Category: First Team News

DOVER INTO ROUND TWO OF TROPHY

DOVER 3-0 EASTBOURNE

Pinnock (47)
Bird (58)
Alabi (88)

WHITES comfortably progressed into the next round of the FA Trophy thanks to three second half goals at a freezing Crabble on Saturday.

Mitch Pinnock tapped in just after the break and further strikes from Ryan Bird and sub James Alabi saw Dover seal their place in Monday’s second round draw.

Skipper Mitch Brundle almost opened the scoring with a stunning volley, but his effort from Giancarlo Gallifuoco’s cross whistled past the post.

Anthony Jeffrey cut inside and shot after running onto Gallifuoco’s pass, but visiting keeper Mark Smith palmed away his vicious shot.

Visitors Borough almost stunned the home crowd midway through the first half. Shaun Okojie collected Lloyd Dawes pass and after turning past Manny Parry, dragged his effort narrowly wide of the far post.

And Jamie Howell’s men were made to pay for their missed opportunity as Whites broke the deadlock just after the restart.

Pinnock raced to the far post to convert Bird’s angled drive and the lead was almost doubled minutes later.

But Smith was on hand to claw out Gallifuoco’s goalbound header from a Pinnock corner.

However Eastbourne’s stopper was powerless to prevent Bird grabbing his 12th goal of the season in all competitions.

The keeper saved the striker’s header from Brundle’s flick, but the National League’s top scorer was first to react to the rebound, smashing into the back of the net to double Whites lead.

Keeper Smith then blocked Bird’s volley after the attacker latched onto Brundle’s lobbed assist and Nortei Nortey headed over Pinnock’s ball when well placed.

Sub Kadell Daniel showed great skill to twist and turn his man, but his pass across the area just evaded the outstretched legs of Pinnock.

However victory was sealed in injury time thanks to a second goal of the season for Alabi.

The Tranmere loanee slotted in Femi Ilesanmi’s cross-cum-shot from close range.

Nortei almost added an extra layer of gloss to the scoreline in injury time, but his lob bounced on top of the net.

Earlier, boss Chris Kinnear kept faith with the side that started last weekend’s home win against Hartlepool.

Whites return to league action next week when they travel to Wrexham on Saturday 23rd December.  Kick off 3pm.

Dover: Walker, Okosieme (Fazakerley 74), Gallifuoco, Essam, Parry, Ilesanmi, Brundle (c), Nortey, Jeffrey (Daniel 78), Bird (Alabi 81 ), Pinnock.

Subs not used: Dean-Conteh, Richards.

Eastbourne: Smith, Hendon, Simpemba (c), Khinda-John, McCallum, Dawes (Redwood 81), Wills, Johnson, Richards (Odubade 67), Ransom (Harris 72), Okojie.

Subs not used: Worrall, Armstrong-Ford.

Referee: Neil Hare

Attendance: 424

PREVIEW: DOVER V EASTBOURNE

Whites take a break from the National League on Saturday as they face Eastbourne Borough in the first round of the Buildbase FA Trophy.

And Chris Kinnear’s men will be looking to build on their impressive 4-0 victory against Hartlepool last Saturday.

Currently 15th in the National League South standings, Jamie Howell’s side needed a replay and penalties to knock out Royston Town in the last round after drawing 1-1 at home in the first game.

Eastbourne’s Harry Ransom scored late in the reverse fixture to make it 2-2 and take the match to extra time, with the visitors victorious in the shootout.

Home fans will recognise two members of the away squad.

Defender Ian Simpemba made 49 appearances for Whites over a two-year period and Leon Redwood featured for Dover on loan in 2012.

Two of Athletic’s goalkeepers will also be facing their former side.

Mitch Walker made 12 appearances for Borough during a loan spell five years ago and goalkeeper coach Lee Hook was the number one at Priory Lane between 2005-09.

EASTBOURNE’S RECENT FORM

BRAINTREE 3-2 EASTBOURNE

Billy Crook kept his cool from the spot as the hosts came from behind to win the three points.

