Aldershot Town’s five-game unbeaten run came to an end as they succumbed to a 2-0 loss against Dover Athletic having been reduced to ten men at Crabble Stadium on Saturday.
The hosts took the lead in the first half through a header from captain Kevin Lokko.
Left-back Shadrach Ogie doubled The Whites lead early in the second period following a driving run.
Kodi-Lyons Foster was dismissed with 20 minutes to play after a second yellow card to sum up a disappointing day for The Shots.
Danny Searle made three changes to the side that drew 3-3 with Chorley last Saturday. Suspended Robbie Tinkler dropped out of the squad as did Craig Tanner through injury. Harrison Panayiotou also took up a place the bench as Alfy Whittingham, Connor Shields and Lewis Walker came into the starting eleven.
After a quiet opening 14 mins, it was Dover who had the best chance of the match up until that point. It fell very kindly for Inih Effiong but he rushed his shot and skied it well clear of the bar.
However, the home team did take the lead just two minutes later. It was captain Lokko who got his head on a Jai Reason free-kick at the back post to put the hosts in front.
Alex Finney came close from a similar situation at the other end 28 minutes in, but his header went just wide of the right post.
The Shots felt like they could’ve had a penalty in the 35th minute when Lewis Walker appeared to be fouled by on-rushing goalkeeper Yussuf Mersin, but the referee Sam Barrott waved away the extensive claims.
Effiong had another good chance on the stroke of half-time after some good build-up play with Steve Rigg, but the forward skewed his shot wide of the left post.
Ogie scored for The Whites to double Dover’s lead in the 52nd minute. The full-back intercepted the ball on the halfway line before driving forward into space and drilling the ball past Walker into the bottom right corner.
Connor Shields caused some problems down the right-hand-side in the 64th minute. First, his low cross almost fell to an Aldershot Town player when Mersin was forced to parry away. Then, Lewis Walker got his head on another delivery at the front post, but was unable to direct it goal wards.
It went from bad to worse for the visitors when Lyons-Foster was sent off for a second yellow card in the 70th minute. The defender lunged in on the edge of his own area having been booked in the first half.
Mo Bettamer had an excellent chance to get The Shots back in the game in the 77th minute following some great work down the left from Lewis Kinsella. Unfortunately, the striker was unable to connect with the cross properly as it bounced into the keeper’s hands.
Two minutes later, Mitch Walker was called into action to deny the hosts a third. Substitute Adeoye Yussuff found himself through on-goal, but Walker stood firm to prevent the goal.
Dover Athletic XI: 1 Y Mersin (G/K), 2 J Passley, 3 B Taylor (L’Ghoul 68′), 5 K Lokko (C), 6 W De Havilland, 7 J Reason (Yussuff 74′), 8 M Woods, 9 I Effiong (Munns 87′), 18 O Gobern, 19 S Rigg, 23 S Ogie.
Unused Subs: Rooney, Simpson
Aldershot Town XI: 1 M Walker (G/K), 3 L Kinsella, 4 D Rance (C), 6 K Lyons-Foster, 8 J Rowe, 10 C Shields (Santos 80′), 12 A Whittingham, 15 A Finney, 19 M Bettamer, 20 E Chislett, 24 L Walker (Panayiotou 87′)
Unused Subs: Hall, Woodward, Taylor
