Dover Athletic Football Club can confirm that the appeal against Myles Judd’s red card in the National League game at Stockport County on Saturday was unsuccessful.
The decision by The FA’s Regulatory Commission today (Tuesday) means that the 22-year-old defender will now miss our next three games against Torquay United, Notts County, and FC Halifax Town.
Judd was given a straight red card by referee Paul Marsden for his challenge on Macauley Southam-Hales eight minutes before half-time.
Dover Athletic can confirm that Khale Da Costa has today left the Club by mutual consent.
The 28-year-old winger made 17 appearances in all competitions for manager Andy Hessenthaler’s side after signing in June 2021.
His last appearance for us was a second-half substitute in the 1-0 National League defeat against Southend United at Crabble last month.
Khale also made three appearances, scoring once, while on loan at National League South club Braintree Town last November.
All of us at the club would like to thank Khale for his efforts whilst with us and wish him the very best of luck in the future.
Andy Hessenthaler speaks to BBC Radio Kent after the 1-0 defeat at National League leaders Stockport County on Saturday.
Andy Hessenthaler and his squad are on their travels again as they head north to take on the National League leaders at Edgeley Park on Saturday.
The hosts are aiming for a club-record 10th successive win in all competitions this weekend.
LAST TIME WE MET
October’s meeting between the sides at Crabble saw Stockport win 5-2 – you can read the match report from that game HERE
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING?
You can read the Stockport preview of the game HERE
You can watch Stockport manager Dave Challinor preview the game HERE
TEAM NEWS
Danny Collinge is fit again and replaces fellow defender Sam Wood, who left the club on Tuesday, in the matchday squad.
Player/coach Reda Johnson (calf), Alex Green (ankle), James Caton (groin), Travis Gregory (knee), TJ Bramble (back), and Noah Carney (fractured toe), are still not available.
DOVER COLOURS
For fans heading to Stockport wanting to wear the same shirts as the players, we will be wearing our red kit.
COVERAGE
The game kicks off at 3pm but if you are unable to make the trip, BBC Radio Kent will be providing commentary HERE
MATCHDAY AND TICKET INFORMATION
You can get all the information you need HERE
SATURDAY’S OTHER NATIONAL LEAGUE FIXTURES
Aldershot Town v Barnet
Altrincham v Woking
Chesterfield v Dagenham & Redbridge
FC Halifax Town v Bromley
King’s Lynn Town v Weymouth
Maidenhead United v Eastleigh
Notts County v Grimsby Town
Torquay United v Wrexham
Yeovil Town v Solihull Moors
Ryan Hanson admits that being appointed Dover Athletic captain came with mixed emotions.
The 21-year-old midfielder has been named by manager Andy Hessenthaler as the man to succeed Sam Wood after the left-back left the club by mutual consent on Tuesday.
Hanson said: It’s an absolute incredible honour to be asked to lead this great club, one that I’ve supported since I was a child growing up in the town, but I am gutted Woody has left.
“He was such a big influence on and off the pitch – he will really be missed, but the decision he’s made was right for him and his family.
“Woody has had a fantastic playing career and when you are young like me, you cannot help but learn from someone with his experience. It has been great playing alongside him these past two seasons and I wish him all the very best for the future.”
As for being named captain, the former Dover Boys Grammar School student, who signed permanently for us in July 2021 after playing seven times while on loan from then League One side Hull City last season, said it was hard to explain what it meant to him.
He said: “It’s an honour to just play for my hometown club and proudly wear the shirt, so being made captain is, well, unbelievable.
“It’s a huge responsibility, but one I am determined to do by leading by example and giving it my all in every game.
“We’ve had a tough season – everyone knows that, but I want to play my part in helping this group of players to deliver each game for everyone who supports our club.
“We all know what a challenge we are facing on the pitch in this final stretch of the season, but we need to stick together and, as a team, lift each other up.
“If things aren’t going our way, we need to keep fighting no matter what happens – we’ve all got to show pride in the shirt.”
Dover Athletic can confirm that captain Sam Wood has today left the Club by mutual consent.
