Match ReportsMen's Team

Hawks 0-2 Dover – Match Report

14th October 2024

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Whitehawk 0-2 Dover Athletic

Whitehawk fought hard but were undone by two second-half goals in a 2-0 defeat to a resilient Dover Athletic at the Enclosed Ground. The first half saw relatively calm weather and a strong turnout from the home crowd of 498 fans. However, just after the halftime whistle, the heavens opened, with heavy rain pouring down for the remainder of the match. Despite this, the fans sheltered in the stands and continued chanting throughout, creating a lively atmosphere.

Dover started the game with intent, creating several chances in the first half. Soares-Junior and Sesay threatened Whitehawk’s defense, but goalkeeper Max Foulkes held firm. A potential turning point came in the 39th minute when Dover appealed for a penalty after Sesay went down in the box, but the referee waved play on. The first half ended 0-0, with both sides unable to find the breakthrough.

The second half saw Dover ramp up the pressure, and they finally broke the deadlock in the 68th minute. Luke Baptiste smashed home a powerful volley after a period of sustained pressure from Dover. Whitehawk, led by captain Charlie Walker, tried to push back, and came agonisingly close to an equaliser in the 79th minute when Emmanuel Mensah’s long-range effort crashed off the crossbar.

However, Dover sealed the victory in the 85th minute when George Nikaj headed in from close range to make it 2-0. Despite a late effort from Whitehawk, Dover’s disciplined defense held firm, securing their third consecutive clean sheet in the Isthmian League Premier Division.

Whitehawk will now look to bounce back in their next fixture on 15th October 2024 as they travel to face Horsham at The Camping World Community Stadium, with kick-off at 19:45. This will be an important opportunity to regain momentum after the defeat to Dover.

Whitehawk Lineup: