After last week’s poor performance away at lowly Gosport & Fareham, the Dover Sharks hosted high flying Brighton at Crabble. All the hard work applied during the week by all players and coaching staff paid off.

The sun shone down on Crabble as Dover kicked off and started brightly. Harry Sayers stealing the ball although the offload was knocked on. Dover’s pack added the grunt and put pressure on their Brighton counterparts. The opening exchanges saw Dover in the ascendancy powering up the slope and into Brighton’s 22. Brighton looked shell shocked at the wave of pressure. Ayling probing, then the forwards (through Sluman, Hewer, and finally Aaron Cooper) smashed through to score a try after just 3 minutes - the conversion slipping wide 5-0. Brighton restarted the ball cleared back to halfway for a Brighton lineout. Dover’s defensive line worked hard putting pressure on Brighton, turning over the ball and then probing out wide. Both teams spilled ball with the frenetic exchanges, but it was Brighton who took their scoring chance from a penalty to make it 5-3 on 13 minutes.

Dover continued to ramp up the pressure but spurned a couple of chances with a missed pass, or a forced off load. However they did increase their lead, a Brighton clearance caught by Luke Garnham just outside is 22, ploughing his way 40 metres up field, scuttling the opposition aside. Dover had the momentum, forwards retaining the ball, and Sedgwick setting away the backs for Halls to score in the corner, the conversion missed 10-3 on 29 minutes. Dover were looking dangerous every time they had the ball and should have had a bigger lead at half time.

Brighton came out the brighter in the second half, Dover seemed to have momentarily switched off - fortunately the defence held firm. Brighton’s intentions were obvious, to attack at every opportunity, although it was Dover who added the first points - through a penalty from Ayling, 13-3 on 46 mins.
Both teams worked hard to nullify the threat of the other but Brighton were starting to gain the upper hand. A defensive mistake saw a kick charged down and Brighton scored a soft try converted to bring them within 3 points on 62 mins. They drew level with 15 minutes to go through a penalty 2 minutes later - the tide had seemed to turn. Dover needed to show some character and indeed they did. They probed for a breakthrough and were awarded a penalty 45metres out. Ayling stepped up and atoned for a previous mistake as he slotted the ball between the posts for Dover to regain the lead 16-13 with 11 minutes to go. Brighton still fancied their chances, and slick handling and support play saw them carve through the Sharks defence, only a Kirk Savage tackle bundling the winger into touch saving the day. Dover won the resultant lineout and pressed down to half way. Eating up the time and the territory. They pinned Brighton deep in their 22 with a kick from Charge. Brighton’s lineout was turned over by Aaron Cooper, the forwards set a solid platform. Ayling received the ball on the hoof bundling his way to within 2 metres. With quick ball Dover spread it wide, and Sayers scored in the corner 21-13, the conversion missed the whistle for full time blew.
This was a whole team performance with everyone playing for each other, everyone stepped up to be counted, and although there are still things to work on this was a step in the right direction. Man of the match was Aaron Cooper, outstanding both carrying ball and in defence.
Next week will be far harder a trip away to top of the table Sidcup, but with the right attitude to performance, Dover will look to get something out of the game.

TEAM: AARON COOPER, KIRK SAVAGE, GREG HEWER, ED LEWIS, ED BLOWERS (Capt.), DAVE SLUMAN, HAYDN ANNAKIE, LUKE GARNHAM, BEN SEDGWICK, HARRY MOORE, BLAIR CHARGE, GEORGE MOORE, HARRY SAYERS, NATHAN ANNAKIE, JACK AYLING, CHRIS LUCAS, DALE TONKS, CHARLIE HALLS

SCORERS
TRYS: COOPER, HALLS, SAYERS
PENS: AYLING X 2