Saturday 18 September 2004	FA Cup  First Qualifying Round	Stephen McCartney reports from Hoverspeed Stadium
Dover Athletic	0
AFC Wimbledon	1	Butler 25

DOVER AND OUT!

DOVER ATHLETIC may be out of this season's FA Cup, but this occasion at The Hoverspeed Stadium will live in the memory for a very long time.

Following a battle cry issued by the local press to persuade all Dover fans past and present to attend the match and put their league problems behind them, there was also a huge travelling army marching their way from London and to their credit both sets of supporters made this first qualifying round tie into a cup final with vocal and passionate support, watched by a season's best of 2,103.

As both sets of teams ran onto an excellent playing surface the stadium erupted - it was such a shame the game didn't flow as it could have done, forcing referee Peter Yeo to issue seven yellow cards inside the opening 37 minutes of the game.

The first chance fell to Dover Athletic in the sixth minute from a well-worked corner routine.  

Matt Carruthers' flag kick was dummied by Tom Hickman and Craig Cloke blasted a left-footed 25-yard effort high and wide.

The first of eight yellow cards was then issued before Jon Barrie-Bates struck a low eighteen-yard low drive wide of the far post that had beaten Dover goalkeeper Paul Hyde and defender Dean Readings', who tried to scrape the ball off the line.

Yeo was the centre of attention and the game turned into a scrappy affair as the referee took names from players on a regular basis and the game appeared to boil over on a couple of occasions as the tackles came flying in.

The goal that sent AFC Wimbledon - who fielded two loan players from Premiership side Crystal Palace in Glenn Wilson and Jay Conroy -  into Monday's second qualifying round draw came in the 25th minute.

Talented Robert Ursell, showing an array of skills through the game, slipped the ball to Richard Butler whose 10-yard right-footed shot went across the face of goal beating Hyde and Shane Hamshare, whose attempts to clear the low shot off the line were all in vain.

Ursell went close when he dragged a shot wide of the far post and visiting goalkeeper Danny Naisbitt was brave when he collected Craig Wilkins' flick on following long throw specialist Cloke had launched a rocket into the penalty area.

Dover's 41-year-old stopper Hyde was forced to withdraw from the action just before the break as the thigh injury sustained in the 3-1 midweek win over Staines Town re-occurred and he left the pitch to receive treatment.

Dover caretaker manager Gary Whittle made a second substitution at the break, bringing on striker Michael Smissen and playing three up front, but they couldn't find a way past a solid yellow brick wall of visiting defenders, who were content to soak up the pressure and play the ball up field for their strikers to counter attack Dover at any opportunity.

The home side, however, were also solid at the back, but they did lack the cutting edge to score that much-needed leveller to force another money spinning game at Kingsmeadow.

Within 95 seconds of the re-start Cloke's long throw was met at the near post by Pembury born Wilkins, who sent a six-yard header over the bar.

Carruthers went close with a 28-yard free kick which he bent around the four man wall but went agonisingly the wrong side of the post.

Dover were clearly more attack minded in the second half but they only created half chances.

Carruthers delivered a cross from the flank which was flicked on by Wilkins but Shaun Welford's looping header fell comfortably into Naisbitt's arms.

Just past the hour mark, James Rogers was given some freedom to roam forward on the left hand side of midfield and delivered a cross for Welford, but his 16-yard header went well wide of the target, and Rogers' flashed a 30-yard shot wide of the post.

Talented striker Richard Butler, who has clearly enjoyed his switch from Ashford Town (Middlesex) to the biggest supported club in Ryman League football, slotted home what he thought was the Dons second goal of the game but after nudging his way past Nick Humphrey the goal didn't stand due to offside.

Butler's pace beat his marker and after running along the by-line he cut the ball back to Chris Gell who lost composure and blasted the ball high over the bar from 12 yards.

Welford twice could have equalised for Dover but his headers failed to find the target.

In desperation Dover used man-of-the-match Cloke as a weapon delivering long throws into the Dons penalty area, but time after time they couldn't find a way through a solid, strong back line.

The last chance for Dover to salvage their FA Cup dreams fell to Carruthers inside injury time but his 35-yard powerfully hit shot was too close to Naisbitt who made a comfortable save.

Dover Athletic: Paul Hyde (Pat Mullin 43), Shane Hamshare (Michael Smissen 46), Nick Humphrey, Dean Readings, Craig Cloke, Dale Skelton, Matt Carruthers (Capt), Tom Hickman, Shaun Welford, Craig Wilkins (Chris Wright 83), James Rogers.  Subs: Rob Smidmore, Ricky Spiller

AFC Wimbledon: Danny Naisbitt (Capt), Steve Gibson, Ryan Gray, Anthony Howard, Glenn Wilson, Jay Conroy, Robert Ursell (Joe Sheerin 79), Jon Barrie-Bates, Richard Butler, Gavin Bolger (Nick Roddis 87), Chris Gell.  Subs: Paul Smith, Michael Woolnar, Jamie Taylor

Referee: Peter Yeo
Assistants: Paul Whitmore and Michael Cottee

Attendance: 2,103