Chichester City’s amazing play-off bid falls at final hurdle – but what a season they’ve had

Both Dover and Chichester came into this encounter having won 22, drawn seven and lost 12 but with the Kent side on a much superior goal difference. Athletic topped the Isthmian premier division for about three months before dropping down to fifth.

So, a victory or a draw would be enough for Dover to clinch that last remaining play-off place against sixth-placed Chi, the in-form team in the league.

In an unchanged team, Kieran Magee was in goal behind skipper Rob Hutchings and Ryan Davidson at left and right back, alongside Curtis Da Costa and Ben Pashley in the centre. Emmett Dunn, Mo Jammeh, Joe Clarke, Isaac Bello and Lloyd Rowlatt were in midfield with Lewis Rustell leading the line instead of the injured Jimmy Wild.

It was a bit cagey early on but the hosts tested Dover in the opening two minutes, although Mitch Walker in goal claimed easily enough a couple of times, andFuad Sesay skipped past Rowlatt to tee Alfie Matthews up only for Da Costa to intercept.

Pashley tidied up as the visitors pressed after a move involving Hutchings and Rustell broke down.

Nine minutes in and Magee thumped one out for a Roman Charles-Cook throw. Jammeh and then Bello had shots that finally went out for a Dover goal kick and Charlie Bennett replaced Da Costa on 13 as the shoulder he dislocated on Monday flared up again.

At the mid-point of the half Bennett won a first corner of the match which Hutchings delivered deep to Dunn beyond the far post and the ball was crossed by Bello for Rustell to break the deadlock with a stunning overhead kick and send the majority of the biggest crowd at Oaklands this campaign into raptures.

Clarke was given the game’s first yellow card on 34 but Magee claimed the resulting free-kick without any trouble.

Baptiste, a threat all game, did Bennett 10 minutes before the break but he held him off and got it back to his custodian.

Jammeh was nicely up as Joe Tennent and Luca Cocoracchio threatened and a poor Hutchings’ back pass went out for Dover’s first corner. Baptiste took it and MoM Nikaj ghosted in to head home the leveller at the near stick on 37.

A Davidson mistake was almost capitalised on by Baptiste who won a corner which the No7 took and Rustell cleared, and a chance went begging for Chi when Bello and Rowlatt linked up but the midfielder couldn’t get round his shot.

After the break, another Bello long throw was met by Dunn who headed into Walker’s gloves.

Ryan Hanson hit one high and wide at the Archery End and Tennent denied Bello. Hanson was cautioned for a foul on Bello and Hutchings delivered the set-piece which Dover successfully cleared.

A lovely touch from Clarke set up an opportunity he fired over before Bennett fizzed an inviting cross in but no one was there.

Rustell, up against Dover captain Jacob Mensah, gave away a free-kick. The away side forced three corners in quick succession although Magee gathered the final one.

Ethan Prichard replaced Rustell on 64. Nikaj blasted an attempt over the woodwork and nice play from Jammeh and Bello earned Chi a throw which was too close to Walker.

Clever play from Nikaj presented Soares-Junior with a simple tap-in to put Dover 2-1 up with 20 minutes of normal time to go. Josh Clack replaced Jammeh and another Bello bomb went out for a goal kick.

A Prichard set-piece was punched away and Magee saved brilliantly to deny Soares-Junior’s bicycle-kick – then Bello pulled a shot just wide.

Clarke made way for Olly Munt and Matthews volleyed but off target; Joe Moore, who’d replaced Rowlatt, had an effort saved by Walker.

Davidson’s shot was saved by Walker before Pashley was adjudged to have impeded Mampolo in the area and Baptiste tucked his spot kick beyond Magee in the 98th minute to make the final score 3-1 and send Dover into the play-offs.