We started the brighter, and in just the second minute took the lead. Anthony Jeffrey freed the overlapping Ross Marshall, and the right-back’s cross was turned into his own net by Luca Cocoracchio.

 

The table toppers haven’t lost an away game this season and they began to assert themselves. In the 41st minute, Horlick made a brilliant finger-tip save to deny Nikaj, who came into the game as the league’s top scorer.

 

From the resulting corner Dover equalised. The inswinging delivery was flicked on by a Dulwich defender, it landed at the feet of Soares-Junior at the back post and he flicked home from close range.

 

As the wind and rain increased in the second half, so did the Dover pressure, and they would take the lead midway through the half. We allowed Nikaj too much space and time and the striker hit a low left-footed shot into the bottom left-hand corner of the net from just outside the box, his sixteenth of the season.

 

Six minutes later came the goal, and moment of the game. Jordan Wynter's defensive header was more up than out. Waiting just outside of the area was Matthews, he let the ball bounce and then caressed a composed side-footed half-volley into the top right-hand corner, giving Horlick no chance.

 

Hamlet were down but not out. From a Luke Wanadio corner Danny Mills, on as a substitute, headed just wide. As the clock ticked into injury time, a Dover substitute would make their mark on the game. With his first touch George Wilkinson took a short corner, and with his second he crossed low to the near post, where Soares-Junior met the ball with a backheel flick, which beat Horlick who got a hand on it but couldn’t keep it out.

 

Hak will hope the injuries suffered by Sam German and Ross Marshall aren’t too serious as we’re back in action on Tuesday night when we travel to Lewes.

 

Dulwich Hamlet (1)

 

Luke Cocoracchio OG (2')

 

Dover Athletic (4)

 

Ruben Soares-Junior (41, 90+1)

George Nikaj (67')

Alfie Matthews (73')

 

 

 

1 Jameson Horlick, 4 Jordan Wynter, 5 Michael Chambers, 6 Sam German (George Porter 46’), 7 Luke Wanadio, 8 Hassan Ibrahiym, 10 Anthony Jeffrey, 16 Ross Marshall (Sean Bonnett-Johnson 38’), 17 Ralfi Hand, 18 Jerome Binnom-Williams (C), 19 Oli Lynch (Danny Mills 75’)

 

 

11 Mark Marshall

12 Kaya Hansson

 

 

27 Jordan Gillmore, 2 Roman Charles-Cook, 3 Fuad Sesay, 6 Luca Cocoracchio, 7 Luke Baptiste (George Wilkinson 90’), 8 Alfie Matthews (Jeremiah Gyebi 90’), 10 George Nikaj, 14 Ruben Soares-Junior (C) (Eniye Amgbaduba 90+2) , 16 Harrison Pont, 24 Francis Mampolo, 26 Jacob Mensah

 

 

5 Joe Tennent

15 Tamas Amgbaduba