Borough were ahead early on when Shaun Okojie slotted in after great work from teammate Lloyd Dawes.

Phil Roberts levelled with a powerful shot from the edge of the box and the striker put his side ahead after the break, nodding in after the visitors failed to properly clear Crook’s delivery.

But the away team were level once again minutes later, Kieran Khinda-John firing through a crowded area into the bottom corner.

But Town won it with just over ten minutes remaining as Crook sent Bourne goalkeeper Mark Smith the wrong way with his penalty.

PREVIOUS MEETING

24/10/15 – EASTBOURNE 1-2 DOVER

Whites qualified for the first round of the FA Cup first round proper for the third consecutive season with a narrow win at Priory Lane.

Chris Kinnear’s men led after only three minutes thanks to Stefan Payne’s nonchalant back-heel.

And Craig Stone stopped Dover doubling their lead moments later, heading Nicky Deverdics’ corner off the goalline.

The hosts levelled the tie on 77 minutes. Sub Gavin McCallum cut inside and rifled in an effort from 25-yards.

But Sean Raggett rose highest in injury time to head in Deverdics’ corner and send Athletic into the next round.

TICKET NEWS

Prices are as follows:

Adults – £17
Over 60’s – £14
Under 18’s – £8
Under 11’s (With an accompanying adult) – Free

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 FA TROPHY FIXTURES

BILLERICAY TOWN V HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE
BLYTH SPARTANS V TELFORD
BRAINTREE TOWN V BRACKLEY TOWN
CHESHAM UNITED V WESTON-SUPER-MARE
CHESTER V FYLDE
CHORLEY V MARINE
DARTFORD V BOREHAM WOOD
EAST THURROCK V ALDERSHOT TOWN
EBBSFLEET UNITED V EASTLEIGH
FC HALIFAX TOWN V MACCLESFIELD TOWN
GATESHEAD V GUISELEY
HAMPTON & RICHMOND V HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS
HARINGEY BOROUGH V LEYTON ORIENT
HARTLEY WINTNEY V BROMLEY
HENDON V BATH
HEREFORD FC V DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE
KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS V YORK CITY
LANCASTER CITY V STOCKPORT COUNTY
LEAMINGTON V STOURBRIDGE
NUNEATON V BARROW
SOLIHULL MOORS V GAINSBORUGH
SUTTON UNITED V TRURO CITY
TAUNTON TOWN V BOGNOR REGIS
TORQUAY UNITED V MAIDSTONE UNITED
WARRINGTON TOWN V ALTRINCHAM
WEALDSTONE V WINGATE & FINCHLEY
WHITEHAWK V ST ALBANS CITY
WOKING V MAIDENHEAD UNITED
WORKINGTON V HARTLEPOOL UNITED
WREXHAM V HARROGATE TOWN

AWAY TRAVEL

There is a coach travelling to Wrexham on Saturday 23rd December and it’s not too late to book a seat on it.

Prices are as follows:

Adult members £30, adult non-members £45 and accompanied child (Under 16) £15

And there is also a coach travelling to Maidstone on Monday 1st January.

The costs are: Adult members £12, Adult non-members £25 and accompanied child (Under 16) £6.

Please call or text Andy on 0793 4300335 to book your seat, or see him in the Centre Spot after the match against Eastbourne.

Please note you are now required to pay for your seat in advance by cash or via bank transfer.

VIP TREATMENT OFFER EXTENDED

We have extended our discounted offer for you to enjoy a quality new way of experiencing watching a game at Crabble in our VIP Platinum Lounge.

Businesses, families and groups of friends can enjoy high level hospitality for their chosen match, so why not get a table of eight together and try it out .

Exclusive tables of eight are available for any home league match this season (provided it is booked and paid for before 6th January) at the special discounted rate of £500 plus vat.

