Eastleigh 1 Dover Athletic 0

DOVER again went down to a solitary first-half goal after dominating this Rymnan League, premier division, for long periods.

While Whites’ loyal band of travelling fans saw enough to ensure that they will keep the faith, they must have been deeply disappointed not to see their team come away with at least a point.

The goal that decided the game came on 37 minutes. Martin Thomas made a surging run through central midfield before sliding a diagonal ball into the inside right channel, picking out the run wide man Danny Smith. As Daniel Braithwaite lost his footing in attempting to cut out the danger, Smith sent an angled drive across Jean-Zepharin and into the bottom right hand corner.

Athletic earned 17 corners throughout the game compared with Easleigh's two but they were unable to to snatch a their opportunites.

The effort that best summed up Whites afternoon came at the mid-point of the half, as Matt Carruthers swung in a corner from the left. As the ball dipped to beat the ‘keeper, it struck the underside of the bar. Yet rather than drop to be shinned in from a distance of inches, the ball simply drifted harmlessly out of play.

And as recently acquired front man Paul Armstrong worked tirelessly in the hope that something was going to come his way, it was becoming abundantly clear that it just wasn’t going to happen.

And but for Jean-Zepharin’s smart reaction save that kept out Paul Sales’ close range effort, it would have been worse for Athletic.

Dover: Jean-Zepharin, Grimes, Cloke, Palmer, Shearer, Braithwaite, Carruthers, Maynard, Wilkins, Renner, Armstrong. Subs: Spiller, Readings, J Rogers, Vallance, P Rogers.

* Dover are at home to Harrow Borough on Tuesday night (November 23) in another Ryman League Premier Division game (kick off 7.45pm).