Catch up on the best of the action from Saturday’s home win.
Category: First Team News
MARSH-BROWN DEBUT DOUBLE SINKS MACC
DOVER 2-0 MACCLESFIELD
(Marsh-Brown 2, 36)
A debut brace from Keanu Marsh-Brown saw Whites beat leaders Macclesfield at a snow swept Crabble on Saturday.
The winger, signed on loan from Forest Green, made the ideal start to his Dover career, placing the ball into the bottom corner from 25 yards with the game barely a minute old.
And Marsh-Brown slotted in nine minutes before half-time as Chris Kinnear’s side register a third consecutive National League victory.
However Athletic are also indebted to one of their defenders preserving the home team’s lead just minutes after the opening goal.
Defender Manny Parry bravely blocked Mitch Hancox’s volley from point-blank range to deny the midfielder a what seemed a certain goal.
Home stopper Mitch Walker was then relieved to see Keith Lowe curl the ball some distance over the bar after the centre back received the ball in space.
Scott Wilson seemed certain to add to his 13 league goals for the visitors this season after sprinting clear, but Connor Essam superbly denied Town’s top scorer with a last ditch tackle.
Elliott Durrell then tested Walker twice with efforts straight at the home keeper.
And Dover and Marsh-Brown duly punished their opponents on 36 minutes.
The Forest Green loanee sprinted onto Femi Ilesanmi’s lofted ball and left Shwan Jalal grasping at thin air after rounding the visiting stopper.
Left back Ilesanmi almost added a third just before the break, but smashed his effort just wide of the far post.
Walker was forced into more action soon after the break, diving down low to save Hancox’s low fizzing strike and clasping onto the ball at the second attempt.
Athletic’s goalie then breathed a huge sigh of relief after the away team missed a glorious opportunity to halve the deficit.
After evading Walker’s challenge, Wilson laid the ball for Danny Whitehead to fire home, but in trying to avoid the Dover defenders on the goalline, the midfielder blasted narrowly wide.
Marsh-Brown thought he had a debut hattrick after curling towards the top corner, but Jalal denied the attacker the matchball in stunning fashion, tipping the ball around the post.
The visiting keeper produced another impressive save from the resultant Mitch Pinnock corner, this time pushing away Parry’s bullet header.
Walker punched away Hancox’s long range shot and Keith Lowe could only find the side-netting form an angle.
And Parry ensured Whites kept a third consecutive clean sheet, clearing sub Tyrone Marsh’s effort of the line.
The victory sees Dover remain seventh in the National League standings, four points ahead of AFC Fylde in eighth.
Earlier, Chris Kinnear made one change to the side that started at Chester in their last game. Marsh-Brown replaced Ryan Bird, who started on the bench.
Dover: Walker, Parry, Essam, Lokko, Gallifuoco, Brundle (c), Bellamy, Ilesanmi, Marsh-Brown (Jeffrey 66), Azeez (Bird 87), Pinnock (Daniel 69).
Subs not used: Passley, Nortey.
Macclesfield: Jalal, Hodgkiss (Evans 82) (c), Pilkington, Lowe, Fitzpatrick, Durrell, Whitehead, Whitaker, Hancox (Burgess 82), Wilson (Marsh 69), Blissett.
Subs not used: Ramsbottom, Kennedy.
Attendance: 837
Referee: Sam Purkiss
PREVIEW: WHITES V MACCLESFIELD
Dover will be looking to continue their recent form when they host The Silkmen on Saturday.
Chris Kinnear’s men have registered back-to-back league wins against Leyton Orient and Chester to climb back into the play-offs.
But Athletic face arguably their sternest test at Crabble this weekend.
Current National League leaders Macclesfield travel down to Kent having won their last five National League matches.
And Whites’ fans will recognise a familiar face from the visiting squad.
Striker Tyrone Marsh featured 16 times for Whites over two seasons.
MACCLESFIELD’S RECENT FORM
10/03/18: MACCLESFIELD 3-1 BARROW
John Askey’s men came back from a goal down to record a fifth straight win.
Town fell behind early on when Luke James drilled home for the Bluebirds and the midfielder was denied a second by home stopper Shwan Jalal’s fingertips shortly afterwards.
Visiting keeper Steve Arnold also kept out efforts from Mitch Hancox and his own defender Oliver Cook.