The 35-year-old left-back made 35 appearances in all competitions for manager Andy Hessenthaler’s side, scoring twice, since arriving in August 2020 after leaving fellow National League club Bromley.
His last appearance for us came in the 1-0 defeat against Southend United at Crabble last Saturday.
We would like to thank Sam for his efforts whilst with us and wish him the very best of luck in the future.
Midfielder Ryan Hanson will replace Wood as captain for the remainder of the season – many congratulations, Ryan!!
Dover Athletic are delighted to confirm that the loan deal of Maidstone United forward Alfie Pavey has been extended for another month,
The 26-year-old has scored four times, including the winner against Eastleigh last Tuesday, in his 10 appearances since arriving at Crabble in late November.
Great to have you staying, Alfie!
Kings Lynn Town loanee Michael Gyasi spoke to BBC Radio Kent’s Matthew Gerrard after the 1-0 loss against Southend United at Crabble.
Gyasi made his first start for Andy Hessenthaler’s side in the game.
? Matt Bristow
Andy Hessenthaler speaks to BBC Radio Kent’s Matt Gerrard after the narrow defeat against Southend United in the National League at Crabble on Saturday.
By Alex Hoad
A solitary second-half strike proved the difference as Southend edged a narrow win at Crabble in Vanarama National League on Saturday.
Buoyed by their first win of the season, and first in 364 days, against Eastleigh on Tuesday night, Whites caused Southend problems all afternoon and felt they deserved at least a point from a pretty uninspiring encounter in front of a bumper crowd of more than 2,600.
Dover manager Andy Hessenthaler made three changes with Sam Wood returning at the back in place of Seth Twumasi while there were full debuts for former Braintree midfielder Arjanit Krasniqi, who signed on Friday night, and on loan Kings Lynn forward Michael Gyasi, who had made an impact off the bench against Eastleigh.
Southend boss Kevin Maher brought Jason Demetriou back in as captain with Norwich loanee Matt Dennis returning upfront after missing their midweek draw at Aldershot.
Southend forward Harry Cardwell saw appeals for a penalty dismissed inside three minutes as keeper Adam Parkes raced out to gather a back-header from Jake Goodman.
Chances were at a premium in the opening stages but around 20 minutes in Harry Ransom rose highest to head a curling Koby Arthur corner goalwards, only for his effort to be blocked on the line, while Gyasi skewed an effort wide of Steve Arnold’s post after a poor clearance from the former Whites stopper.
New arrival from Dartford, Noor Husin saw a volley from a half-cleared Tom Clifford corner blocked by Parkes at the other end while on the stroke of half-time Matt Dennis got his angles wrong and nodded a header from a Will Atkinson cross past the post with Parkes stranded.
Michael Gyasi caused the Blues plenty of problems after the break, using quick feet and direct running to good effect, though he blazed well over the bar from the centre of goal after one of his mazy runs ended with the ball bobbling at the crucial time.
The deadlock was eventually broken 17 minutes from time from Southend’s first real chance of the half, Sam Dalby saw a header from a corner blocked on the line but the ball broke towards the edge of the area where Husin leapt two-footed into the air before using expert technique to guide the ball into the top corner with his left-foot, though Parkes was claiming he was impeded.
Dover almost found a response within three minutes as more good work down the left from Gyasi led to Arthur darting across the area before hooking a low shot past the flat-footed Arnold, only to see the ball thud the inside of the post and roll along the line before being cleared.
Dover threw everything at Southend in the closing stages, winning a string of set-pieces, but were unable to call Arnold into action, and it was Dalby who came closest to adding a second goal in stoppage-time, with Ryan Hanson needed to clear the ball off the line after the striker forced the ball past Parkes on the break.
Victory took United 13 points clear of the relegation zone, to the delight of Southend’s travelling army of more than 1,900 fans at the Town End, while Dover remain on -5 points and 30 points from safety, with just 18 games remaining.
Hessenthaler said: “It’s the crazy world of football – we probably played better today than we did on Tuesday when we won. There wasn’t much in the game first half but second half we had a few chances. They never looked like scoring but one lapse of concentration and we got punished.
“If the shot that hit the post went in I think it would have been a fair reflection of the game, a point each. We deserved something.”
