Category: Community News

Community News

CALL TO ARMS FOR ACADEMY DUO

Andy Hessenthaler has added two more of our Academy players to his squad ahead of today’s National League clash with King’s Lynn Town at Crabble (3pm).

Forwards Jack Nelson and George Nikaj, who are both 18, will join their Academy team-mates Harrison Byford, George Wilkinson, Kieron Agbebi, and Luke Baptiste in the matchday squad.

Nelson has been in the Academy set-up for two years and he’s the leading scorer for them.

He scored five goals in an 8-0 win at Weston-Super-Mare for Academy manager Mike Sandman’s team last month.

Nelson has also played for Larkfield and New Hythe in the SCEFL League this season, scoring seven times in their last six matches.

Dover resident Nikaj (below) made his senior debut as a second-half substitute in our Kent Senior Cup tie at Dartford last month.

MATCH PREVIEW – DOVER VS KING’S LYNN TOWN

Manager Andy Hessenthaler’s squad is back in action at Crabble on Saturday when they host King’s Lynn Town (3pm).

The Linnets are currently third-bottom, seven points behind the team above them, Aldershot Town, but they will head to Crabble on the back of a 2-0 win against high-flying FC Halifax Town at The Walks last Saturday.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT US?

You can read the King’s Lynn preview of the game HERE

You can watch their manager Tommy Widdrington’s pre-match interview HERE

LAST TIME WE MET

Josh Barrett’s double, a goal in each half, secured King’s Lynn all three points after a 2-1 win at The Walks last December in what was Tommy Widdrington’s first game in charge.

Maidstone United loanee Alfie Pavey was on target for Andy Hessenthaler’s side in a game that saw the hosts end a seven-game losing run in the National League.

LEADING SCORER

Wycombe Wanderers loanee Malachi Linton leads the way with eight goals in the National League this season.

NATIONAL LEAGUE FORM GUIDE

26/03 King’s Lynn Town 2-0 FC Halifax

22/03 King’s Lynn Town 0-3 Stockport County

19/03 Aldershot Town 0-3 King’s Lynn Town

TEAM NEWS

Michael Gyasi, who scored a hat-trick in the 6-5 defeat at Wrexham last time out, is not eligible to play against his parent club.

Will Moses (groin) also misses out and joins Ryan Hanson, Marshall Wratten (hamstring), TJ Bramble (back), James Caton (hamstring), Alex Green (ankle), Seth Twumasi (knee), and Travis Gregory (knee) on the injured list.

Teenage forward Noah Carney is also away on England under-18 duty.

COVERAGE

The game kicks off at 3pm but if you are unable to make the trip, BBC Radio Kent will be providing commentary HERE

We will also have live updates on Twitter – @DAFCLiveText – follow us and get all the news as it happens.

TICKET INFORMATION

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

If you are a National Lottery player you will be able to buy one ticket and get one FREE for this game only.

All the details can be found HERE

Prices are as follows:

Adults – £18

Over 60 – £15

Under 18 – £9

Under 11s free with paying adult

PROGRAMME

You can download your digital matchday magazine for the game HERE

SATURDAY’S OTHER NATIONAL LEAGUE FIXTURES

Aldershot Town v Eastleigh
Barnet v Yeovil Town
Chesterfield v Grimsby Town
FC Halifax Town v Wealdstone
Solihull Moors v Maidenhead United
Southend United v Notts County
Boreham Wood v Woking

BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE TICKET OFFER!

If you are a National Lottery player you will be able to buy one ticket and get one FREE for Saturday’s game against King’s Lynn Town at Crabble (3pm).

This offer is part of The National Lottery Football Weekends and is open to every paying adult who presents a valid legible National Lottery ticket upon purchase of a full-price match ticket to a game.

Conditions for the offer are as follows:

There will be a maximum of 500 free tickets, sold on a first-come-first-served basis.
General admission ticket prices are as per normal but it’s one adult who pays and one person gets in for free. Both people must be together at the turnstile and entering the ground at the same time to claim the offer.
We will only be doing it through a single turnstile so there may be a queue, especially approaching kick-off. Please allow enough time to get in the ground.
To take advantage of this offer, you MUST show proof of a valid legible lottery ticket purchase either the physical Lottery ticket/scratch card or have the app open showing the ticket as we need to record the ticket reference. We also need to record the supporter’s name.
When showing a physical ticket/scratch card, it must be the actual ticket and not a photocopy or picture.
Payment for the general admission ticket being purchased MUST BE MADE BY CASH as card payments are not being accepted in connection with the offer.
The buy one ticket and get one free offer doesn’t apply to the additional charges when choosing to sit in the stands as these are still payable.
The offer only applies to Adult & Over 60 tickets as you have to be over 18 to purchase a lottery product. The free guest can be under 18.
The offer is also available to Season ticket holders, with proof of a valid legible National Lottery purchase. They will also need to enter through The National Lottery buy one ticket and get one free turnstile at the same time as their guest rather than turnstile eight as per normal.
This offer is not valid for any other match.

We look forward to welcoming as many fans as possible to our game.

HOSPITALITY ON SALE FOR SATURDAY

Tickets are now on sale for the VIP Platinum Suite for our National League game against King’s Lynn Town this Saturday.

They will only be on sale until noon on Friday, April 1st.

To see the match from the best seats in the house and to enjoy a very special experience costs £28 per person.

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

The experience 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 matchday team sheet

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 passes please email [email protected] or call the office on 01304 822373

We very much look forward to welcoming you to the suite soon.

MEET CHAIRMAN AND MANAGER TONIGHT

Chairman Jim Parmenter and manager Andy Hessenthaler will host a Q&A meeting for all supporters in the Centre Spot tonight.

