Dover’s manager Chris Kinnear has something of a love affair with the FA Cup and now it’s turning into a family business!
10 rampaging minutes in the second half culminated in Chris Kinnear Jnr flick heading Athletic’s second and decisive strike. One proud father pounced from the dug out to acclaim the goal. Nice one, son!
But Dover had not had it all their own way, being stretched and torn in the opening 45. Southern League Premier Corby Town included players with such illustrious names as Gascoigne, Rooney and Wright and they played up to their professional namesakes billings as they took the fight to the Conference South outfit.
Former Aston Villa and England player (he obtained one cap as a substitute), Lee Hendrie, still looked handy at 36 years of age and if Corby had managed to score in the first half, this could have been a much different saga.
But Dover withstood the onslaught, only just at times, but withstood it they did. In one helter-skelter 37th minute, Athletic’s defensive bodies were thrown in the way of close range efforts from Hendrie, Rooney and Wright in quick succession.
But Dover weathered it all and might even been ahead just before the interval when Craig Stone fired goalward through the crowd from the edge of the box that had Town’s ‘keeper tumbling to smother the chance.
After the break, Dover stamped their passing game on the match, keeping possession, making their hosts chase the ball, and sometimes shadows and, as a result, took command.
Twice Dover scored in ten pulsating minutes. Firstly, on 56, Tom Murphy swung a free kick into the box and Nathan Elder, who hadn’t been overly successful in winning aerial challenges in the first half, got to the ball first and nodded past the Corby ‘keeper.
Then came that exquisite family moment. Barry Cogan this time with the free kick floated toward the near post and glanced delicately into the net by Chris Kinnear Jnr.
As the closing minutes approached it was no surprise that Corby threw everything at the Dover goal and did pull a goal back in stoppage time through Chris Carruthers but Dover were not to be denied their passage through to the second round.
And finally! A word, well several actually, for Amy Fearn, who made history in this game by becoming the first female referee to take charge of an FA Cup 1st Round tie. Clarity of decision, major decisions spot on, respect from the players. They were all there. Top refereeing.
Dover Athletic team: Mitch Walker, Craig Stone, Tom Wynter, Chris Kinnear Jnr, Sean Raggett, Terrell Forbes, Ricky Modeste (Liam Bellamy 45), James Rogers, Nathan Elder, Barry Cogan, Tom Murphy
Subs not used: Elliot Charles, Michael Bakare, Michael Kamara, Richard Orlu, Lee Hook, Lee Sawyer.
Corby Town (0) 1
Carruthers 90
Dover Athletic (0) 2
Elder 56, Kinnear Jnr 66
Attendance: 1,387
Pictures supplied by SM Harris