But Arnold was powerless to stop Hancox’s spectacular 25-yard effort 10 minutes before the break.
After the restart, scorer Hancox was bundled over in the area, allowing Danny Whitaker the task of slotting home the resultant spot kick.
And the three points were sealed seven minutes later as Elliott Durrell converted Scott Wilson’s pass.
PREVIOUS MEETING
25/08/17: MACCLESFIELD 1-0 DOVER
Dover remain winless at The Moss Rose since their return to the National League as Chris Kinnear’s men lost 1-0 on a Friday night.
Tyrone Marsh headed in Elliott Durrell’s cross five minutes after half-time as Athletic suffered their first away defeat of the season.
The home side fashioned the first chance early on with Danny Whitaker firing straight at Mitch Walker from close range.
The action then moved to the other end of the pitch. Femi Ilesanmi’s free-kick deflected narrowly wide and Kane Richards’ then saw a shot blocked by the legs of home keeper Shawn Jalal following Nortei Nortey’s pass.
Ryan Bird’s flick-on found Josh Passley lurking at the back post, but the right-back was denied by Jalal’s stunning finger-tip save around the post.
Gime Toure spotted Ryan Lloyd’s clever run into the area, but the midfielder scooped the ball over the bar.
Marsh’s bullet header seemed to galvanise the Silkmen, with Scott Burgess curling just over from long range and away keeper Walker flinging himself across the goalmouth to prevent Durrell’s swirling free kick from going straight in.
Dover’s stopper then had to be alert to palm over Toure’s firm strike after he turned Manny Parry in the box.
Walker then produced a stunning save to turn sub Mitch Hancox’s twenty-yard effort past the post.
The visitor’s final chance came from Mitch Pinnock’s long throw in injury time, but the ball bounced agonisingly over Bird after Jalal’s unsuccessful attempt to claim the ball.
OTHER MEETINGS
25/04/17: Dover 2-2 Macclesfield
10/01/17: Macclesfield 2-1 Dover
12/04/16: Macclesfield 0-0 Dover
TICKET NEWS
Prices are as follows:
Adults – £17
Over 60 – £14
Under 18 – £8
Under 7 – Free (Accompanied by a paying adult)
COVERAGE
The game starts at 3pm but if you are unable to make the trip, we will have live updates on Twitter – @DAFCLiveText – follow us and get all the news as it happens!
Coverage starts from 2pm.
SATURDAY’S OTHER NATIONAL LEAGUE FIXTURES
AFC FYLDE V HARTLEPOOL UNITED
BOREHAM WOOD V TRANMERE ROVERS
CHESTER V ALDERSHOT TOWN
EASTLEIGH V LEYTON ORIENT
GUISELEY V FC HALIFAX TOWN
MAIDENHEAD UNITED V BARROW
MAIDSTONE UNITED V SUTTON UNITED
SOLIHULL MOORS V TORQUAY UNITED
WOKING V WREXHAM
AWAY TRAVEL
There is a coach travelling to Barrow on Saturday 24th March and it is not too late to book your space on it.
It departs Crabble at 5am and the the prices are as follows:
Adult members £40, adult non-members £55 and accompanied child (Under 16) £20.
There is also a coach departing at 3:30pm for Eastleigh on Tuesday 27th March and the costs are:
Adult members £20, Adult Non-Members £35 and accompanied child (Under 16) £10.
Please call or text Andy on 0793 4300335 to book your seat, or see him in the Centre Spot after the game against Macclesfield.
Please note you are now required to pay for your seat in advance by cash or via bank transfer.
KEANU MARSH-BROWN JOINS DOVER
Winger Keanu Marsh-Brown has completed a loan move to Crabble from League Two Forest Green Rovers until the end of the season.
The 25-year-old, who will wear the No.29 shirt, has scored 23 goals in 103 appearances for FGR since arriving from Barnet in the summer of 2015.
One of those goals came against Dover in the second-leg of the National League semi-final at the New Lawn in May 2016.
This season, Marsh-Brown has made 19 appearances, scoring twice in the process.
He started his career in the youth set-up at Arsenal before moving to Fulham where he would go onto earn his chance as a professional.
