Dover played Cheltenham Athletic in a club friendly on Friday, and the two sides settled for a 1-1 draw. The match took place on 1 August 2026 in what is meant to be preparation for the season ahead. To be fair, neither side seemed particularly eager to force the issue. The result leaves both clubs with a point each and nothing more to write home about.
N. Young-Coombes gave Dover the lead in the twenty-sixth minute, and that was the only goal for quite a while. By then the game had settled into a midfield battle with neither side willing to commit too many men forward. Cheltenham Athletic responded through Rendall in the seventy-second hour, and the scoreline made sense for the contest. After that, nothing changed.
Dover registered 106 attacks compared with 96 for their visitors, and they took seven corners to five. The statistics tell you that the hosts had the edge in possession but not necessarily in quality. Both sides had ten free kicks between them and no cards to speak of. And here's the thing — you can have more attacks and still not find the net.
Looking at recent form, Dover came from a 2-2 draw with Hern Bay on 28 July before winning 1-0 against Burgess Hill Town. Cheltenham Athletic had lost 1-2 to Hanworth Villa on 18 July but bounced back with a 4-0 victory over Bromli on 4 July. These results suggest both teams are still finding their rhythm. The friendly did not change much either way.
The final score of 1-1 means neither side can claim superiority, and that is probably how both managers will see it. Friendlies are meant to test shape rather than results, and the tactical adjustments will come later. Dover had more attacks but Cheltenham Athletic held firm when it mattered. The table will not move for either side, and the focus now turns to what comes next.