Harrow Borough 1 Dover Athletic 4

DOVER won for the fifth time in six games at Harrow Borough on Saturday with one of their best performances of the season.

With keeper Paul Hyde fit again and James Rogers coming into the side in place of the suspended Danny Braithwate, Whites were superior in every department as they look like a side with confidence slowly but surely being restored. The score could easily have been more.

Dover started brightly and after they enjoyed a little luck - on another day, Craig Cloke might have been red carded for a professional foul on John Bacon - they took the lead after 10 minutes.

The goal came as the outstanding Tom Hickman was upended by a poor challenge from central defender Wayne Walters. From the resulting free kick, Matt Carruthers whipped in a perfect delivery for Jude Sterling to glance a header beyond keeper Keita Karamoko and just inside the left hand post.

Moments later, Boro’s keeper, who needed extensive treatment after colliding with a post when the goal went in, produced an excellent stop to prevent Victor Renner’s cross-shot from creeping in at the far post.

Whites were in irresistible form throughout the opening half hour, particularly in midfield where the duo of Hickman and Shane Hamshare won every tackle and provided the perfect foil of the guile of Anthony Hogg.

The second goal was overdue when it arrived just before the 30-minute mark. It came from another set piece and as Carruthers’ corner was only partially cleared, Hogg brought the ball down with his left foot, then found the roof of the net with his less favoured right from just inside the 18-yard line.

Harrow started to stem the one-way traffic, but Dover were still looking in full control with the interval approaching and it was a surprise when they conceded a preventable goal in first half stoppage time.

Dover had a couple of chances to clear Daniel McGonigle’s good ball in from the left, but Dean Readings’ half-hit clearance struck Boro midfielder Fabio Valenti and looped over Hyde into the net.

Into the second session, and for a brief period Whites failed to maintain their high tempo game of the first half.

They were almost punished when substitute Victor Asombang intercepted Cloke’s cushioned header back to his keeper, but he fired across the face of goal from a tight angle. This proved to be Harrow’s last chance to salvage something, however, as Whites made the points safe with a third goal around the hour mark.

Hickman won another tackle to send Renner clear down the left flank. As Boro were unable to effectively defend a teasing cross, Carruthers looked to have been denied when his shot was blocked, but he made no mistake from his second bite at the cherry, smashing the ball into the roof of the net from close range.

In chasing the game Harrow left gaps at the back for the Renner-Carruther strike partnership to exploit. Both Carruthers and Hamshare had decent opportunities before the visitors rounded off their biggest win of the season with a last-minute penalty.

Sam Vallance threaded the ball into the feet of Hamshare, who evaded two challenges before being felled by a third to give referee Graham Scott a straightforward penalty decision to make. Cloke opted for sheer power to send the ball low and hard to the keeper’s right.

Dover: Hyde, Vallance, Stirling, Readings, Cloke, Hamshare, Hickman, Carruthers, Renner, Hogg, Rogers. Subs: Maynard, Wright, Matata, Skelton, Spiller.

* Clive Walker spoke to KM-fm sports editor Simon Watts after the match…