Category: Club News

AND THE WINNER IS – AWARDS NIGHT

We look ahead to our season finale both on and off the pitch.

The Whites face Weymouth on Saturday, looking to complete the 2022/23 season with a win. Mitch Brundle and the players will be looking to put on a show one final time before the summer break and we hope that you can join us at Crabble.

Dover Athletic Youth Section:

All the players from the Dover Athletic Youth Section have been invited to attend the match and will be doing a lap of honour at half-time to show our appreciation for their efforts in representing the club at various ages.

Charlton Primary School:

We welcome the children from Charlton Primary School to the game as they will be the mascots for the match. It will be a great experience for the children and further engages us into the community, something that will be at the forefront from next season with the new community officer in place.

Dover Athletic Supporters Club:

Following the completion of the match, the supporters club will be holding its annual awards in the Centre Spot. It is open to anyone and we would encourage you to stay behind after the game and watch the awards. There will also be a buffet kindly provided by the Supporters Club.

The awards up for nomination are:

  • Golden Boot
  • The Andy Fisher Shield for Away Supporters Player of the Season
  • The Simon Harris Shield for Supporters Player of the Season.

The winner of the Simon Harris award will nominate a charity for a £200 payment to be made by DASC.

We hope that we can get as many of you there as possible to finish the season on a high.

WEYMOUTH – VIP STYLE

Fancy watching the Whites take on Weymouth in style? Of course you do.

This Saturday we host Weymouth in the Vanarama National South. Mitch Brundle and the boys will be looking to put on a show and where else would you rather watch it than here with us. It’s the final home match of the season so why not treat yourself to see in the finale of the 2022/23 campaign.

Watch the game from the best seats in the house and let our match day hospitality provide the ultimate way to spend your time with us.

The package includes:

  • Butler hosted lounge with large TVs and a projector showing the game

  • A three-course meal served at your table

  • Reserved undercover premium padded seating

  • Complimentary tea, coffee & mineral water, plus a dedicated paid bar before and after the match

  • Complimentary match day team sheet

The very special experience costs £28 per person and is available for individual and group bookings, or as a gift voucher.

Please note that this price does NOT include entry for non-season ticket holders who do attend, and they will still need to pay at the turnstile on the day.

On the menu for the game will be :

  • Prawn Cocktail
  • Pie, Mash, Vegetables & gravy
  • Cheesecake

Arrival at the ground should be at 1pm and food will be served at 1.30pm.

There are only 64 spaces available, so all tickets will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis.

The dress code is smart casual.

To buy your VIP ticket please email [email protected] or call the office on 01304 822373

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN – WEYMOUTH

Your club needs you.

This weekends sees the conclusion of the 2022/23 Vanarama National South campaign and it doesn’t get much tighter at the bottom with teams fighting for survival. We welcome Weymouth to Crabble in what will be a must win game now to secure our status as a National League club. The Terras will be heading to Kent desperate for the three points themselves, having beaten Slough on Saturday to move off the foot of the table.

Although we have a five point advantage over Cheshunt, the clubs in the bottom four all picked up points and have games in hand to be played during the week. We have our destiny in our own hands. Win and our league standing remains, but if we fail to pick up three points, then all of a sudden we are reliant on results going our way.

Dulwich Hamlet – Dulwich face Concord midweek which means that someone will drop points and then face an in form Chippenham on Saturday.

Cheshunt – A midweek home tie against play-off chasing Worthing and then a trip to Tonbridge to face the Angels.

Concord Rangers – The form horse of the bottom teams. Three games remaining including a six pointer against Dulwich. They finish the campaign with Havant & Waterlooville at home and then a trip to Eastbourne to face Boro.

Weymouth – Before heading to us Weymouth must head to Taunton Town.

Hungerford – The only team that cannot mathematically catch us. They face Bath City and league champions Ebbsfleet on the final day.

As a football club we appreciate your support from far and wide and we need you to come in numbers on Saturday to cheer the boys over the line. Bring a friend and one of their friends. It hasn’t been the season that we all anticipated after we dropped out of the National League last year but behind the scenes there has been a lot of hard work going on to ensure that we even still have a football club. Be loud and lets give the Gaffer and the lads some noise to get the win that we all need. We all need to stick together, support, and the good times will come back. Keep the Faith.

