Old boy Hockton shows his class as Dover crash to full-time Billericay

Former whites' striker Danny Hockton scored twice to give the Ryman Premier League favourites a comfortable win against a Dover side who crashed back to reality after the highs of Saturday.

The Essex side managed by former Tottenham favourite Justin Edinburgh looked an organised outfit with a fine spine to their side with experienced Robin Trott marshalling the defence, while in Hockton they had the outstanding player on display who should have scored four if not for wayward finishing. 

The Whites managed by the injured duo of Matt Carruthers and Craig Wilkins in the absence of Richard Langley - due to an operation earlier in the day - and with Chief Executive Mick Kemp looking on from the dug out could do nothing as the home side dominated the early exchanges. 

As like Slough three days earlier the crucial early midfield battles were lost by the whites as they were constantly pinned back as the hosts used the width of the pitch to their advantage, but keeper Pat Mullin kept them bay with fine interventions as the hosts seemed to keen to walk the ball in the net after intricate build up play. 

Dover's sporadic attacks came with long balls to the willing Shaun Welford and Chris Wright but the impressive Pat Sappleton and Trott were too strong and experienced and swept everything up that came their way. 

Hockton should have opened the scoring in the 37th minute when an exquisite turn opened the defence up but his shot was too close to Mullin who saved well, while impressive attacking midfielder Leon Hunter somehow missed from six yards after further panic in the whites' defence.

The halftime team talk gave the rookie managerial duo time for a rethink but that went out of the window in the 48th minute when Hockton struck his first of the evening. 

A corner from the left found the burly front man who left unmarked, flicked the ball into the roof of the net.

Sides are often at the most vulnerable when they have just scored, and the whites with their first real opening should have equalised sixty seconds later when a hopeful punt into the box saw Welford win his challenge with the keeper, but hesitation at the crucial moment allowed full back Gary Henty to clear when the former Corinthian man should have buried the opportunity.

Billericay continued to dominate and the crucial second came in the 56th minute, when Hockton showing predatory instincts found his way clear on goal and he needed no invitation to blast home past an exposed Mullin.

Chances then continued to come and go with the majority of them coming from worrying lapses in the Dover defence with Mullin twice being robbed when looking to clear the ball from a back pass but an excellent recovery from Tom Hickman and poor finishing spared them from further embarrassment. 

Welford wasted another opportunity when a long ball into the box caused confusion once again but the raw striker lacked the composure to give Dover hope in the final ten minutes. 

The substitution of Hockton to a rousing reception from the home support five minutes from time signalled the end of their attacking intentions as they sat back and easily marshalled the remaining Dover attacks, which continued to lack that killer instinct.

A lesson learnt for the young side but one that should hold them in good stead for the future.

Dover Athletic:  Mullin, Farrier (Spiller 67), J.Rogers, Skelton, Cloke, Hickman, Smidmore (Smissen 78), Bone,  Welford, Wright, Mee (Welch 22) Subs:  Lane, P.Rogers (GK)


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