Dover Athletic 3 Canvey Island 2 match report: Isthmian Premier five-goal game goes Whites’ way; George Nikaj and Alfie Matthews net in second half after Ruben Soares-Junior’s goal

An entertaining and topsy-turvy Isthmian Premier match went the way of frontrunners Dover against a spirited Canvey Island team on Saturday.

Canvey netted first early on in unusual fashion and deserved to be ahead at that stage, but Whites forward Ruben Soares-Junior levelled to ensure it was level pegging at half-time.

The visitors went ahead again in the second period after an uncharacteristic error by goalkeeper Mitch Walker from a free-kick by two-goal captain Elliott Ronto.

But Alfie Matthews equalised for Whites on 71 minutes and the prolific George Nikaj fired in what proved the winning goal as it ended 3-2 to Whites, extending their unbeaten league run to seven games.

The visitors broke the deadlock on 10 minutes in front of a crowd of 911 at Crabble.

A corner routine saw skipper Ronto fire a shot against the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area. It then appeared captain Walker had saved from close range to deny Chris Harris, with the linesman seemingly flagging to rule the striker had been offside.

But after a conversation between referee Daniel Blades and the assistant referee, a goal was given - presumably with Ronto's shot having been adjudged to have bounced over the line off the woodwork.

Moments later, Nikaj flashed a shot narrowly wide.

Next to go close for the hosts midway through the first period was Matthews, as he shot over the crossbar from distance, before Canvey’s Swindon loanee Jaxon Brown missed the target after a swift counter-attack.

Matthews again went close in the 32nd minute. He forced Canvey goalkeeper Bobby Mason to punch from a short-corner routine.

It certainly wasn’t third time lucky, either, for the one-time Arsenal player, who blasted a free-kick well over with three minutes of