Dover Athletic’s incredible away league run continued on Saturday evening in front of the BT Sport cameras as a solitary Scott Doe second half goal prevented Yeovil Town from topping the National League.

Doe along with Paul Rooney were sensational in the heart of the Dover defence – a defence that now has kept five clean sheets on their travels as Andy Hessenthaler’s side scooped up three points that propels them up the National League table to once again be within touching distance of the Play Off Places.

It was then perhaps the perfect script that it would be Doe who sneaked through a static Yeovil defence to steer home Bobby-Joe Taylor’s free kick with some aplomb for the game’s only goal just past the hour.

After a bright start, Hessenthaler’s side almost took the lead on ten minutes – a free kick into the box saw Paul Rooney’s knock down headed over stranded home keeper Stuart Nelson by Steven Rigg.  Sadly, for Dover the ball smacked off the face of the bar and eventually Yeovil were able to clear.

Dover continued to enjoy the better first half chances – Inih Effiong’s header didn’t really test Nelson as the visitors’ final ball was at times a matter of inches away – whilst at the other end Gold Omotayo’s looping header dropped onto the roof of Dover’s net.

Ten minutes into the second half, Effiong was a yard away from giving Dover the lead as only brilliant defending from Lee Collins stopped the visitors’ top scorer from adding to his nine goals already this season. 

Just before the hour it was the right knee of the former Gillingham stopper Nelson who denied Effiong as Dover got closer and closer to the all-important opening goal.

And it duly arrived on sixty-one minutes as Doe ghosted in completely unmarked from Taylor’s clever free kick to score his first goal of the season as Nelson was left so flat footed and exposed!

Effiong was left holding his head three minutes later when a long ball found Dover’s number nine in acres of space, but Nelson was quickly off his line and the chance was gone as Effiong’s shot ricocheted away off the keeper’s legs.

Yeovil sub James Tilley almost had an instant impact within a minute of coming on as his deep cross found Omotayo only for his drive to be well kept out by Mersin at the foot of his right post. 

The Dover keeper was suddenly busy as the last ten minutes arrived – firstly he brilliantly turned aside Tilley’s 25-yard drive before his fingertips denied Myles Hippolyte’s curling effort.

Dover almost cemented the points with sub Roberto Ratti’s first touch as the youngster threw himself to meet Taylor’s late free kick only to see his header crash back off the angle of post and bar and into the grateful arms of a statuesque and helpless Nelson. 

As it was Dover did not need another goal as Hessenthaler’s side secured the win meaning they have now only lost two of their last fifteen away League games.

With home games coming up against Solihull Moors and Maidenhead United, Hessenthaler will be hoping that the away form can be matched at home.

YEOVIL TOWN – Stuart Nelson, Tom Bradbury, Lee Collins, Lawson D’ath, Myles Hippolyte, Remeao Hutton, Charlie Lee, Rhys Murphy (Chris Dagnall 77), Gold Omotayo, Jimmy Smith (Courtney Duffus 71), Matt Worthington (James Tilley 69)

Subs – Louis Jones, Albi Skendi

DOVER ATHLETIC – Yusuf Mersin, Bobby-Joe Taylor, Scott Doe, Michael Woods, Inih Effiong, Nassim L’Ghoul (Anthony Jeffrey 70), Jack Munns (Roberto Ratti 86), Paul Rooney, Oscar Gobern, Steven Rigg, Aaron Simpson

Subs – Lee Worgan, Kurtis Cumberbatch, Joe Bedford

REFEREE – Mr James Bell

Picture supplied by Dover Athletic Football Club