BENEFITS INCLUDE:

  • Entry to the game
  • Reserved Parking in our ‘Premier Club’ parking area
  • Hosted lounge with large TVs and Projector showing the game
  • Three course meal, served at your table
  • Reserved undercover premium padded seating
  • Complementary tea, coffee and mineral water, plus dedicated bar before and after match
  • Complementary matchday magazine and team sheet

If you are interested in finding out more about this special offer, or any of the sponsorship packages we have on offer, please contact Dave Comley at the club on 01304 822373 or email him at [email protected]

All of us here at the club appreciate your support.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

The club are looking for volunteers to help take the protective covers off the pitch at Crabble ahead of Saturday’s FA Trophy First Round tie against Eastbourne Borough.

With temperatures forecast to dip towards zero over the next few days, we are taking no chances and making sure the playing surface is protected from the elements.

So if you are able to give us a helping hand, please be at the ground at 7.30am.

All assistance will be greatly appreciated.

FOUR-GOAL WHITES BEAT HARTLEPOOL

DOVER 4-0 HARTLEPOOL

Pinnock (3, 25)
Bird (79, 90)

Dover ended their four-match winless run in style with an impressive  4-0 win over 10-man Hartlepool in freezing temperatures at Crabble on Saturday.

A brace in each half from Mitch Pinnock and Ryan Bird saw Whites complete the double over their visitors, who had former Athletic midfielder Nicky Deverdics sent off late on for an alleged elbow on Connor Essam.

The hosts made the ideal start, Pinnock latched onto Nortei Nortey’s lay-off and fired into the bottom corner to double his league tally for the season.

Ryan Bird stabbed Pinnock’s pass wide and visiting keeper Scott Loach dived low to push away Manny Parry’s downward header from Mitch Brundle’s corner.

Man-of-the-match Pinnock then curled an effort straight down the throat of Loach, but the midfielder did not have to wait long to bag his second goal of the game.

Anthony Jeffrey, making his first start for Whites since signing on-loan from Sutton, took advantage of Louis Laing’s slip and passed across the area for Pinnock to tap in.

A spectator for much of the half, home stopper Mitch Walker blocked Liam Donnelly’s drive before diving onto the loose ball.

Femi Ilesanmi had an effort deflected wide following the restart and Pinnock almost found himself clean through, only for the ball to strike the midfielder on the back of the leg.

Walker gratefully clasped onto the ball after Rhys Oates flick-on bounced goalwards off Jack Munns and Dover’s stopper dived onto sub Tom Adeloye’s low drive soon after.

But Hartlepool were unable to breach Whites’ backline and Bird secured the points late on with his 10th and 11th league goals of the campaign.

The striker headed in sub Kadell Daniel’s cross and completed the rout in injury time, stroking home Pinnock’s free kick to move joint top of the National League goalscoring charts.

Earlier, boss Chris Kinnear made two changes to the side that started at Bromley last Saturday.  Ejiro Okosieme and Jeffrey came in for Loui Fazakerley and Kadell Daniel, who were on the bench.

The win sees Whites move up one place to fourth in the standings, three points behind new leaders Macclesfield Town.

Dover now take a break from the league as their FA Trophy campaign gets underway, with Eastbourne Borough the visitors to Crabble on Saturday 16th December.

Dover: Walker, Okosieme, Essam, Parry, Gallifuoco, Ilesanmi, Brundle (c), Nortey, Jeffrey (Daniel 64), Bird, Pinnock.

Subs not used: Deen-Conteh, Richards, Alabi, Fazakerley.

Hartlepool: Loach, Magnay (c), Ledger (Adams 76), Laing, Deverdics, Munns, Donnelly, Newton, Oates (Adeloye 62), Cassidy.

Subs not used: Richardson, Hawkins, Rodney.

Referee: Richard Hulme

Attendance: 1,083

PREVIEW: DOVER V HARTLEPOOL

Whites will be aiming to show the same spirit on Saturday as they did in the second half of their last league match at Bromley.

A sublime strike from Mitch Brundle and an injury-time Kane Richards header saw Chris Kinnear’s men battle back from a two-goal deficit at the break to earn a point.

And Athletic, currently on a four-match winless run in the National League, will be looking to complete a league double over a Hartlepool United side visiting Crabble for the first time.

