Andy Hessenthaler’s return to Crabble as Dover Athletic boss was ruined by one of his predecessors on a bitterly cold desperately disappointing night on the East Kent coast.

Peter Taylor’s Dagenham and Redbridge inflicted more misery on the Crabble faithful with two goals in the latter stages of the first half proving enough to seal the points.

But Hessenthaler was left to rue his side’s luck as on no fewer than three occasions did the desperately unlucky Inih Effiong hit the frame of the visitor’s goal in the second period.

With the five sides directly above them all picking up midweek points, Hessenthaler knows just how damning this defeat is for his new side who now find themselves cut adrift by five points and seven away from safety.

“We’ve got to start winning football matches or else we will run out of time,” Hessenthaler admitted after the game, “there’s a long way to go yet and we won’t write ourselves off just yet, but we are making it difficult for ourselves!”

The visitors took the lead courtesy of Tomi Adeloye who raced onto a flick from Angelo Bantana – the striker brilliantly curling the ball beyond Dover keeper Mitch Walker and into the top corner.

The first half really didn’t improve for Dover and the visitors looked lively every time they went forward with the home side’s back-line creaking more and more.

Just before the break the lead was doubled. Adeloye was denied by a magnificent block from Josh Passley but from Jack Munns’ resulting corner, Walker was given no chance by Harry Phipps’ thumping header.

Two down at the break – the new manager was looking for some leaders on the pitch. He undoubtedly got it from Stuart Lewis who was at the middle of most of Dover’s good things whilst Joshua Debayo’s deliveries into the box eventually began to produce dividends and chances, if no luck in front of goal.

Effiong’s first chance came from one such delivery as his header beat Daggers keeper Elliot Justham all ends up, but crashed back off the face of the crossbar.  Effiong then hit a post from good approach play from Bobby-Joe Taylor before he was denied again – this time from a stunning save from Justham.

Dover were awarded a free-kick in a central position and the giant striker’s touch was exquisite as he lifted the ball over the wall, only for the keeper to get his very fingertips on the ball to touch the effort onto the right post.

Make no mistake, it wasn’t all Dover in the second period as both Bantana and Munns were denied a Dagenham third, but when Jamie Allen missed two late chances for the home side – the second ricocheting a shot from sub Jai Reason wide off his back as he tried to get out of the way which really summed up the home side’s night.

Dover’s line up for their next game will show at least one change as Connor Essam has played his last game for the club.

The arrival of the new boss has heralded a move to full time at Crabble, but Essam has reluctantly decided to remain with his full time job and so Hessenthaler needs a new central defender before the weekend.

Hessenthaler would have been happier with his side’s second half display but he also knows that his side needs a win, but when you’re second bottom of the form table and rock bottom of the league table itself, are the side who have lost their last six and conceded thirteen in their last six league games, the best opposition to be heading for White Cliffs Country next?

Well Maidenhead United are that team and they’re due at Crabble at 3:00pm Saturday afternoon…

 

DOVER ATHLETIC – Mitch Walker, Josh Passley, Kevin Loko, Connor Essam, Mitch Brundle, Jamie Allen, Kadell Daniel (Jai Reason 61), Inih Effiong, Stuart Lewis, Joshua Debayo, Bobby-Joe Taylor (Moussa Diarra 74)

Subs not used – Ntumba Mssanka, Nortei Nortey, Bedsenta Gomis

DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE – Elliot Justham, Ben Nunn, Matt Robinson, Luke Pennell, Alex McQueen, Angelo Balanta (Harry Donovan 86), Ben Goodliffe, Harry Phipps, Tomi Adeloye (Shamir Mullings 90), Jack Munns (Lamar Reynolds 78), Manny Onariase

Subs not used – Lewis Moore & Gavin Hoyte

Referee: Mr Will Finnie

Attendance: 924