Form Guide:

Images courtesy of Flashscore.co.uk

Head to Head:

The Whites have had the better of the visitors, winning three of the last five encounters including a 2-0 victory back in September.

TICKET INFORMATION

Admission for this match is by turnstile only. We accept both card and cash on the gate.

Adults – £16

Over 60 – £14

Under 18 – £8

Under 11s continue to be free with paying adult

We hope to see as many of you there as possible. COYW.

UP NEXT – FARNBOROUGH

We hit the road for the final time this season.

The Whites head to the Cherrywood road stadium to take on Farnborough on the penultimate weekend of the 2022/23 season. Mitch Brundle and the boys will be looking to bring home three points following defeat last time out on the road. Concord Rangers proved to be a tough nut to crack despite creating numerous chances. Boro themselves will be looking to gain momentum with a last gasp hope of a play-off place.

Form Guide:

Images courtesy of Flashscore.co.uk

Head to Head: 

Boro have had the upper hand over the Whites in recent years but the lads will be looking to change that this weekend.

DASC Coach Travel:

There are still spaces available for the coach but these are limited as they are filling up fast.

TICKET INFORMATION: 

Adult – £12

Concession – £10

16-21 – £6

Directions: 

Easy As HGV Stadium

Farnborough Football Club

Cherrywood Road

Farnborough

Hampshire

GU14 8UD

 

TIME TO FIGHT – MANAGER REACTION

The Gaffer looks back on the weeks football. 

It certainly wasn’t an ideal week for the Whites with defeats coming from teams at opposite ends of the table. Relegation is mathematically possible but we hold an eight point advantage on our rivals, with Cheshunt and Hungerford both having face tough opposition on the penultimate weekend of the campaign. Farnborough will be a tough challenge with the hosts still mathematically able to make the play-offs, although it looks like they may need snookers.

Speaking to Kent Online Sport, Mitch Brundle was both disappointed and showing desire in getting the boys over the line. ‘I think they took their foot off the gas. They stopped doing the things that got them there. We were just careless in possession.’ When speaking about the heavy 5-1 home defeat to Oxford City. ‘Most of the goals came from us actually being in control of the ball and moving it, trying to open up spaces and giving away sloppy passes. They counter well. They have got players who score and had the desire, and they ran past a couple of players in our team which is not acceptable.

We’re going to need every player to roll their sleeves up now and go “Right, we need to fight for a massive result.”

Some of the goals we conceded came from us being in possession. We’ve looked into all the goals and the work-rate to actually defend the goal with their lives wasn’t good enough. We kept letting them get in with easy chances. The desire to stop people from scoring just wasn’t there. You can’t have that at this level, especially against a team fighting for the play-offs. I put myself on up top to just try and put myself in a position where we could actually get up the pitch and stop conceding. It didn’t seem to work that way. We were missing the experienced boys.

But Will and Andi have done well in certain games. It’s just a lack of leadership, really. They’re still young kids but they have got to grow up quickly. You’re in the men’s team, you have earned the right to get there, and you have got to step up to the plate now. You have got to demand from the experienced boys. You’ve got to be really dominant and aggressive as a centre-half. That’s what centre-halves do.’

Defeat to basement club Concord Rangers was not in the script either but it isn’t all doom and gloom just yet. ‘I said that from eight or nine games ago. You’re never safe until those teams, mathematically, can’t get to you. There’s always these things in football where something extraordinary happens so we can’t afford to switch off. ‘We’re going to need the experience, we’re going to need the energy, we’re going to need the athleticism and the desire. We’re going to need every player to roll their sleeves up now and go “Right, we need to fight for a massive result.”

Keep the Faith.

COYW

STRIKER – DID YOU HIT THE NET

Latest Striker Lottery results for Wednesday 19th April

Congratulations to all the winners and better luck next time if your name wasn’t drawn out. It could well be your time next week.

For anyone who doesn’t know how the Striker Lottery works well let me explain if for you. Each week, so long as you have paid your £1 weekly subscription, your number will be entered into a draw. If your number is drawn, congratulations – you’re a winner! It’s as simple as that. The draw is held every Wednesday. Keep an eye on the website and social media pages for full details. Who knows, your number could scoop the £1,000 top prize.

