Category: First Team News

BARNARD SIGNS CONTRACT

Dover Athletic Academy starlet Christopher Barnard has signed a deal keeping him at Crabble until May 2018

The midfielder has played twice this season for boss Chris Kinnear’s side in the Kent Reliance Senior Cup wins against Herne Bay and VCD Athletic.

In other news, young centre-back George Essuman, who joined Whites from Ryman League North side VCD Athletic on a two-year contract earlier this month, has gone out on loan to National League South side Oxford City.

Essuman will stay with Oxford until the end of the season.

Striker Tyrone Marsh has also joined Welling United on loan as he looks to get some games after his knee injury.

 

 

 

G’DAY PETER! WHITES SIGN AUSSIE STRIKER

Dover boss Chris Kinnear has added to his attacking options after signing former Stoke City striker Peter Skapetis.

The 21-year-old Australian trained with Whites on Thursday night and will be in contention to make his debut in the National League clash at Guiseley on Saturday.

Skapetis, who has represented Australia’s U20 and U23 sides, was released by the Premier League side last summer.

Stoke paid QPR £300,000 for him in 2014 after he joined the west London club from South Melbourne in 2012.

Since leaving Stoke, Skapetis has had trials with Derby County, Sheffield United and Cardiff City.

Welcome to Crabble Peter!

STEVENSON STAYS OUT ON LOAN

Jim Stevenson’s loan spell at fellow National League side Southport has been extended until the end of the season.

The midfielder, who joined Whites from Aldershot last summer, has played six times, scoring once, for Port since making the move north last month.

The 24-year-old last featured for boss Chris Kinnear’s side in the Kent Senior Trophy win against VCD Athletic at Crabble on February 6.

His last league appearance was as a second half substitute in the 2-1 defeat at Macclesfield Town on January 10.

CAPTAIN’S REACTION

Dover captain Jamie Grimes on the win against Bromley and his surprise Man of the Match award.

MAGRI ISSUES RALLYING CALL

Sam Magri says Dover players must show some ‘personal pride’ as they look to bounce back from Tuesday’s defeat at Boreham Wood against Bromley at Crabble on Saturday.

The Malta international also said the team owe the fans following their 5-0 humbling in Hertfordshire.

Magri, who is in the 23-man Malta squad for the FIFA World Cup Group F qualifier against Slovakia on March 26, was not about to pull any punches.

The defender said: “It was a bad day for us and the club as a whole at Boreham Wood.

“We were well below where we should have been, but we can’t start making excuses.

“We can’t dress up what happened up on Tuesday – everyone now needs to stand up and be counted, everyone.

“That was a miserable showing and we need to respond to it now.

“We have already shown that we have character in this team, and now we have to do it again.”

Whites are sixth, two points behind fifth-placed Gateshead, with 10 games left to play.

And Magri has urged the fans to maintain their faith in the team, despite the recent disappointing results.

He said: “I can fully understand how they (the fans) must feel – it’s disappointing and frustrating for all of us.

“We all hurting after Tuesday – all of us.

“If I was a fan paying to watch that performance, I wouldn’t have been happy.

“I really do understand how they must feel, but it isn’t them and us, we have to stick together – all of us.

“We need them (the fans) to keep behind us.”

 

PREVIEW: WHITES V BROMLEY

Dover be out to end a run of three National League games without a win when boss Chris Kinnear’s side host Kent rivals Bromley on Saturday.

Whites remain sixth on the ladder, despite not winning since the 3-0 triumph against visiting Eastleigh on February 25.

Defeats on the road at Woking and Boreham Wood, and the goalless stalemate with Solihull Moors, have left Whites two points adrift of fifth-placed Gateshead, but with a game in hand over the Heed.

After the 5-0 loss at Boreham Wood on Tuesday, boss Kinnear is looking for an instant response from his players as Whites look to do do the double over Bromley this season.

Kinnear said: “We lost at Chester 5-0 earlier in the season and bounced back to beat Sutton three days later – I am confident we will do the same at Crabble on Saturday.

“We may have a good relationship with our Kent neighbours, but they are standing between us and three points.

“They will no doubt work hard, so we will have to work even harder in order to get a result.”.

BROMLEY’S RECENT FORM

Bromley are currently 11th on the National League ladder after beating visiting North Ferriby United 3-0 last Saturday.

Bradley Goldberg, George Porter and Jordan Wynter scored the goals as Bromley ended their six-match winless run with the win.

Their previous two games saw them draw 0-0 at Boreham Wood after losing 5-0 at home against Braintree Town.

RECENT MEETING

25/10/16: Bromley 0-2 Dover Athletic

Dover won their first Kent derby of the season thanks to a first half double from Ricky Miller and Ross Lafayette.

Miller opened the scoring in the 26th minute after latched onto Lafayette’s delightful through ball to slot home.

Three minutes later it was the turn of Lafayette to get on the scoresheet as he pounced on Rob Swaine’s horrendous back header to fire home.

HITMEN

Whites’ leading scorer in the National League this season is Miller with 30, but he will miss the game through suspension.

Moses Emmanuel (11) and Ross Lafayette (10) are also in double figures in the league.

Bromley’s leading man with 10 league goals is Blair Turgott.

DOVER TEAM NEWS

Dover will be without the suspended Miller while assistant boss Jake Leberl said on Friday that there are no injury concerns following the defeat at Boreham Wood on Tuesday.

COVERAGE

The game starts at 3pm but if you are unable to make it, we will have live updates on Twitter – @DAFCLiveText – follow us and get all the news as it happens!

MATCH SPONSOR

Port of Dover are sponsors for the Bromley match.

We thank them for their support.

SATURDAY’S OTHER NATIONAL LEAGUE FIXTURES

Aldershot Town v Sutton United

Barrow v Dagenham & Redbridge

Boreham Wood v Guiseley AFC

Braintree Town v Southport

Chester FC v Eastleigh

Forest Green Rovers v Wrexham

Gateshead v Woking

North Ferriby United v Solihull Moors

AWAY TRAVEL

There will be a Supporters Club coach heading to Guiseley next Saturday.

It leaves Crabble at 7am and the cost is as follows:

Adults Members £15, Adult Non Members £30 and accompanied child (under 16) £10.

Please call or text Andy Fisher on 0793 4300335 to book your seat or see him in the Centre Spot on Saturday.

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

Visit http://www.dasc.co.uk/ for all the details.