Saturday 6 September 2003 - Twerton Park - kick off 3.00pm Dr Martens Premier Division

Before either side had a chance to fashion a chance the visitors suffered a blow losing Day to a leg injury. As he was the scorer of a wonder goal when the sides met in Kent last season City must have been glad to see the back of him so early. And, as if in response to this boost, they pushed the Whites back, winning a series of corners and seeing an Andy Williams shot just clear the bar. However, with 15 minutes gone, and from their first attack, Dover took the lead. An initial burst into the City box by Tyne was halted by Adams. Steve Bridges should have cleared the loose ball only to allow Dyer to win possession. He curled a perfect cross into the box that gave Curruthers a simple header past Mark Bryant. Headers from Tweddle and Dan Cleverley showed that City had not let falling behind affect them and eleven minutes later they were level again. Dover keeper Hyde struggled with his kicking all afternoon and it was his weak clearance that was knocked toward Tweddle. With his back to goal there initially looked little danger, only for a neat flick to leave three defenders trailing. The job was completed perfectly as he passed the ball past Hyde into the corner of the net. Within a minute City came desperately close to taking the lead. A long ball forward found Cleverley in acres of space down the right. His low cross looked destined for Tweddle before Cloke’s interception sent it looping against his own crossbar. The City no.10 just failed to direct the rebound home. The half came to a close with the visitors on top. Bryant three times saving well, Dyer, Curruthers and Chapman the denied opponents, and Tyne and Wilkins both sending efforts wide.

The second half began with City having another close escape. Bryant fumbled a 47th minute Browne cross under pressure from Wilkins. With the goal gaping the striker blasted over from just six yards out. Spiller did get the ball into the net minutes later but a linesman’s flag had long since been raised for offside. After this bright start Dover began to fade but for all their possession City seldom looked like grabbing a second goal. That all changed though with 12 minutes remaining. A rare incisive run by Andy Williams was halted by Curruthers lunging tackle. Drew Shore stepped up to curl the 25-yard free kick toward goal where keeper Hyde pushed it behind for a corner. Again it was Shore who took the set-piece and this time his centre found the head of Hendy. Even with the presence of several defenders on the line the ball found the back of the net. As in the first half, and in a case of necessity now, Dover finished the game on top. With the referee intent on dragging City’s worry out for as long as possible, finding over five minutes of stoppage time from somewhere, they had the time to find an equaliser. Bryant comfortably saved a Arnott header on 88 minutes but in the end it was City who came closest to adding to the scoring. Substitute Mark Salter’s strong run from near the halfway line ended with him curling a shot inches wide.