Romans open home campaign with narrow Whites defeat

Despite dominating the game for long spells City opened their home campaign with a 2-1 defeat against Dover Athletic this afternoon at Cannon Clarke Stadium @ Twerton Park.

City opened the game on the front foot against a side who’d conceded three first half goals last week but they couldn’t match this as a number of half chances came and went. The best of these arrived on 20 minutes when Joe Raynes forced a smart stop from Whites keeper Walker. A drinks break halfway through the period briefly disrupted City’s momentum but they finished the half strongly as Wilson got behind the visitors defence but saw his shot fly across the face of goal from a narrow angle.

Apart from on goalmouth scramble late in the half Dover had shown virtually nothing as an attacking force but they stunned City on 49 minutes when Mampolo crossed for Soares Jr to head past Harvey Wiles-Richards. City responded positively as Will Jenkins Davies saw his shot saved at the near post by Walker and Kieran Parselle’s header was cleared off the line. A minute after this escape Dover doubled their lead when Luke Russe missed a long clearance allowing Mampolo to lift the ball over Wiles-Richards. A triple substitution moments later breathed new life into the Romans, with Brad Ash firing a good chance narrowly over then Raynes seeing his 74th minute shot hit the foot of the post. With ten minutes left City finally pulled a goal back, Alex Fisher neatly converting Jenkins Davies’ low cross. However, they couldn’t fashion another goal, even with seven minutes stoppage time, to claim a point that was the least they deserved.