Bath City 2 Dover Athletic 1

DOVER travelled to Twerton Park for this Dr Martens League, Premier Division, clash hoping to extend their recent unbeaten run. And indeed, for an hour or so they looked the better side.

Dover suffered an early blow when Jamie Day had to be substituted following a heavy challenge. It seems that he suffered a dead leg at Havant earlier in the week, and

another knock in the same place meant he could only limp. A superb cross from the right from Kenny Dyer, following some sustained Dover pressure, enabled Matt Carruthers to head Athletic in front from close range after 15 minutes, and Dover looked good value for their lead.

Carruthers almost increased the lead with a free kick, but home 'keeper Mark Bryant dived full length to save, and the rebound was taken off Tommy Tyne's toe at the expense of a corner. A neat piece of ball juggling took Steve Tweddle past Dover's defence after 28 minutes, and he equalised with a low shot into the far corner of the goal.

Dover continued to look the better side after the break, and Craig Wilkins should have netted from close range after Bryant dropped the ball, but he blazed wide and high of an open goal. Bath came much more into the game, and Dover found themselves having to defend.

Bath won a number of corners and it was from one of these, in the 80th minute, that big central defender Scott Hendy headed what turned out to be the winning goal for the home side.

Dover tried desperately to make it 2-2, but the ball just wouldn't run in front of goal, and the final whistle went with Dover still on the attack.

It was a very disappointing result, after a good start to the match, but to give Bath credit, they had seven first choice players missing for one reason or another, and those that played certainly gave 100 per cent effort.

This result leaves Dover fourth from bottom, and though it is early in the season, a drastic improvement is needed sooner rather than later, or the club will find itself failing to qualify for the Conference South Division come May.

Tomorrow (Tuesday) Dover are at home against Welling in a league game (kick-off 7.45pm).