When the Cottagers reached the 2010 Europa League final against Atletico Madrid, Marsh-Brown was a part of former England manager Roy Hodgson’s squad that earned victories over European giants Juventus and Shaktar Donetsk.
He was loaned out by Fulham to League One side MK Dons and then to Scottish Premier League side Dundee United, before leaving the London side for Oldham on a permanent deal in 2011.
The following year he joined Yeovil, before moving onto Barnet in March 2013. He scored 13 goals in 48 league appearances for the Bees.
Welcome to Dover Keanu!
NEW DATE FOR EASTLEIGH
Our postponed National League game away at Eastleigh has now been re-arranged to be played on Tuesday, March 27th at 7.45pm.
VIDEO: PLAYER REACTION
Goalscorer Kevin Lokko speaks to the camera following Dover’s 2-0 win on Tuesday night at Chester.
VIDEO: MANAGER REACTION
Chris Kinnear has his say following Whites’ 2-0 win at Chester on Tuesday night.
WHITES WIN AT CHESTER
CHESTER 0-2 DOVER
Lokko (64)
Astles og (71)
WHITES continued their play-off push with a win at struggling Chester on Tuesday night.
A header from Kevin Lokko and an own goal from home skipper Ryan Astles after the restart saw Dover win their second consecutive league game as they rose one place to sixth in the National League ladder.
Chris Kinnear’s men almost made the ideal start as Adebayo Azeez skewed an effort wide after turning his marker in the box.
The host’s first meaningful attack came from Andy Halls. Femi Ilesanmi’s tackle on Gary Roberts fell into the path of the defender, who could only stab wide of the far post.
Athletic then tried their luck on goal twice in quick succession. Firstly, Cambridge loanee Azeez scooped Mitch Brundle’s fiercely struck free kick into the grateful arms of home keeper Andrew Firth.
Moments later, Ryan Bird sliced wide after Mitch Pinnock played in the forward.
At the other end, Roberts curled a wicked free kick onto the roof of Mitch Walker’s net and Dover’s keeper saved well from the head of Shaun Hobson.
Kevin Lokko twice went close from corners for the away team, but it was Chester who went closest just before the half time whistle.
Harry White run onto Jordan Archer’s flick-on, but the striker could not get the better of a sprawling Walker, with Dover’s stopper able to tip the ball over the crossbar.
Following the restart, Azeez blasted over from the edge of the box and Mitch Brundle tested Firth with a low 20-yard drive minutes later.
Walker was out quickly to grab the ball from Matty Waters after the attacker got the better of two Dover defenders.
And Whites’ stopper produced an even finer piece of goalkeeping to deny
Tom Crawford.
Walker athletically beat away the midfielder’s deflected volley before the ball could reach the top corner.
White then blazed wide after a run from deep and Marcus Bignot’s side were punished for their missed chances.
Brundle’s accurate corner was met by the head of Lokko and the defender, signed on-loan from Stevenage last month, guided the ball into the top corner to open his account for the club.
And seven minutes later the visitors lead was doubled.
Jeffrey outpaced Halls to reach Brundle’s through ball and though Astles was first to the winger’s ball into the box, Chester’s big defender was only able to divert the ball past a stunned Firth and into his own net.
And the drama was not over as the another defensive mix-up almost handed Kinnear’s side a third goal.
Azeez headed Jeffrey’s cross towards Hobson standing on the goalline, but hesitation from the centre back almost allowed Azeez to steal in before the ball was finally cleared.
And Dominic Vose had one final chance for Chester in injury time, but lashed his free kick well over.
Earlier, boss Kinnear made two changes to the side that started against Leyton Orient on Saturday. Manny Parry and Liam Bellamy replaced Nortei Nortey and Josh Passley, who started as substitutes.
Chester: Firth, Halls (Mahon 82), Astles (c), White, Hobson, Vose, Waters, Crawford, Roberts, Archer, Anderson (Hannah 69).
Subs not used: Jaaskelainen, Jones, Akintunde.
Dover: Walker, Gallifuoco, Parry, Essam, Lokko, Ilesanmi, Bellamy (Passley 74), Brundle (c), Pinnock (Daniel 66), Bird (Jeffrey 61), Azeez.
Subs not used: Okosieme, Nortey.
PREVIEW: CHESTER V WHITES
Dover will be aiming to make it consecutive National League wins when they travel to Cheshire on Tuesday evening.
