*BS*DAVID LEWORTHY – arguably Dover Athletic’s greatest ever player – will be watching his old club in action this weekend. Unfortunately he will be cheering on the opposition!*BF*
The Crabble legend, who provided so many memories for the River End faithful in the mid-1990s, is a coach at Croydon Athletic this season under Rams’ first-team manager Jerry Scola.
Whites’ fans hoped to catch a last glance at Leworthy in action last season when he had a spell as a player/coach with Kingstonian but to no avail. They will have to keep dusting off the videos of those famous Woking performances, when the then Lord of Crabble was simply on another planet to the rest of his team-mates and opposition.
*BS*Leworthy’s pen pic on croydonathletic.net:*BF*
“David joins us as coach this season with professional and non-league experience, having played for Tottenham, Oxford United, Dover, Farnborough, Rushden and Diamonds and Kingstonian, where he still is a record signing for the K’s at £18,000. He started his first team managerial career at Havant and Waterlooville in 2004.”
Leworthy is of course also Dover Athletic’s record signing (£50,000) and it will be a joy for many Whites’ fans to see the man generally regarded as Athletic’s greatest player, even though he’ll only be in the dugout.
*BS*DAFC Team News*BF*
There should be plenty of options for Andy Hessenthaler in the next two games. New signing Lee Browning is likely to be in the squad for the first time after a game for the reserves in midweek. Likely to miss out is Ryan Andrews, who hasn’t had any first-team action since the return of right back Matt Fish to the starting line-up.
*Lpic2*Team selection may depend solely on whether Hess selects himself. With two league games this week and then Hythe away in the cup next Saturday, the boss may decide he needs to be rested at some point. Browning could benefit.
In the past few games Whites’ formation has been fluid. This seems to have been due to the increasing deployment of Frannie Collin on the right wing, causing havoc with his quick feet and skill. Last Saturday Jon Wallis drifted out to the left from midfield at times, leaving Jimmy Dryden and Mark Lovell to forage in the centre for the most part.
It is a time when first-choice strikers Lovell and Dryden are starting to look over their shoulders though. Browning featured up front alongside Bradley Spice for Sittingbourne prior to signing for Dover so can be seen as competition as a striker, as well as out wide.
So can Matt Carruthers, who played as the central striker in a three after coming on at Burgess Hill. However, Matt has picked up an injury in a Sunday League game and is likely to be out for about six weeks due to a damaged ankle. Also missing will be Liam Quinn, who is expected to resume training this week after picking up an injury last week in training.
Hess told Justin Allen on DAFCradio: “Matt decided he wanted to play for his Sunday team and he’s damaged his ankle. I’m a little bit disappointed in Matt in that situation because if you’re trying to earn a contract at the club you don’t play Sunday football.”
*BS*Saturday, September 22 – Away to Croydon Athletic – 3.00pm*BF*
Saturday’s opponents Croydon Athletic have had an inconsistent start to the season, beating Cray and Met Police but losing to Whyteleafe and drawing with Corinthian-Casuals and Worthing. The Rams will be reeling and keen to bounce back after losing 4-2 to Tonbridge Angels in a midweek FA Cup replay at Longmead, having been 2-0 up with five minutes to go. They had earned the replay after a 1-1 draw at home last Saturday with striker Moses Ademola scoring the goal.
Hess said of Croydon Athletic on DAFCradio: “They’re a very good team. We’ve had them watched. They’ve got a totally different team from last year. It’s going to be a tough game.”
*BS*Four croydonathletic.net player pen pics:*BF*
RYAN PALMER (CAPTAIN) – DEFENDER: Highly rated centre back at Sutton United last year, making over 300 appearances for the U’s.
DANNY WALDREN – MIDFIELD: Danny put in some tough and consistent performances last year, having joined the club from Waltham Forest. He has attracted interest from professional clubs and looks to have a promising future ahead of him. Strong and determined and has a mean free kick!
MOSES ADEMOLA – FORWARD: Young striker, formerly a finalist on the Football Icon 2 series on Sky TV. Has ability and strength and can produce a goal out of nothing.
REGGIE SAVAGE – FORWARD: Joined this season from Walton & Hersham. Reggie made a good start to his campaign with three goals in our first two games.
*BS*Admission information from Croydon Athletic’s official website:*BF*
* Adults: £8
* Senior Citizens: £4
* Under 16s: £4
* Students (with valid ID): £4
* Under 5s: Free
* No extra charge for a seat in the main stand.
* Family ticket (minimum of one paying adult and two under 16s) will receive a £4 discount.
*Link1*
*BS*Wednesday September 26 – Away to Eastbourne Town – 7.45pm*BF*
As opposed to Croydon Athletic, Wednesday night’s opponents Eastbourne Town are a club with a very long history behind them. Founded in 1881 as Devonshire Park FC, named after its first ground, it can therefore claim to be the oldest senior football club in Sussex. The club has played at Saffrons, the name of their present ground, since 1886.
*Lpic1*The suffix ‘Town’ wasn’t added to the club’s name until the 1970s and the club has spent most of its history at Sussex County level, even dropping down to Division Two of the Sussex league as recently as 2001.
Of their most recent fortunes, the club’s official website eastbournetownfc.com states: “Former Eastbourne Borough reserve coach Ady Colwell arrived in 2005 and this saw a general upturn in fortunes on the pitch. The revival under Colwell continued during 2005/06 and in 2006/2007 Town won the Sussex County League for the first time in 30 years.”
Whites’ fans should recognise Eastbourne Town’s captain Danny Simmonds, formerly of Eastbourne Borough and Ashford. Stephen McCartney of kentishfootball.co.uk, in his match report of Whitstable v Eastbourne Town earlier this season, said of Simmonds: “midfield play-maker, skipper … impressed throughout, taking their set-pieces. Managers of Ryman One South clubs should note that Eastbourne crowd the six-yard box from Simmonds’ corners.”
*BS*Eastbourne Town admission prices:*BF*
£5 for adults and £3 for OAPs and children, they are the only club in Ryman South this season to charge less than £7 adult entry.
* Free for Under-14s, if accompanied by an adult.
*Link2*