Assistant boss Jake Leberl gives his thoughts after seeing Dover beat Welling United 5-0 in their latest friendly on Tuesday night at Crabble.
Category: First Team News
FIVE GOAL WHITES CLIP WINGS
Jamie Allen scored twice as Dover eased past Welling United at Crabble on Tuesday night.
Allen (Pictured) and Femi Ilesamni grabbed their first goals for the club, with Ryan Bird and Mitch Pinnock also on the scoresheet as boss Chris Kinnear’s side registered their third win in four days.
The visitors, featuring former Athletic players Joe Healy, Jack Parkinson and Sean Francis, had the first chance of the match when Alfie Pavey’s angled effort was blocked by Mitch Walker and Dover’s stopper was quickest to the rebound.
The home side’s opener came from their first attack on the half hour mark.
Ryan Bird collected Giancarlo Gallifuoco’s deft through ball and fired into the bottom corner from inside the box.
The big striker turned provider for Allen minutes later. The diminutive forward latched onto Bird’s flick on, but was forced wide by a sprawling Chris Lewington.
Still with the ball, the forward passed for the onrushing Josh Passley to shoot, but the right back’s powerful strike was blocked by Welling’s goalkeeper.
Athletic doubled their lead just before the break thanks to Ilesamni, with Bird glancing Passley’s cross into the path of the wing back to sidefoot into the bottom corner.
The onslaught on the visiting defence continued after the restart.
Lewington tipped away Kane’s Richard’s curling effort after the winger pounced on Jack Parter’s error.
Connor Essam prodded over Manny Parry’s knock down from a Mitch Brundle corner and Richards went close again, this time heading wide Passley’s cross.
Athletic’s third arrived on 70 minutes, Richard’s skilfully beating his man and finding Allen free in the box to head home.
And the former Southport man grabbed another just three minutes later, sprinting clear and firing in thanks to another fine assist from Richards.
Bird seized upon a misplaced pass from Ben Jefford, only for Lewington to deny the former Newport man.
However, the rout was completed in injury time as Mitch Pinnock slotted in from close range.
Earlier, Kinnear made 10 changes from Monday night’s 2-0 win at Tonbridge Angels with Gallifuoco the only player to start both games.
Tobi Sho-Silva, Mitch Pinnock, George Essuman and Chris Barnard all dropped on the bench having started the previous evening.
Dover: Walker, Passley, Ilesamni (Triallist 86), Essam, Parry, Gallifuoco, Brundle (Triallist 80), Richards (Pinnock 73), Triallist (Triallist 83), Allen (Sho-Silva 73), Bird.
PREVIEW: WHITES V WELLING
Dover will be looking to build on Saturday’s strong performance when Welling United visit Crabble on Tuesday evening.
Chris Kinnear’s side won 5-1 at neighbours Folkestone Invicta, with Tobi Sho-Silva, Mitch Brundle and Kane Richards all scoring their first goals for the club.
Ryan Bird (Pictured) also netted with the last kick of the game, his third strike in four pre-season games.
Boss Kinnear once again has a fully fit squad to select from.
National League South Welling have played five pre-season matches so far, most recently losing 3-1 at home to Dover’s league rivals Bromley at the weekend.
Their four other friendly games have been against VCD Athletic (W 5-2), Charlton Athletic (L 0-3), Phoenix Sports (D 1-1) and Welling Town (W 2-0).
Fans may recognise familiar faces playing for the Wings in the form of Jack Parkinson, Joe Healy and Sean Francis.
The game kicks off at 7.45pm and admission is £5 FOR ALL while under 11s are FREE with paying adult.
WHITES BEAT ANGELS
Athletic registered their second pre-season win in as many games, beating Tonbridge Angels 2-0 at the Longmead Stadium on Monday night.
An early tap in for a triallist and a smart second half finish from Tobi Sho-Silva was enough for Dover to overcome their Bostik Premier opponents.
The visitors made the perfect start in the first minute. Mitch Pinnock’s fierce freekick was parried wide, but Dover’s attack were quick to play the ball back into the box where a triallist was lurking to tuck the ball home.
Former Dover duo Craig Stone and Nathan Elder combined on the half hour mark for Angels, with the latter powering a header narrowly wide.
At the other end, some delightful wing play from one of the triallists ended with Sho-Silva stabbing the ball wide minutes before half time.
But Sho-Silva made amends for his miss in the 54th minute
Chris Barnard’s defence splitting pass found the in-form forward, who made no mistake from close range, slotting home via the post to make it three goals in two games.
Midfielder Barnard (Pictured) almost created another, this time sending substitute Kane Richards clear, but the winger was unable to get the better of the home keeper Anthony Di Bernardo.
