DOVER ATH 5, ALDERSHOT TN 2

WHILE few would have expected Aldershot Town to earn a result in Kent – three previous visits to The Crabble have produced three defeats and no goals for the Shots – the manner of this thrashing against in-form Dover Athletic gave increasing cause for concern.

A sixth National League loss in a row was all Barry Smith’s side deserved as the Whites dominated for all but two minutes at the start of the second half and exposed Aldershot’s defensive frailty with alarming ease.

Two goals down at half-time, the visitors exploded into life in 100 chaotic seconds from the restart, but thereafter suffered a debilitating relapse as Dover cruised to victory.

“The result is not good enough,” stressed Smith. “It was a terrible start, people weren’t switched on and were pulling out of tackles we think they should be winning. When they are put under a wee bit of pressure, some of them can’t handle it.

“We did brilliantly to get ourselves back into the game after giving them a blast at half-time, but we cannot defend set-pieces. My responsibility is to put the players on the park, and I take full responsibility, but I cannot make them defend set-pieces. That’s a personal responsibility and they have to hold their hands up, which they have, but it’s too late. You should do something about it on the pitch.”

Once Nicky Deverdics had fired Dover ahead in 55 seconds with an angled 25-yard shot which Phil Smith could only get his fingertips to, Aldershot were on the back foot.

They responded well to such an early setback, but lacked the cutting-edge of their opponents.

Rhys Browne fashioned his own long-range shot, but any hopes of establishing a foothold in the game apparently vanished on 35 minutes when Jack Parkinson was allowed to glance Ricky Modeste’s corner in at the far post.

However, Dover manager Chris Kinnear was still returning to his seat when Aldershot pulled one back, Sam Hatton bundling the ball in just 20 seconds after half-time as Andy Rafferty fumbled a low cross.

Dover had also been caught cold and, barely a minute later, the Shots were level. Jim Stevenson broke down the left and Charlie Walker swept his pull-back into the net.

Yet it proved a false dawn. Parkinson could have restored Dover’s lead with a header which Smith parried superbly, but Stefan Payne drove them ahead on 61 minutes, pouncing on the loose ball after a melee inside the penalty area.

Defender Sean Raggett then sealed victory with two goals in five minutes.

Capitalising upon a horribly sliced clearance, he poked the ball past Smith for the fourth and, on 75 minutes, guided a strong header into the top corner as Deverdics floated in a free-kick from the right.

And there could have been more. Toby Ajala missed from six yards and Browne denied Tom Murphy as he was about to shoot at point-blank range, but five-two was a new nadir for a faltering Aldershot.

Dover: Rafferty; Magri, Orlu, Grimes, Raggett, A Thomas; Modeste (Murphy 80), Parkinson, Deverdics; Miller (Diallo 86), Payne (Ajala 78). Subs (not used): Sterling, Pinnock. Booked: Parkinson, Magri.

Aldershot: Smith; Alexander, Beckles, Saville, McGinty; Browne, Lathrope, Stevenson, Hatton (Akinyemi 76); C Walker (Brodie 78), Carr. Subs (not used): D Thomas, Oliver, Richards. Booked: Brown, Beckles.

Referee: David Rock.

Attendance: 1,012.