Gillingham (0) 0
Dover Athletic (2) 2 Birchall 18, I'Anson 28
Att. 7,454
Entrance: £15
Programme: £3
Mileage: 46/4,889
Match report comes from Dover
From the moment Fat Boy Slim and Hells Bells drew the numbers 19 and 70 from the velvet bag there has been a sense of inevitability about the outcome of this First Round Tie. For Dover, it was, in chairman Jim Parmenter’s words, compensation and for their fans who filled the Brian Moore Stand it was revenge.The events of the summer left a bad taste in the mouth at Crabble and there were more than a few of the Priestfield faithful who felt a bit sheepish about the way Hessenthaler’s appointment was executed. So coming into the game on the back of poor results the sense of retribution was trumpeted from all corners.
And so it came to pass . . .
On the day, for whatever reason, Dover came to Gillingham with more passion, more hunger, more skill and left thoroughly deserving of their 2-0 victory while the home side were left red-faced, humiliated with the wrath of their fans ringing in their ears.Where Gillingham had the hapless, no hopeless, John Nutter, Dover had the excellent Tom Wynter, released by Gillingham in the summer. Where Gillingham had a fragile central defence, Dover had the absolutely magnificent Olly Schultz and Rob Gillman and while Cody McDonald struggled to make an impression, Dover striker Adam Birchall scored a classic FA Cup goal. Finally, when Gillingham mounted a second half recovery effort, Ross Flitney stood firm with a series of saves.
Dover took the lead on 18 minutes, the only Gillingham player who could leave the ground with his head held high Jack Payne lost possession in midfield, Birchall cut in from the right and unleashed a 30 yard shot into the top corner that had Alan Julian clutching thin air.
Ten minutes later Dover doubled their lead in somewhat controversial circumstances. Elliott Charles clearly handled the ball following Julian’s parry of Harry Baker’s shot, the ball fell to Luke I’Anson who drove the ball into the net. It was dubious but no more than the non-leaguers deserved.
As much as Gillingham pressured during the second half the saves that Flitney made were more of the routine variety than the sensational. With 20 minutes remaining Baker was sent clear and Nutter was forced to bring him down for the final humiliation of a red card. For Nutter this has been a torrid week, taken apart by an ageing Gareth Ainsworth on Tuesday and run ragged by a non league winger, Harry Baker, on Saturday. Forgive Tom Wynter if he thought “was I really that bad”?
The last manager to face Paul Scally following defeat at the hands of non-league opposition was Neale Cooper after defeat at Burscough. He didn’t survive. Hess probably will, he doesn’t want to resign and Scally will not want to sack him, financially as well as personally. Next Saturday, back in League action, Crewe Alexandra, themselves dumped out of the Cup at Tamworth, are the visitors. For everybody, but Hessenthaler principally, a reaction needs to be seen. Paul Scally cannot allow this situation to worsen, the trap door bears no favours.
On Tuesday, further down the M2, as Dover supporters gather (not in their thousands, I would guess!) for their Blue Square South game against Dartford, one word will be heavy in the conversation . . . Revenge!
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