Three first-half Dover goals proved insurmountable for a below par Lewes at a rainy Dripping Pan last night. Danny Bassett’s second half strike proved a consolation for the hosts in a 3-1 loss.
An early double from George Nikaj and Ruben Soares-Junior was topped off before the interval by a Luke Baptiste penalty.
High flying Dover took eight minutes to get off the mark. A whipped cross from Soares-Junior was converted by the head of Nikaj.
Athletic pounced on the counter soon after. Jacob Mensah drove forward following a Lewes corner, finding Soares-Junior. Provider turned goalscorer as the winger cut inside and struck the ball into the bottom left corner.
Six minutes before the break Lewes’ misery was compounded. Luke Baptiste was brought down by goalkeeper Toby Bull, with the midfielder dusting himself off to convert the penalty to give Dover a strong halftime lead.
The intensity dropped in the second half, with the whites looking to shut up shop and Lewes searching for stability. Maliq Morris entered the fray to shore up the midfield.
A rare break for Tolu Ladapo resulted in a parried shot converted by Danny Bassett to add some respectability to the scoreline for Lewes.
