Red card as Havant & Waterlooville fight on for Dover draw

Matt Paterson. Picture: Allan Hutchings (151265-184)

The home side had loanee defender Chris Robertson sent off on 35 minutes for a second bookable offence.

A brave rearguard action for much of the rest of the game earned the Hawks a deserved point.

Twice Dover threatened in the opening three minutes with long throws into the home area.

James, celebrating his 19th birthday picked out Theo Lewis with a delightful ball down the right. The move fizzled out on the edge of the area when Alfie Rutherford failed to shoot.

Dover had started the stronger and the Hawks were forced to defend three corners in quick succession.

When the home side did push forward Chris Paul completely missed his kick 25 yards out from goal.

Neither side were getting much time on the ball and it was proving to be a scrappy affair.

On 35 minutes the home side were reduced to ten men after Robertson picked up his second booking of the half.

The defender was guilty of pulling Inih Effiong back as he looked to break from half-way.

Immediately afterwards Jai Reason thumped a header narrowly over the home crossbar.

Defender Jordan Rose replaced striker Rutherford for the Hawks at the start of the second half.

The depleted hosts were pinned back and put under intense pressure.

Goalkeeper Ben Dudzinski rushed out to make a brave save after a ball over the top put Reason clear.

It was the Hawks who went close when a wicked Rory Williams corner bounced out off the angle of post and bar.

The game began to get feisty with a few reckless challenges flying in.

To their credit the home side were running hard and refusing to give it up.

It was brave last ditch defending at times but they continued to frustrate the visitors.

In a Hawks break Tyler Frost sent in a shot that bounced back off the chest of the goalkeeper.

Hawks: Dudzinski, Williams, Robertson, Cordner, James, Lewis, Paul, Robinson A, Fogden, Rutherford, Paterson. Substitutes : Woodford, Rose, Sekajja, Frost, Jalloh

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