

With Darren Middleton starring in midfield, Worcester always threatened to score an equaliser but the Dover defence held firm.

Day was booked for dissent in the first half and Carruthers joined him in the second half for kicking the ball away. Spiller and City's Jon Holloway were both booked after a flare-up. and Worcester’s paul Darren Carty and Adam Wilde were both cautioned after challenges for which a referee less lenient than Mr Castle of Wolverhampton might have shown the red card.

Tempers became frayed in the closing minutes as the home crowd became very vociferous, but Dover held on for a precious three points.

Dover: Hyde; Browne, Norman, Patterson, Readings, Chapman; Dyer, Spiller, Day, Dent (Tyne, h-t), Carruthers. Subs not used: Glover, James, Davies, Wietecha.

Attendance: 1,258.