Match Report

Sutton suffered a first Vanarama National League defeat of the season as Dover made it three away wins out of three. Jamie Collins levelled for Sutton with a powerful free kick just before half time (above) after Ricky Modeste had given Dover a 10th minute lead, but the decisive moment came five minutes after half time when Dover keeper Lee Worgan made a fine save from Harry Beautyman, and from the clearance Inih Effiong beat Dale Bennett and lifted the ball past the stranded Jamie Butler. After that Dover managed the game in a professional manner and U’s weren’t able to build up any momentum, failing to test Worgan until the closing stages and then giving him nothing more than routine saves.

U’s, who lost Jon Barden to injury in training on Friday, were chasing the game from the tenth minute when, after Kenny Davis had been penalised for a foul just inside U’s half, Jai Reason drove the free kick towards the penalty area and Sutton’s defence failed to track the run of Ricky Modeste, whose volley diverted the ball in to the top corner of the net with Jamie Butler stranded.

Sutton responded well, even if they were always susceptible to the danger of Inih Effiong when Dover attacked and were grateful to Butler for keeping him off the scoresheet as he came out to dive at the striker’s feet after a mistake by Ben Goodliffe had let him through, and then superbly tipped over a close range volley. Those attacks came more against the run of play, though, and Sutton had chances of their own. Worgan blocked a Beautyman shot at close range, and also held a header from Omar Bugiel, while Beautyman put a header from Rob Milsom’s free kick wide when he should have done better.

Undeterred, though, it was Beautyman who was instrumental in Sutton’s deserved equaliser as he battled for possession on the edge of the penalty area and was eventually fouled by Michael Woods, who picked up the afternoon’s only booking. As the clock ticked in to stoppage time Milsom ran over the ball leaving Collins to drill an unstoppable shot in to the top far corner of the net.

Boosted by reaching half time on level terms, Sutton began the second half on the front foot, and almost went in front when Worgan again denied Beautyman from close range, but instead of leading U’s were behind as the resulting clearance found Effiong getting the better of Dale Bennett and lifting the ball in to the unguarded net, with Butler again helpless having come out to give Bennett an option of the back pass.

It was to prove the winner as Sutton struggled to put the visitors under any pressure, the Dover defence holding firm and giving little away. Milsom did put a free kick just over the bar, but it was only in the closing stages that substitute George Tuson-Firth called Worgan in to action as he twice cut in and went for the far post, but in both cases the keeper was well placed to save comfortably, and the closest to a goal came at the other end as Butler again brilliantly denied Effiong after the striker created space in the penalty area.

Dover: L Worgan, J Passley, A Simpson, K Cumberbatch(sub N Lghoul 73), K Lokko, W De Havilland, J Reason(sub A Pavey 79), M Woods, I Effiong, S Rigg(sub O Gobern 73), R Modeste. Subs n/u J Munns, Y Mersin. Booked: Woods.

Referee: Lee Collins