Category: First Team News

SAY G’DAY TO GIANCARLO GALLIFUOCO

Dover’s ninth new summing signing is Australian Giancarlo Gallifuoco.

The 23-year-old defender, who played the second half of Tuesday’s 3-0 win at Deal Town, has signed a one-year-deal.

Gallifuoco is no stranger to the National League after spending the 2016/2017 season with Torquay United.

He made 35 appearances for the Devon side in that time, including both games against Dover. He also scored three goals.

Now Gallifuoco is thrilled to be calling Crabble home.

He said: “It is an ambitious club, one that is heading in the right direction and the vision to move the club forward is clear to see.

“Dover have progressed with each passing season – it’s an exciting time to be here and I am delighted I am.

“To be honest, it was a no brainer to come here when the opportunity came my way.

“I am really looking forward to getting down to business.”

Born in Sydney, Gallifuoco joined Torquay last year after a season with A-League side Melbourne Victory.

Gallifuoco first came to England to join Tottenham when he was 18 in 2012 and he spent two years with them before leaving for Swansea City.

He spent a year in Wales before heading back home to play in the A-League.

Able to play in central defence, central midfield and at right-back, Gallifuoco has represented Australia at Under-17, Under-20 and Under-23 levels.

He will wear the number four shirt at Dover.

Gallifuoco joins fellow summer arrivals Ryan Bird, Femi Ilesanmi, Tobi Sho-Silva, Connor Essam, Manny Parry, Kane Richards, Mitch Brundle and Jamie Allen.

Welcome to Crabble Giancarlo!!

DEAL TOWN 0-3 DOVER ATHLETIC

George Essuman’s stunning overhead kick set Dover on their way to victory in their first pre-season friendly at a rain soaked Charles Ground on Tuesday evening.

The defender, making his first start since joining from VCD Athletic in March, spectacularly volleyed home Mitch Brundle’s corner to open the scoring midway through the first half.

A fierce strike from one of the triallists and a neat finish from another debutant, Ryan Bird, sealed victory for the visitors after the break.

Boss Chris Kinnear’s new look side, featuring six summer signings, showed their attacking intent straight from kick off.

Connor Essam powered an early header over and Brundle, wearing the captain’s armband, fired a long range effort narrowly off target shortly after.

Whites continued to press and Mitch Pinnock’s pin-point cross found Tobi Sho-Silva at the back post, but the former Bromley forward’s volley was deflected behind.

Deal Town’s defence continued to hold firm, this time recovering to block Jamie Allen’s angled effort following some sublime skill from the pacy striker.

But the home team were unable to hold out any longer as Essuman fired home the resulting corner to give Dover a deserved lead.

A rare attack minutes before the break saw Town hit the post with a header and at the other end Kane Richard’s tight drive stung the palms of Deal’s goalkeeper.

Boss Kinnear made nine changes at half time. Striker Bird, midfielder Chris Barnard and seven triallists were all given 45 minutes.

The home team almost levelled twenty minutes after the restart after some pinball in the box ended in the ball being stabbed wide.

The lead was doubled on 73 minutes after one of the trialist’s found the bottom corner from range.

Bird wrapped the game up late on, collecting a clever through ball and slamming the ball into the bottom corner.

Dover’s next friendly is at home to League One Gillingham on Saturday with a 3pm kick-off.

Dover starting XI :Walker, Fazakerley, Ilesamni, Essam, Parry, Essuman, Pinnock, Brundle(c), Richards, Allen, Sho-Silva.

 

 

MACCLESFIELD DATE CHANGED

The date of our National League game at Macclesfield Town has been changed due to planned works causing disruption on the rail networks.

The Bank Holiday weekend clash at the Moss Rose Stadium has been brought forward to Friday, August 25th with a 7.45pm kick-off from the original scheduled date of the fixture, Saturday, August 26th at 3pm.

 

 

PREVIEW: DEAL TOWN VS WHITES

Dover kick-off their pre-season run of friendly matches with a trip to Southern Counties East League Premier Division side Deal Town on Tuesday.

It is the first of six warm-up games for boss Chris Kinnear’s side, with the game against the Hoops at the Charles Ground providing travelling fans a first chance to see newcomers Mitch Brundle, Kane Richards, Jamie Allen, Femi Ilesanmi, Manny Parry, Tobi Sho-Silva and Ryan Bird in action.

