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Dover Athletic manager Andy Hessenthaler hails the loan signing of striker Dominic Poleon as a major coup for the club

Boss Andy Hessenthaler has hailed the signing of Dominic Poleon as a real coup for Dover.

Poleon arrived from League 2 Newport on loan for the remainder of the season last week, while Hessenthaler bolstered his options at the other end of the pitch, bringing in promising goalkeeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer on loan from Charlton.

Dover manager Andy Hessenthaler. Picture: Andy Jones
Dover manager Andy Hessenthaler. Picture: Andy Jones

Former Leeds, Oldham, Bradford and Crawley man Poleon started on the bench at Edgeley Park but made his Dover debut as he came on for just under 30 minutes in the second period.

Hessenthaler said: “I had been in contact with Newport for a couple of weeks.

"He (Poleon) wanted to stay in the league.

“But I kept pestering them and I had a good chat with Dom, and he has agreed to come to us for the rest of the season.

“He came on, on Saturday and you could see his quality straight away.

Inih Effiong scored both of Dover's goals in their 2-0 victory at Stockport County on Saturday. Picture: Alan Langley
Inih Effiong scored both of Dover's goals in their 2-0 victory at Stockport County on Saturday. Picture: Alan Langley

“Signing him is a coup for the club.

“That is credit to the chairman (Jim Parmenter) and to the football club, and us as a group of players and staff that he has come.

“He looked at it and he thought ‘Blimey, they are having a go’.

“He is still only 26, as well, so he is not even at his prime yet.”

Maynard-Brewer, 20, immediately replaced Yusuf Mersin between the sticks as he played the whole match in Whites’ 2-0 National League success at Stockport on Saturday.

Hessenthaler added: “We have brought in a young keeper from Charlton, as well.

“It was a tough decision on Yusuf Mersin but I decided I wanted to make a change.”

Two Inih Effiong goals in the second half saw Whites bounce back in front of 4,506 spectators at Stockport after their 4-2 loss at Halifax last Tuesday.

Hessenthaler was delighted with the performance of Effiong who has faced some criticism from his own supporters.

“He has got his critics but they are not from inside the club,” Hessenthaler said.

“He has his moments, like every player does, but he works his socks off for the team.

“He had a big lad against him on Saturday.

“As a striker, you want to be scoring goals.

“But I don’t like singling out individuals. It was a good team performance from one to 16.

“We just have to keep believing (they can finish the season in the play-off positions).”

Ninth-placed Dover welcome National League leaders Barrow to Crabble tonight when Poleon and Maynard-Brewer will both hope to make their home bows.

Read more: All the latest sports news in Kent

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