But one of Craig Harrison’s squad will be very familiar with his surroundings.

Midfielder Nicky Deverdics featured 79 times for Dover over two spells, scoring 18 goals.

HARTEPOOL’S RECENT FORM

HARTLEPOOL 1-2 MACCLESFIELD

John Askey’s men completed an impressive late comeback to win at Victoria Park on Saturday.

The visitors were behind thanks to Michael Woods effort, but strikes in the last five minutes from Ryan Lloyd and Keith Lowe handed Town maximum points.

Woods popped up six minutes before the break to put the hosts ahead and home stopper Scott Loach pulled off a great save to deny Mitch Hancox an equaliser.

Loach also stopped efforts from Scott Burgess, but was finally beaten on 85 minutes when Lloyd turned in Elliot Durrell’s pinpoint cross.

And Lowe struck in stoppage time to win the match for Macc.

PREVIOUS MEETING

5/8/17 – HARTLEPOOL 0-1 WHITES

Jamie Allen’s first half strike stunned Hartlepool as Dover won 1-0 at a sodden Victoria Park.

The Summer signing from Southport turned and fired into the bottom corner on 28 minutes as Dover won their opening National League fixture of the season at the fourth attempt.

Whites goalscorer showed a glimpse of what was to come early on, running clear of the home defence and squaring for Nortei Nortey to shoot, but the midfielder’s skewed effort failed to reach the target.

But Athletic were ahead on 29 minutes.

Brundle’s corner was initally cleared to Femi Ilesanmi and the defender’s first-time ball back into the box was fired home by livewire Allen.

The lead should have been doubled minutes later as Ryan Bird thundered a header the wrong side of the post from Josh Passley’s cross.

And the monkey hangers came close to finding an equaliser late on.

Connor Newton created space for himself to shoot from just inside the box, but Walker was able to catch his effort with a diving save.

TICKET NEWS

Prices are as follows:

Adults – £17
Over 60’s – £14
Under 18’s – £8
Under 11’s (With an accompanying adult) – Free

Please note the match will be segregated

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

MACCLESFIELD TOWN V WREXHAM
ALDERSHOT TOWN V FC HALIFAX TOWN
BARROW V DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE
BOREHAM WOOD V AFC FYLDE
CHESTER V SOLIHULL MOORS
EASTLEIGH V BROMLEY
EBBSFLEET UNITED V GUISELEY
GATESHEAD V WOKING
LEYTON ORIENT V SUTTON UNITED
MAIDENHEAD UNITED V MAIDSTONE UNITED
TRANMERE ROVERS V TORQUAY UNITED

AWAY TRAVEL

There is a coach travelling to Wrexham on Saturday 23rd December and it’s not too late to book a seat on it.

Prices are as follows:

Adult members £30, adult non-members £45 and accompanied child (Under 16) £15

And there is also a coach travelling to Maidstone on Monday 1st January.

The costs are:  Adult members £12, Adult non-members £25 and accompanied child (Under 16) £6.

Please call or text Andy on 0793 4300335 to book your seat, or see him in the Centre Spot after the match against Hartlepool.

Please note you are now required to pay for your seat in advance by cash or via bank transfer.

MAIDSTONE TICKETS ON SALE

Tickets for our National League game at Maidstone United on January 1st (3pm) are now on sale at the club office at Crabble.

We have been allocated 600 tickets for the Gallagher Stadium and NO tickets will be available on the day for Dover fans.

Prices are as follows:

Adults £15

Concessions £12 (65+/students with valid ID)

Youth (11-16) £7

Under-11 £2

Office hours are 9am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.

You will also be able to buy tickets in the office directly after Saturday’s game against Hartlepool United.

Please note that there is a charge for debit / credit card purchases, this is to cover the cost of providing the service.

VIDEO: MANAGER REACTION

Boss Chris Kinnear speaks to the camera following Whites 6-0 defeat at home to Folkestone Invicta in the quarter-final of the Kent Reliance Senior Cup.

https://youtu.be/nrdNLv40uvM