Boss Chris Kinnear will be confident of a win after seeing his side beat Leyton Orient at the weekend, but will not have fond memories of his last visit to the Deva Stadium.
A second half blitz saw The Blues run out 5-0 winners in October 2016, though current Chester boss Marcus Bignot will likely be happy with any winning margin after seeing his team lose their last two league matches.
And two of Dover’s squad will be familiar with their surroundings.
Winger Kane Richards made 69 appearances for Tuesday’s hosts, while striker James Alabi netted 23 times in 58 matches for Chester.
CHESTER’S RECENT FORM
24/02/18: DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE 3-2 CHESTER
Two late goals saw the Daggers come from behind to claim the points at Victoria Park.
Fejiri Okenabirhie curled the hosts ahead early on, but the away side restored parity on the stroke of half-time when Jordan Archer turned in Gary Roberts’ cross.
Chester then went ahead through Billy Waters’ tap-in after home keeper Mark Cousins parried Dominic Vose’s shot.
But Okenabirhie slammed in the leveller with five minutes remaining and John Still’s team were not finished there.
The unfortunate Andy Halls put through his own net in the dying moments to hand hosts Dagenham victory.
PREVIOUS MEETING
16/09/18: DOVER 4-0 CHESTER
Whites won their second game at Crabble this season with a convincing 4-0 victory over struggling Chester.
Giancarlo Gallifuoco headed in a first-half opener with further goals from Mitch Pinnock, Nortei Nortey and Mitch Brundle after the break.
The home side opened the scoring on 21 minutes thanks to Gallifuoco. The Australian rose above a static Chester defence to head in Brundle’s accurate corner.
With half-time on the horizon, Walker dived onto Ross Hannah’s low drive and the same striker curled a free-kick over following a clumsy challenge on him by Connor Essam, resulting in a booking for the Dover defender.
But Dover’s defence was not to be breached and they pulled further ahead on 62 minutes when Pinnock collected Brundle’s pass and fired into the bottom corner from twenty-yards, leaving away stopper Alex Lynch no chance of saving his shot.
It was the midfielder’s first league goal for Whites and seven minutes later another Dover player had the same accolade.
Sub Tobi-Sho Silva got the better of Ryan Astles on the left and his low centre found Nortey free in the area to sweep home his first goal in a Whites shirt.
Kadell Daniel struck the angle of post and bar with a fierce effort, before Brundle made the points safe on 82 minutes.
Sho-Silva’s run and shot was parried by Alex Lynch into the path of Dover’s captain, who slipped the ball underneath the away keeper.
OTHER MEETINGS
28/01/17: Dover 3-1 Chester
01/10/16: Chester 5-0 Dover
24/11/15: Chester 1-1 Dover
TEAM COLOURS
For those wanting to wear the same colour shirt as the players, captain Mitch Brundle and his teammates will be wearing their gold ones.
TICKET NEWS
Prices are as follows:
Adults – £18 (Seating), £15 (Standing)
Concession – £12 (Seating), £10 (Standing) *
Under 21’s – £10
16-17 year olds – £5
5-15 year olds – £3
Under 5’s – Free
* Senior Citizens / Students with NUS Card / Unemployed with proof of unemployment / Armed Forces. Please note Under 21’s and 16-17 years olds pay on the turnstiles as normal, but are requested to have proof of identity or age if asked by the turnstiles operator.
COVERAGE
The game starts at 7:45pm but if you are unable to make the trip, we will have live updates on Twitter – @DAFCLiveText – follow us and get all the news as it happens!
Coverage starts from 7pm.
TUESDAY’S OTHER NATIONAL LEAGUE FIXTURES
ALDERSHOT TOWN V HARTLEPOOL UNITED
GUISELEY V BARROW
MAIDSTONE UNTED V MACCLESFIELD
SUTTON UNITED V WOKING
AWAY TRAVEL
There is a coach travelling to Eastleigh on Saturday 10th March and it is not too late to book your space on it.
It departs Crabble at 10:45am and the the prices are as follows:
Adult members £20, adult non-members £35 and accompanied child (Under 16) £10.
Please call or text Andy on 0793 4300335 to book your seat.
Please note you are now required to pay for your seat in advance by cash or via bank transfer.