Danny Hockton scored his fourth goal in his third game for Dover.

1026 people escaped to Crabble on Saturday afternoon to avoid the nightmares of Christmas shopping with the Athletic Ground the only place they could be guaranteed to be safe from Slade, Wizard, Paul McCartney, Cliff Richard and the rest. They were rewarded for their loyalty with an eventful game of football that included five goals, two penalties, six yellow cards and a sending-off.

Both sides had most recently been in Conference action against Rushden & Diamonds, with Dover having hammered the big-spenders 4-1 two weeks ago and Hayes having fared less well, going down 3-0 at Church Road last Saturday.

Bill Williams' selection was once again hindered by the absence of several players. Stuart Munday's return from injury was offset by suspensions for midfield play-maker Neil Le Bihan and ever-present centre back Lee Shearer. With Leberl, Virgo and Browne all still injured and the imminent departure of unhappy midfielder Dave Clarke, Bill Williams brought in 18-year-old defender Ben White on a month's loan from Gillingham. Forward Steve Brown returned to the first team squad as a substitute after missing the last two games through injury.

The team changes meant a reshuffle for Dover, with Munday and White joining Colin Pluck in the back three, Simon Beard moved up into midfield alongside Danny Chapman and Jimmy Strouts, with Carruthers and Norman playing the wing-back roles and Joff Vansittart and Danny Hockton up front.

The first 20 minutes of the match were fairly scrappy although Dover had a couple of chances to take the lead, including one where Jimmy Strouts, given more of an attacking licence in the absence of Neil Le Bihan, slipped as he shot when he really should have buried the ball in the bottom corner.

Dover won their first corner in the 22^nd minute and Hockton came close to converting it with a downward header that bounced up and was deflected over by Hodson in the Hayes goal. Steve Norman's second corner found Hockton's head again and he forced the ball over the line despite Gallen's attempt to hack it clear.

Despite not being at their most fluent, Dover had a number of chances to extend their lead. Danny Hockton missed a sitter from six yards, firing wide when unmarked. Matt Carruthers took the ball too far and failed to beat the keeper after catching the visitors on the break, and Jimmy Strouts failed to get a decent contact on a right-wing cross with his back post header. The Whites did however manage to convert one of their opportunities. Matt Carruthers, again having an outstanding game in the unfamiliar role of wing-back, beat two players on the Dover right and fired a low shot at goal which Hodson could only parry into the path of Joff Vansittart who gratefully poked the ball over the line from two yards.

Danny Hockton had pulled a muscle in the first period and was withdrawn at half-time, his place was taken by Steve Brown.

The second half was more even and fairly scrappy. Dover Could have gone 3-0 up soon after the break when Brown and Carruthers combined but Hodson was quick to intervene and prevent Vansittart from scoring. Lee Flynn fired well over at the other end then Vansittart headed an inch wide of the post from Brown's corner.

Dover appeared to have the points secured on 79 minutes when they were awarded a controversial penalty. Simon Beard tussled with keeper Hodson in the six yard box as Steve Norman delivered a right wing corner. The whistle blew and with Beard sitting on his backside in the area Hodson was adjudged to have fouled the Dover defender and the referee pointed to the spot.

With regular penalty taker Lee Shearer suspended, spot-kick expert Lee McRobert on the bench, Hockton off the pitch injured and Joff Vansittart and Simon Beard having missed in last week's shoot-out at Bournemouth, Whites fans were unsure who would step up. It was substitute Steve Brown who assumed the responsibility, and he beat the keeper for his second goal in as many games.

3-0 looked pretty safe but a five minute period of madness almost gave Hayes a lifeline. On 81 minutes Danny Chapman, who had been booked for dissent seven minutes previously, was shown a second yellow card for a foul. Down to 10 men, Dover soon had their lead reduced when Boylan's mis-hit cross/shot caught Paul Hyde by suprise and flew into the top corner.

Two minutes later referee Mr. Crossley awarded a second debatable penalty when he pointed to the spot when Gallen went down in the Dover area. Boylan took the kick but Hyde pulled off his second spot-kick save of the season to keep the score at a comfortable 3-1.

The Whites finished off the game on a high when Carruthers, sponsors' man-of-the-match for the second consecutive home game, provided an excellent right wing cross which Joff Vansittart looped over Hodson, perhaps not entirely intentionally, for his eighth goal of the season.

Despite still being significantly under-strength due to injuries and suspensions, Dover seem to have turned a corner in recent weeks with two excellent 4-1 home wins and a fantastic battling performance at Bournemouth in the LDV Trophy.

Athletic do not have another match until Boxing Day when they travel to Dagenham in the Conference, and are not at home again until New Year's Day when Dagenham come to Crabble for the second installment of the traditional festive 'local' derbies.

Bill Williams will have a selection headache for those games, not just because of absent players but because he will have to drop one his three in-form strikers. Either Steve Brown, who has scored in both of his last two appearances, leading scorer this season and last Joff Vansittart, or new arrival Danny Hockton, who has scored four times in two and a half matches, will have to miss out.

Dover's Danny Chapman brings the ball out from defence. He was later dismissed for a second yellow card.