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Dover Athletic 3 Leyton Orient 4 match report

Dover crashed out of the FA Trophy after a last minute goal from Leyton Orient's David Mooney made it 4-3.

The Whites had dragged themselves back into the game after going 3-0 down early in the second half.

Ryan Bird scored twice to put the Whites to look like he had earned his side a replay at Crabble on Saturday.

Mitch Pinnock scored a wonderful chip from 25 yards either side of Bird's second half goals to get the score back to 3-3.

Orient scored through George Elokobi in the first half and then within seven minutes after the break they were 3-0 up thanks to Macauley Bonne and Matt Harrold.

Mooney came on from the substitutes bench to hit it over Mitch Walker in the second minute of injury time to give Orient the winner.

Anthony Jeffrey Picture: Tony Flashman
Anthony Jeffrey Picture: Tony Flashman

Dover started the match brightly and had a number of chances in the opening five minutes. The best of those chances fell to Anthony Jeffrey who picked up a loose ball 10 yards out and smashed it towards goal and Dean Brill in the Leyton Orient goal did well to save.

Leyton Orient had their first chance of the half after 12 minutes when Mitch Walker was forced into a save low down to his left. Matt Harrold found space in the box and tried to put it in the far corner but Walker kept it out.

Walker kept the teams level with a hat-trick of saves after 26 minutes. His first was to his left after Lemar Reynolds made a good run and fired off a shot. From the resulting corner Walker saved twice in the goalmouth scramble and the ball was hacked clear.

Four minutes later, at the other end, Giancarlo Gallifuoco had a decent header saved by Brill from Mitch Pinnock’s free-kick. He rose highest at the back post and Brill did well to hold on to the ball.

Former Wolves defender George Elokobi put Orient 1-0 ahead in the 34th minute with a header from a corner.

Elokobi was not picked up and headed home Jobi McAnuff’s ball into the box.

Dover had a chance to pull level five minutes later but Bird could deflect the ball goalwards. The ball dropped to Brundle 20 yards from goal and his scuffed shot was heading wide and into the path of Bird who swung and missed it.

Mitch Brundle. Picture: Tony Flashman
Mitch Brundle. Picture: Tony Flashman

One the stroke of half-time Josh Passley cleared off the line as it looked certain Orient would add their second. Walker was beaten and Passley, rushing back to his own goal, knocked it clear.

Three minutes after the break Orient added their second when Macauley Bonne hit one into the top corner and past the diving Walker.

Matt Harrold then put the result beyond doubt in the 54th minute when he added Orient’s third. From a corner, Harrold controlled in the box, held off his man and slotted home.

In a frantic opening 12 minutes of the second half, Ryan Bird gave Dover a glimmer of hope when he got one back. Pinnock did well on the left to get his cross in and found Bird free six yards out who had a tap in.

Bonne should have add a fourth for Orient after 74 minutes but he couldn’t beat Mitch Walker. One-on-one and Walker comes out on top.

Dover dragged themselves back into the game with two goals in the space of two minutes.

Mitch Pinnock scored the goal of the game after 81 minutes when he lobbed the Orient goalkeeper from 25 yards after Brill was stuck in no man’s land.

Then Ryan Bird brought the teams level with his second of the match. Bird did everything right when he received the ball in the box and slotted home from 10 yards.

Mooney then came off the bench to fire over Walker to grab a late winner.

Dover: Walker, Essam, Parry, Gallifuoco, Passley, Ilesanmi, Brundle, Nortey (Bellamy 61mins), Pinnock, Jeffrey (Daniel 72mins), Bird (Alabi 86mins).
Subs not used: Lewington, Okosieme.

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