Kinnear is also likely to use the game as an opportunity to cast his eye over a number of triallists as he continues to rebuild his squad ahead of the National League season opener away at Hartlepool United on Saturday, August 5th.

Deal Town played their first friendly of the season last Saturday, losing 2-0 against visiting Margate.

Tuesday’s game kicks-off at 7.30pm at admission is as follows:

Adults: £5

Concessions: £3

Children (14 and over): £2 while those aged under 14 are free with a full paying adult

There will also be a match programme on sale for £1

 

WHITES ON TV

TRANMERE GAME ON TV

Dover’s National League game at Tranmere Rovers will be shown live on BT Sport on Saturday, September 2.

The Prenton Park clash will also now kick-off at 5.30pm rather than the scheduled 3pm.

 

 

NEWSON CONFIDENT AHEAD OF POOL OPENER

Dover start their National League campaign with a trip to non-league new boys Hartlepool United on Saturday August 5th.

First team coach Mark Newson believes it is the best time to be playing the side relegated from League Two last season.

He said: “Ideally I would have wanted to start with a home fixture.

“But Hartlepool are coming into the unknown, which could well work in our favour. I think it would have been tougher playing a promoted team as they are full of confidence having been used to winning.

“We may be playing some big clubs in the first couple of months, but we must remember we are not minnows anymore and a lot of teams will be pleased to get a result against us.”

There has been much change to the playing staff during the summer, with eight new players signing to form a squad that will excite the fans according to Newson.

He said: “We may have lost a fair few players of late, but overall we feel we have upgraded with the ones we have bought in. We now have pace all over the pitch, something we were lacking in certain areas last season.”

And the new batch have already made an impression on the management and themselves!

“The lads are really competitive,” he laughed.

“We have had to pull the reins in at training as they have been flying into tackles!

“They really can’t wait for that first friendly at Deal Town next Tuesday ( July 11 7.30pm).”

Dover Athletic fixtures for August:

Sat 5th v Hartlepool United (A)

Tues 7th v Bromley (H)

Sat 12th v Wrexham (H)

Tues 15th v FC Halifax Town (A)

Sat 19th v Barrow (H)

Sat 26th v Macclesfield Town (A)

Mon 28th v Ebbsfleet United (H)

 

 

LEAGUE FIXTURES RELEASED

Dover Athletic will start their 2017/18 National League campaign with a trip to Hartlepool United on Saturday, August 5 at 3pm.

The hosts, whose squad includes former Dover midfielder Nicky Deverdics, will be playing their first season in the division after being relegated from League Two on the final day of last season after spending 96 years in the Football League.

Boss Chris Kinnear’s side will then host back-to-back home games with Bromley visiting Crabble on Tuesday, August 8  (7.45pm) for an early Kent Derby before the first week of competition ends with Wrexham arriving in town on Saturday, August 12 (3pm).

The second all-Kent clash of the season sees promoted Ebbsfleet coming to Crabble on Bank Holiday Monday, August 28 (3pm).

Festive fixtures see Whites host Maidstone United on Boxing Day before another promoted team, FC Halifax Town, come to Crabble on December 30th.

Dover travel to the Gallagher Stadium to play Maidstone on New Year’s Day.

The final game of the regular season will be away at Woking on Saturday, April 28.

For the full draw go to 2017-2018 Fixture List

 

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BIRD FLIES INTO CRABBLE

Former Newport County striker Ryan Bird has become Dover’s eighth new summing signing and second on Tuesday evening.

The 6ft 4in targetman has put pen-to-paper on a one-year deal with an option for further year.

Bird scored six goals in 19 appearances for the League Two side last season, including one on his debut against Hartlepool United in January.

He joined the Welsh club from National League side Eastleigh where he scored seven times in 18 appearances, including one against Dover in our  4-2 win at the Silverlake in August.

Four of those goals came in Eastleigh’s 6-0 FA Cup final qualifying round win against Southern League side North Leigh in October.

Bird started his career at non-league Burnham where he scored 133 goals in 340 appearances.

He joined Portsmouth in 2013 and left for Cambridge United the following year.

A move to Yeovil Town followed before he signed for Eastleigh last summer.

He has also spent time on loan at Havant & Waterlooville, Cambridge and Hartlepool United.

Boss Chris Kinnear has now signed Femi Ilesanmi, Tobi Sho-Silva, Connor Essam, Manny Parry, Kane Richards, Mitch Brundle and Jamie Allen.

Welcome to Crabble Ryan!!