Dover 0 Chippenham 1

SUBSTITUTE Paul Sykes was sent off less than 60 seconds after coming on as Dover suffered a frustrating defeat on Saturday.

Whites were furious about a penalty award which presented Martin Paul with the winning goal. Sykes plans to appeal against the decision by referee Alan Legg which ruined his first appearance since returning to Crabble since his loan spell with Dartford.

He was shown the red card after a sliding challenge on Chippenham goalkeper James Bittner, but said: "I didn't touch him at all. As I slid in after the ball he dived over my leg."

The referee had a quick word with his linesman before dismissing Sykes and leave Dover's 10 men facing a daunting challenge over the final 35 minutes.

And the size of their task, and their frustration, doubled 20 minutes later when Chippenham midfielder Mark Badman went over in the box under a half-hearted challenge from Steve Norman and Mr Legg pointed to the spot.

Nicky Dent was booked for dissent as he voiced his disapproval, but Paul kept his cool to drive the ball home.

The fact that the Chippenham matchwinner had been guilty of a late lunge at Dean Readings soon after Sykes' dismissal, for which he had received a yellow card, only served to increase the sense of injustice felt by Whites' players and fans alike.

Dover Athletic: Hyde; Patterson, Readings, Chapman (Sykes 54 mins); Browne, Day, Spiller (Tyne 75), Dyer, Norman; Dent (Glover 75), Carruthers.

Attendance: 1,009.