Both Beckenham Town and Dover Athletic have bigger fish to fry than the Kent Senior Cup but it was a good opportunity for the respective managers to give squad players a run out.
As expected, with two leagues between them, Dover had sufficient strength in depth to progress with relative ease in the end but the Becks had their chances in an open match.
Archie Hatcher came close for the visitors in the opening stages with a twenty yard shot that clipped the bar and went over then his cross came off the head of a defender and fell for Jaheim Whyte whose first touch deserted him and the chance was gone.
Kai Gray had a shot that Tommy Taylor got down well to save then he had another effort that hit team mate Destiny Oladipo and flew wide. Olapido had a shot from wide right blocked by Taylor that came back out to the Whites’ striker. He looked up and chipped a delicate cross to the far side that Whyte headed home, but it was chalked off for offside.
At the other end, a swift move involving Marcus Travers and Lewis Allen gave Dieko Falade a shooting chance but Charlie Naylor got back to make an excellent block. Jake Britnell then cut in and tried his luck with a flick with the outside of his boot but Dover goalkeeper, Archie Simmons, claimed comfortably.
Another chance came and went for Dover when Whyte’s header across goal went behind an unmarked Olapido, who came close again himself soon after when forcing Taylor to save with his shins.
One minute before the half time break, Dover went ahead. Whyte cut in from the left wing and forced his shot home from a tight angle.
They might have added a second early in the second period when Olapido’s shot was saved and Gray followed up but his header came back out off the crossbar.
Hatcher drew a routine save out of Taylor before Dover’s task became that much harder eight minutes in. Nico Jones had been cautioned early in the first half and was given a last warning just before half time. Another strong tackle left an opponent needing treatment and the Dover centre back was shown a second yellow card.
Despite being short handed, Dover’s lead was increased with Olapido credited with the goal. His drive struck a defender and flew into the net.
Gray had a shot beaten out at the near post by Taylor before the hosts came close to halving the arrears. Olusanya Aina went on a marauding run and the defence opened up inviting him to shoot. His fierce effort was blocked back out to him by Simmons and his follow up was chested off the line by substitute Jacob Mensah.
Another Dover substitute, Luke Baptiste had a low shot well saved by Taylor before Falade fired over at the other end.
Olapido added a third for Dover with just over fifteen minutes remaining, and this time there was no disputing that it was his goal. Gray did well to force it through and Olapido made no mistake from close range.
Desperate Dover defending ensured that Beckenham didn’t score from two goalmouth scrambles which included an Oliver Wright header that flew out off the body of Simmons. Tyrone Pink then timed his lay off to perfection to create a chance for Rhys Wyborn who fired across the face of goal.
However, it was Dover who had the last word when brilliant work by Baptiste put it on a plate for Gray and he made no mistake from a few feet out.
Before Dover visit Ebbsfleet United in the quarter final, both they and Beckenham return to league action to try and pull themselves out of their respective relegation zones.
Beckenham Town: Taylor, Aina, Griffin, Travers, Wright, Ikudehinbu, Britnell (Nyhus 63), Allen (Wyborn 71), Falade, Akintimehin, Pink.
Subs not used: Townsend, Wanogho. Paul-Lavaly.
Goalscorers: None
Yellow card: Wyborn
Dover Athletic: Simmons, Holness, Odeniran, Young, Naylor (Mensah 46), Jones, Dembele (Baptiste 46), Hatcher, Oladipo, Gray, White (Nikaj 69).
Subs not used: Kray, McCarthy.
Goalscorers: Whyte (43), Olapido (58), (73), Gray (89)
Yellow card: Jones, Naylor
Red card: Jones (54)
Referee: Ben McDonald
Assistants: Matthew Pollington and William Rough
Attendance: 80