NATIONWIDE CONFERENCESaturday 15 December 2001Crabble Athletic Ground
Dover Athletic 2 - 2 Barnet
Strouts (66), Leberl (72) Att: 1004 Toms (44), Norman o.g. (78)

DOVER ATHLETIC: Hyde, Day, Norman, Leberl, Vowden, White (Tyne 82), Strouts, Davies, Scott, Allen, Le Bihan (Ovard 90)
Substitutes Not Used: Elliott, Carr, Smith
BARNET: Harrison, Gledhill, Arber, Sawyers, Heald, Flynn (Toms 28), Niven (Doolan 75), Bell, Gower, Strevens, Purser
Substitutes Not Used: Naisbitt, Berkley, Pluck
Booked: Le Bihan, Davies
Booked: Niven


Dover came from behind to lead Barnet at Crabble on Saturday before being forced to settle for a point in this game of two contrasting halves.

Clive Walker made one change from the side that lost to Southport last Saturday, Chris Allen replaced Tommy Tyne up front as Dover stuck with their 5-3-2 system. Jamie Day again deputised at right wing-back in the continued absence of Matt Carruthers whilst Steve Norman again played in the back three.

The first half was largely uninspiring but Barnet had the best of the chances. In the third minute Arber volleyed Gower's cross onto the bar and in the 24th minute Hyde blocked Purser's shot and the unmarked Gower somehow managed to hit the post from close range.

For Dover White and Strouts had shots that didn't trouble the keeper but the best chance was White's header that was cleared off the line by a defender.

With a minute of the first half remaining, Barnet found themselves with four attackers against two Dover defenders. Bell fed the ball to Toms who hit an unstoppable shot past Hyde and into the bottom corner to give the visitors the lead.

Clive Walker reshuffled his pack at half-time and it had the desired effect. The Dover caretaker manager switched to a 4-4-2 formation, with Jimmy Strouts up front alongside Keith Scott, Chris Allen wide on the left and a back four of Vowden, White, Leberl and Norman.

Dover came close to levelling the score almost immediately. Allen powered through and unselfishly laid the ball off to Scott. Scott took a touch before bending a delicate effort just wide of the back post.

It was Jimmy Strouts however who caused most concern for the visitors. They couldn't cope with his runs from deep and in the 60th minute he tried to lob the keeper from 30-yards following good work from Keith Scott but his effort went over.

It seemed inevitable that Strouts would eventually get on the scoresheet and he did six minutes later with a fantastic volley from 12 yards that gave Harrison no chance. It was Strouts' 38th Dover goal in his 236th appearance.

Six minutes later Dover were ahead. Keith Scott's hard work won a corner which Steve Norman delivered. Jake Leberl rose above everybody else and crashed an explosive header into the back of the net off the underside of the bar. The crossbar will probably have to be replaced such was the force with which Leberl struck it. It was his second goal of the season and looked like it might give the Whites three priceless points.

The second-half was not all one way traffic though and after Dover had survived a number of scares Barnet eventually struck again. As Norman tried to intercept Gower's cross he only succeeded in diverting it past Paul Hyde and into his own net.

Dover had late chances to snatch victory, Chris Allen twice went close, first being denied by an excellent save one-on-one from Harrison, then firing just wide from close range following Scott's header across goal. In the end a draw was probably the fairest result.

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