In one of the most incredible finishes every seen to an Emirates FA Cup tie in Kent, Dover Athletic somehow snatched survival in stoppage time to deny Sittingbourne well deserved progress.
For ninety minutes there was only going to be one winner of this all Kent tie, as the Brickies dominated throughout and led through terrific strikes from Henry Sinai and Ryan Kingsford, but with extended stoppage time being played after play had been held up by an incident in the crowd.
A freak goal straight from Dover keeper Mitch Walker’s long free kick and a cross shot from Alfie Matthews that posed the question did it cross the line or not and within a flash, Dover had survived – somehow.
Sittingbourne began on the front foot and took the game to their opponents from the higher division and after Ayman El-Mogharbel brilliantly found Troy Howard, the wingers cross was turned home by Sinai as he got in front of the defence to give Walker no chance.
Within ten minutes substitute Kingsford magnificently drilled home Mitch Mays touch just minutes after the former Dover academy player had come on for the injured Donvieve Jones.
Dover just could not get going and it looked like it was going to be the home side who would get the crucial third goal – Howard just could not reach May’s centre; Sinai hooked wide when well places whilst at the other end, George Nikaj finally extended Harley Earle in the home goal.
The game was stopped for eight minutes during the second period because of an incident in the crowd and when the game restarted, Howard was twice denied by Walker in quick succession. When Rueban Soares-Junior was denied by Earle in the 89th minute that seemed to be that…
Dover grabbed a lifeline as Walker’s long free kick bounced through the box and ricocheted in off the underside of the bar, and in their very next attack, Mathews crossed from the left which hit the underside of the bar, and the assistant eventually gave the goal when referee Dempster appeared to wave play on.
Never can a draw against a team from a higher division in the Greatest Cup Competition in the World have been welcomed so flatly at the final whistle as when Mr. Dempster brough an end to proceedings but at least the Brickies were in the draw for the Second Qualifying Round for the first time in nine years and for just the fourth time in the last twenty!
SITTINGBOURNE – Earle, Jones (Kingsford), Lukombo, El-Mogharbel (Beckford), Smith, Arthur, Howard, Hammill, May, Cosgrave, Sinai
Subs – Georgiou, Graham, Poku, Boachie
DOVER ATHLETIC – Walker, Charles-Cook, Sesay (Tamas Amgbaduba), Gyebi, Tennent, Cocoracchio, Baptiste, Eniye Amgbaduba (Stewart),Nikaj (Silcott-Brown), Soares-Junior, Wilkinson (Matthews)
Subs – Boakye-Sarfo, Young
REFEREE – Mr. Dempster
Images courtesy of Paul Golding