Kingstonian 0 Dover Athletic 0

WHITES last night produced a gutsy performance against a side who, judging by their display, can look forward to better times.

The home team were certainly as good as Hendon, Dover's last opponents on the road, who currently occupy second place in the table.

Dover's caretaker manager Gary Whittle put out a side, effectively playing a 4-5-1 formation, whose objective first and foremost was not to lose.

While Ks certainly had more of the possession, a marked improvement in Whites' defending, with centre backs Dean Readings and John Scarborough having outstanding games, ensured that 'keeper Paul Hyde wasn't called upon to make a serious save throughout the 90 minutes.

In the first half, it was a shame that strong winds made control difficult even on what was an immaculate playing surface. As route one football was very much the order of the day, Ks put Athletic under pressure that they stood up to manfully. And while left winger Dean Lodge was a constant threat, the recalled right flank pairing of James Farrier and Shane Hamshare stuck to their task to admirably nullify the threat.

At the other end, it was Whites who came closest to taking a first-half lead when 'keeper Lance Key did well to smother Craig Cloke's header from a Matt Carruthers free kick.

In the second half, the wind dropped to allow both sides to play a lot more football. And while Ks continued to have more of the ball, the threat of a Dover goal was always present as Shaun Welford ran himself into the ground in the lone striker's role.

A draw was unquestionably the right result but Dover did have a couple of opportunities to nick the additional points on offer. First, Cloke got his head to a Readings free kick, thus giving Key another chance to impress by clutching the ball just underneath the ball.

And when Welford got between two defenders to nod on Cloke's long throw, Key was again up to the task when a foot either side of him would probably have done the trick.

All in all, this was a hugely encouraging performance by the visitors.

Dover: Hyde, Farrier, Humphrey, Scarborough, Readings, Hickman, Hamshare, Cloke, Welford (Smissen 77), Carruthers, Rogers. Subs not used: Wright, Spiller, Skelton, Austen.

FULL REPORT IN THURSDAY'S DOVER MERCURY