Please note that only paid-for tickets are entered in the draw. For your convenience, your membership fee can be collected from you, or you can pay at the Club Office or, to save time, you can pay monthly or quarterly by standing order.

Contact [email protected] to register your interest and good luck.

CONCORD RANGERS 1 DOVER ATHLETIC 0

Dover fall to Concord sucker punch.

It was a half that started so brightly for the visitors. Dover dominated the early parts and looked the more likely to open the scoring, notably through Jordan Higgs.

The Whites midfielder fired a low effort into the hands of Beeney on 13 minutes and 10 minutes later fired a volley over the crossbar from a quick free-kick whipped in by Myles Judd.

In the 26th minute, Dover looked like they had made the breakthrough when a free-kick taken short by Martin was curled towards the back post by Wanadio, only for Beeney to get a fingertip to the ball. It was a fantastic save by the home stopper.

Jordan Higgs then had a further two chances, glancing a header over then firing the ball over via a deflection, but all of a sudden you’re starting to think it’s going to be one of those nights.

The home side grew into the game inside the last five minutes of the half and on the stroke of half-time as the referee signalled one additional minute, Nelson, a freezing cold bystander, was picking the ball of out of his net.

Concord broke down their left hand side, delivered a lovely cross to Manor who unmarked, headed the cross back where it had come from and the hosts lead at the interval.

The second half mirrored the first with Dover sweeping forward, pinning back Concord who were quite frankly just looking to get out of their own half at times. The Whites huffed and puffed but the impressive Beeney was equal to everything that was thrown at him.

Andi Janjeva looked to take matters into his own hands midway through the second period when he picked up the ball on the half way line, strode forward about ten yards and unleashed a fizzing drive that went narrowly past the post. It was Janjeva again moments later, this time from a corner which was nodded down into the path of the young centre back, who drove his shot back with pace but Beeney was not to be beaten, tipping it around the post.

The Story of Dover’s night

The home side rallied in the final moments with Dover pushing to get an equaliser and began to find gaps in the Whites back line but the referee blew for full time and it was another body blow and just one of them nights. Teams below Dover need to win all their games to ensure a squeaky bum time end of the season but we still have our fate in our own hands as we head to Farnborough this Saturday.

COYW.

Dover Athletic: Nelson, Judd, Paxman, Sterling, Janjeva, Higgs, Oliver, Martin, Wanadio, Baptiste, Carney

Subs: Wilkinson, Nikaj, Brundle, Boateng, Pierrick

Concord Rangers: Beeney, Popo, Thomas, Pollock, Beckett, Monville, Hernandez, Kyei, Steward, Hudson, Manor

Subs: Ramsay, Bettamer, Munns, Day, Modeste

Attendance: Unknown – no announcement

UP NEXT – CONCORD RANGERS

The Whites head to Essex in search of a vital win.

Mitch Brundle and his players will be looking to secure another season in the Vanarama National South tomorrow night as the Whites head to Essex to face Concord Rangers. The bottom club will also be desperate for the points in a bid to commit the great escape, hopefully not at the expense of ourselves. It was a tough day last time out so the players will need to erase that fixture from the memory banks in a bid to get three points on the road.

Concord were impressive during their 3-0 victory over us back in October but their season has since taken a downward spiral, something that we look to take full advantage of at the business end of the campaign. With only three more games remaining, an eight point gap looks like it could be enough but you cannot be too sure.

Form Guide:

Information taken from Flashscores.co.uk

Head to Head: It’s even steven over the last four matches with both sides winning twice. Concord won with ease the last time the two sides met but haven’t managed to keep up that momentum.

TICKET INFORMATION: 

Ticket type Price
Adult £16.50
Concession * £11
Her Game Too *** £11
Next-Gen (18-21) £8
Junior (U18s) £6
Junior (U12s) ** FREE
Family ticket *** £18/£30

Under 12 tickets are only free of charge when purchased with an over 18 ticket – otherwise under 18 prices will apply.

We hope to see as many of you there as possible. COYW.

 

DOVER ATHLETIC 1 OXFORD CITY 5

City slickers in the Dover sun.