So, if you want the answers to your questions, please make sure you attend.

Please note this event will not be filmed or live streamed.

Doors open at 6.30pm with the meeting starting at 7pm.

Photo: Barry Goodwin/KM Group

MATCH REPORT: DOVER 0-2 YEOVIL TOWN

By Alex Hoad

Dover’s eight-year stay in the National League came to an end at Crabble on Saturday after the defeat against the Somerset visitors.

With 11 games remaining and 12 points deducted by the National League on the eve of the season, Whites can no longer overhaul Aldershot in 20^th, despite Shots losing at home to Kings Lynn on Saturday.

Manager Andy Hessenthaler named an unchanged XI from the narrow defeat at Halifax but replaced the unwell Henry Woods on the bench with 16-year-old Academy prospect Kieron Agbebi.

The game kicked-off following an emotional minute’s silence in memory of beloved Dover fan and club photographer Simon Harris who passed away on Friday at the age of just 66.

Dover had taken just one point from the seven-game since the memorable win over Eastleigh but the visitors arrived at Crabble in less-than-stellar form themselves, having taken only three points from their previous seven games and won one in 16 in all competitions.

Town did however start brightly and goalkeeper Adam Parkes had to drop to his left to hold a low drive from 20 yards from Tom Knowles early on.

At the other end on-loan West Brom keeper Ted Cann, making his second debut for the Glovers after a previous loan spell, made a meal of saving Alfie Pavey’s speculative 25-yard shot on 15 minutes while Dover won several free-kicks in good positions but were unable to test the keeper after curling left-footed deliveries from Arjanit Krasniqi.

The deadlock was broken in the 19^th minute when Jordan Barnett’s lofted free-kick was flicked on by Adi Yussuf and bounced through the Dover defence to Ben Barclay, who guided an expert half-volley into the top corner giving Parkes no chance.

It was one-way traffic for a spell and Knowles flashed a low cross across the face of goal with Charlie Wakefield unable to turn in at the back post.

Hessenthaler shuffled his pack at the interval and brought on Koby Arthur, with Michael Gyasi joining Alfie Pavey up top,

Myles Judd reverting to right wing-back and Will Moses joining George Wilkinson in holding midfield with three at the back.

The hosts enjoyed a blistering start to the half and Gyasi fired over while a scrambling Cann had to tip over a curling Wilkinson cross.

The clinching goal arrived against the run of play 10 minutes after the break when Knowles broke from midfield and was controversially adjudged to have been fouled by Jake Goodman on the edge of the box.

Dale Gorman stepped up to fire a curling right-footed free-kick around the wall which beat Parkes into the top-corner. It was the first time the Glovers had scored more than once in a game since November.

The lively Gyasi swung a free-kick past the post at the other end and sub Agbebi – the latest debutant from our Academy – caused Town’s defence some problems, but the game was up when Cann missed the ball allowing Gyasi to roll the ball into the empty net, only for the goal to be ruled out for an offside with protests from Gyasi and Pavey falling on deaf ears.

Danny Collinge looped a header from an Arthur corner well over the bar and Gyasi saw appeals for a penalty waved away in the closing stages while at the other end a block from Krasniqi thwarted Knowles from close range and Parkes dived to his left to deny Barnett before sub Olofela Olomola dragged a shot past the upright in stoppage time.

After the game chairman Jim Parmenter confirmed Hessenthaler will return next season to spearhead Dover’s challenge in National League South.

ACADEMY TEEN PRIMED

Dover Athletic Academy midfielder Kieron Agbebi has earned a call-up to Andy Hessenthaler’s squad.

The 16-year-old will wear the number 35 shirt and he goes straight into the matchday squad for today’s National League game against Yeovil Town at Crabble.

Agbebi made his senior debut in the Kent Senior Cup defeat at Dartford earlier this month and now joins fellow Academy team-mates Noah Carney, George Wilkinson, Harrison Byford, and Luke Baptiste, in the senior squad alongside Academy graduates Will Moses and Marshall Wratten.

Agbebi joined the Academy in July last year and Academy Manager Mike Sandmann said he had progressed incredibly well in his first year.

“He is developing his game and improving every week in terms of his game understanding.

“Kieron is extremely athletic and is working hard to build himself physically where he is consistently working hard in the gym.

“He has a great lad, hardworking and determined to improve and progress.

“I couldn’t be more pleased for him to get his opportunity and be involved with the first team at such a young age.”

RIP SIMON HARRIS

Dover Athletic Football Club is in mourning today after the sudden passing of our legendary club photographer Simon Harris.

An immensely popular figure over so very many years, Simon, who was 66, was a well-known face at the club, attending both home and away matches to capture all the first-team action.

Simon also spent time as Chairman of The Dover Athletic Supporters Trust and in 2010, he set an unbelievable milestone, by attending his 1000th consecutive Dover Athletic game.

No job was too big or too small for Simon and come rain or shine he ensured he made the day for hundreds of children over the years by taking photos of the matchday mascots on the pitch at Crabble.

The thoughts and prayers of everyone at the club are with Simon’s wife Tina, his son Kevin and wife Rachel, his daughter Laura, his family, and all his many friends at this very sad and difficult time.

As a mark of respect, there will be a minute’s silence ahead of kick-off in Saturday’s National League match against Yeovil Town at Crabble and our management, staff, and players will be wearing black armbands.

Rest in peace, Simon, and thank you for your incredible dedication and commitment over so many, many years.

YEOVIL HOSPITALITY ON SALE

Tickets are now on sale for the VIP Platinum Suite for our National League game against Yeovil Town this Saturday.

They will only be on sale until noon on Friday, March 18th.