Jamie Allen almost grabbed his first goal for Whites late on, but his near post effort was pushed away by the home keeper.
Substitute Connor Essam almost scored at the death, his deep cross striking the top of the bar.
Earlier, boss Chris Kinnear made six changes to the team that started against Folkestone.
Giancarlo Gallifuoco, George Essuman, Pinnock and Sho-Silva retained their place from the weekend with Barnard coming into midfield.
Whites host Welling United on Tuesday ay 7.45pm.
VIDEO: You can see Chris Kinnear’s post match thoughts here:
VIDEO: PLAYER REACTION
Summer signing Tobi Sho-Silva on his first brace for Dover in the 5-1 friendly win at Folkestone Invicta and how he is settling in at the club.
VIDEO: MANAGER REACTION
Watch Chris Kinnear’s post match thoughts following Dover’s 5-1 friendly win away at Folkestone on Saturday.
WHITES CRUSH FOLKESTONE
Dover proved too strong for their Bostik Premier League neighbours after winning Saturday’s friendly 5-1 at the Fullicks Stadium.
Tobi Sho-Silva netted a brace, with Kane Richards, Mitch Brundle and substitute Ryan Bird also on the scoresheet.
Athletic went close early on as Brundle struck the post with a low effort after winning the ball in midfield.
First to the rebound was Sho-Silva and the fomer Bromley man sent the ball back towards Dover’s captain, who headed straight at Folkestone keeper Scott Chalmers-Stevens.
Invicta’s stopper had to be at his best minutes later, tipping away Sho-Silva’s drive after the striker had been put clean through by Mitch Pinnock.
Brundle’s resulting corner almost flew straight in, but Scott Heard was on hand at the back post to head off the line.
Another Pinnock pass saw Richards run clear of the home defence, but his delicate chip sailed harmlessly over.
The first goal came on 33 minutes. An error from Folkestone skipper Kwabena Osei saw the ball run into Sho-Silva’s path and the forward fired home his first goal for Dover via a slight deflection.
The lead was almost doubled prior to the break, Femi Ilesamni crossing towards a lurking Richards at the far post, but the winger aimed his header wide of the upright.
But the summer signing from Chester bagged his first for the club 15 minutes after the restart.
The pacy winger made no mistake from five yards, slotting home a cross at the near post.
Brundle then opened his own account for Dover in stunning style a minute later. The midfielder’s 20 yard chip from Bird’s lay-off sailed over a helpless Chalmers-Stevens and into the top corner.
Sho-Silva grabbed his second on 75 minutes, taking Brundle’s smart pass in his stride and calmly slotting into the bottom corner.
Invicta grabbed a late consolation when a cross from Salvin Kisitu went straight in with nine minutes remaining.
Bird had the last say though, latching onto a long ball and smashing home with the last kick of the match.
Earlier, boss Chris Kinnear had made three changes from Tuesday night’s defeat to Charlton.
Pinnock, George Essuman and a triallist came in for Jamie Allen, Connor Essam and Bird, who started on the bench.
Dover visit Tonbridge Angels on Monday (7.30pm) before hosting Welling on Tuesday (7.45pm).
TRAINING GROUND CHAT
Defender Giancarlo Gallifuoco has a chat after training and reveals a bit more about himself after signing for Dover earlier this month.
PREVIEW: FOLKESTONE V WHITES
Dover will aim to get back to winning ways when they make the short trip to local neighbours Folkestone Invicta on Saturday for their fourth pre-season friendly.
Boss Chris Kinnear’s men lost 2-0 to League One Charlton Athletic at Crabble on Tuesday night and the gaffer once again has a fully fit squad to pick from for the game at the Fullicks Stadium.
New signing Josh Passley (pictured) is likely to be involved after the defender penned a one-year deal this week after impressing on trial.
Invicta’s pre-season schedule has seen them beat Kent sides Hythe Town (4-1) and Herne Bay (4-2), plus earn a creditable draw with Millwall (2-2).
Included within Folkestone’s ranks is former Athletic player Callum Davies.
The defender featured 12 times for Dover during two separate loan spells between 2014 and 2015.
The game kicks off at 3pm and admission is as follows:
Adults £10, concessions & students with valid ID £7, juniors (aged 5-18) £2, under 5’s (accompanied by a paying adult) free.
PINNOCK SIGNS NEW CONTRACT
Winger Mitchell Pinnock has extended his contract for a further year.
The 22-year-old joined Dover following his release from Maidstone United in November 2015.
He made his debut for boss Chris Kinnear’s side as a second half sub in the 4-0 National League win against Gateshead at Crabble in February 2016.
Pinnock made 23 National League appearances last season and also came on as substitute in the FA Cup second round defeat against League 2 Cambridge United at Crabble.