It was a tough day at the office for Mitch Brundle and his charges despite starting the game on the front foot. The hosts took an early lead through Josh Ajayi who’s neat finish rounded off a quick break. Alfie Paxman drove the ball at Chris Haigh in the Oxford City goal who parried the ball back into the path of Ajayi to give Dover the lead.

It was a false dawn for the Whites as moments later, Zak McEachran came close with a shot that flashed just wide of Stuart Nelson’s post. The away side had the wind in their sails and in the 18th minute, equalised from a corner when Humphrey Ewers waltzed into the box, controlled the ball and fired past the Dover stopper.

Just after the half hour mark and the visitors were in front. The ball played into Ajayi deep into the Oxford half didn’t stick and just three passes later, Nelson was again picking the ball out of his net. It was a clinical counter that winded the Whites who looked punch drunk going into the break.

It was a knock-out blow that had the Whites reeling as just 60 seconds after the restart, Dover had a mountain to climb when the impressive McEachran made it 3-1. By this time it all started to unravel for the home side. Oxford played some decent stuff, which shows their league placing is on merit.

It wasn’t all doom and gloom for Dover who could of closed the gap but George Nikaj, who was put through on goal, could only fire wide. Moments later, Luke Wanadio turned his marker inside out as he twisted one way and then the other, only to fire across goal and out for a goal kick.

On the 70th minute mark, the Gaffer stripped off his training top and entered the fray in the hope of inspiring a resurgence. Instead the Whites defence was breached again when Oxford substitute Lolos fired home with Dover unable to clear their lines defending a corner.

It got even worse as the game as a contest was all but over when Stuart Nelson brought down an Oxford forward in the box. Lolos placed the ball on the spot and sent Nelson the wrong way. Oxford enjoyed their trip to the south coast whereas it was back to the drawing board for the boss with a massive game now on Tuesday night at Concord Rangers.

As ever we hope to see as many of you there to give the lads a push.

COYW.

Dover Athletic: Nelson, Boateng, Paxman, Moses, Janjeva, Higgs, Martin, Oliver, Wanadio, Pierrick, Ajayi

Subs: Baptiste, Brundle, Nikaj, Carney, Sterling

Oxford City: Haig, Miccio, Ashby, Burley, Coyle, Fleet, McEachran, Sanderson, Williams Bushell, Humphrey Ewers

Subs: Davies, Laciofano, Lolos, Harrison, Wilson

Attendance: 672

UP NEXT – OXFORD CITY

Oxford City head to Crabble.

The Whites face the Hoops in our penultimate home match of the 2022/23 campaign, looking to avenge the 3-1 defeat earlier on in the season. City will be looking to cement a place in the play-off spots with Ebbsfleet already guaranteed one promotion place following their league title claim from last weekend.

Mitch Brundle’s side will be looking to keep one step ahead of the relegation rivals, something the boss has been keen to speak about on numerous occasions. ‘I won’t really be happy until i see four teams with R next to their name so we will keep going,’ said the Gaffer.

Tyrone Sterling completed his ban so is now available for selection which could give the boss a selection dilemma with a fully fit squad at his disposal. Speaking to Kent Online Sport, Brundle said ‘That’s the best thing at the minute because it’s getting towards the end of the season and everyone is fit. Everyone’s trying to fight for their contracts for next year. We’ve had a full-strength squad.’

Opposition boss Ross Jenkins has placed the emphasis on remembering the performance last time out against the Whites. Speaking to his clubs website he said ‘It’s important we replicate our performance in the reverse fixture at their place. It’s a long journey but we’ve got to get on with it and we’ll prepare as normal and get ready for a good game of football. There’s no fear on their behalf. However, it’s important that we don’t focus on that. They’ll do what they can do and we’ll try and do what we’re best at and what we’ve been doing all season and try and get a result there.’

Oxford City Form Guide:

Head to Head: 

The two sides have met twice in the last ten years with both claiming a win each. Dover advanced to the next round of the FA Cup back in 2013 courtesy of a 3-0 win here at Crabble. The Hoops won more recently, at the start of this campaign with an impressive 3-1 victory.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets for this game can be purchased at the turnstile only.

Prices are as follows:

Adults – £16

Over 60 – £14

Under 18 – £8

Under 11s continue to be free with paying adult

We hope to see as many of you there as possible. COYW.