Hinckley Utd 1 Dover Athletic 1

A GREY, chilly afternoon in the Midlands watching football played at a dilapidated ground on a sloping, bumpy pitch is probably not everybody's cup of tea, but those Dover fans that did make the long journey on Saturday saw their side earn a point from a gritty performance.

The first quarter of the match was rather scrappy, with neither side looking like scoring, but the game sprung into life after 24 minutes. Dover ‘keeper Paul Hyde controlled a back pass but was then dispossesses by Hinckley forward Chris Smith, who walked the ball into the unguarded goal.

It was a bad goal to concede but Hyde made amends in the rest of the half, saving three more goal-bound efforts from Smith whose sharpness in the penalty area always kept the Whites defence on their toes.

Dover also created several good attacking moves but Hinckley's defence hustled and bustled with some effect. Big central defender Andy Penny had his name taken for a rugby-tackle on Simon Glover as he broke down the left, and Smith was lucky to receive only a yellow card for a crude late challenge on Steve Norman.

With Mark Patterson withdrawn at the interval, Darren Davies was introduced into the fray. Nicky Dent, who had played in the defence in the first half, was moved up front and Dover looked more threatening.

They snatched the equaliser after 52 minutes when Jamie Day cut in from the right-wing and fired in a powerful drive shot from a narrow angle which home goalie Tommy Whittle could only help into the net.

A Norman free-kick whistled inches wide of the top corner and a Davies shot was saved as Dover tried to secure all three points, while Hyde had to make good saves from Smith and Scott Voice.

Then, with two minutes left, Hinckley full-back Neil Cartwright made a good run, beating two Dover defenders before blasting in a shot from 20 yards that looked a goal all the way. But Hyde was again Whites’ saviour, finger-tippig the ball away before gathering it at the second attempt.

So Hinckley had to settle for their fifth draw in their last seven league matches, but Dover deserved to return home with a point for they way battled throughout the 90 minutes in difficult conditions because of the fact they were without Andy Arnott, Danny Chapman and Matt Carruthers.

Dover Athletic: Hyde, Browne, Norman, Readings, Patterson (Davies, h-t), Dyer, Day, Spiller, Tyne, Dent (James 72), Glover (Smissen, 88).

Attendance: 321.