On paper this tie might have looked a potential close encounter between two sides at the same level in the non league pyramid.

Despite a nervous start, Dover gradually took control then cruised through to the 1^st Round proper of the FA Cup pocketing £12,500 in the process. Chris Kinnear took the ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it approach’ by naming an unchanged side from the one that demolished Eastbourne Borough in Conference South in midweek.

The opening exchanges did little to teach other side about the other until the Whites stepped up a gear after the quarter hour mark. Chris Kinnear Jnr curled a shot past the angle of upright and bar before Dover edged ahead on 25. Tom Wynter’s deep free kick from the left found its way through to Nathan Elder on the left edge of the 6 yard box.

He flicked it over the ‘keeper then rounded him to stab home, although there was a suspicion that the final touch may have been off a City defender, but it was goal-bound in any case. Four minutes later Tom Murphy’s cross came back of the woodwork, Elder stooped to head home only to have his celebrations cut short by the sight of the raised flag of the assistant referee for offside.

It mattered little because Dover were to increase their comfort margin in the 37^th minute. Barry Cogan’s sweetly struck free kick eluding the City wall and nestling in the back of the visitors’ net.

At the break, Oxford City made two changes to their line up, and showed greater urgency with Cook’s free kick from 25 yards on the hour mark ricocheting off the top of the Dover crossbar and away to safety.

It was a wake-up call of sorts and one that was heeded. Dover drove forward seeking to put the game to bed. In the 73^rd minute Tom Murphy’s run down the left wing earned them a free kick. The resulting cross bounced awkwardly for the City ‘keeper who spilled it and the young central defender Sean Raggett, a product of Dover’s academy system, put the game beyond reasonable doubt.

Raggett then had to attend to his central defensive duties for much of the rest of the game as Oxford City came in search of what would most likely have been merely a consolation.

That task proved to be beyond them and Dover Athletic who, until recently were perennial early casualties in the FA Cup, will be eagerly awaiting the draw for the 1^st Round proper dreaming of a repeat run to the big time.

Dover Athletic team: Mitch Walker, Craig Stone, Tom Wynter, Chris Kinnear Jnr, Sean Raggett, Terrell Forbes, , Ricky Modeste (Liam Bellamy 44), James Rogers, Nathan Elder (Elliott Charles 76), Barry Cogan, Tom Murphy (Michael Bakare 84)

Subs not used: Michael Kamara, Moses Ademola.

Pictures supplied by SM Harris.