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Report – Dover Athletic 0-1 Sittingbourne

Match Report by Fred Deveson

A nice evening at Crabble saw Dover host Kent rivals Sittingbourne in the FA Cup First Qualifying Round replay, after the two sides drew at Sittingbourne on Saturday afternoon.

The game began with the visitors on top. They were winning their aerial duels well and managed to control the game to their liking. 

It did not take Sittingbourne long to take the lead, as an uncontested drop-ball situation is made the most of, with the ball being lofted into the box. The visitors won the first header, and the second header too, which looped over Walker and into the far corner. 

The away side stayed on top for most of the first half, crashing an effort from outside the box off the post and creating some good chances. Dover were under a lot of pressure in the first half. 

It wasn’t until the end of the first half that Dover had their best chance of the game, with a long range effort from Soares-Junior hitting the post and bouncing clear. 

Early into the second half it was clear that Matthews wanted to take the game by the scruff off its neck. He was dropping deeper to get on the ball and began pulling the strings in midfield. He had a couple of good chances, made by his own play, but they were blocked. 

The manager, Jake Leberl, made some changes as the half wore on, with Amgbaduba coming on, along with the likes of Young, Silcott-Brown, Cocoracchio and Sesay. These substitutions added lots more energy to the team and brought some hope for the Dover fans.

Matthews continued to run the game from the middle, and he had two long range efforts, one that was saved superbly by the goalkeeper, and another that smacked off the bar from even further out than the first effort. 

Sittingbourne defended Dover’s late attacks well, and whilst there was a penalty shout towards the end, the Whites were unable to break down the defence and the game then petered out, with Dover’s FA Cup journey coming to an end, and Sittingbourne progressing to the next round, where they will face Lordswood. 

Dover Athletic 0

Sittingbourne 1
Troy Howard (13′)

Emirates FA Cup First Qualifying Round Replay
Attendance: 734
Kick-off: 7.45pm
Venue: Megger Community Stadium

Dover Athletic: 1 Mitch WALKER (C), 2 Roman CHARLES-COOK, 4 Jeremiah GYEBI, 5 Joe TENNENT, 7 Luke BAPTISTE, 8 Alfie MATTHEWS, 11 Lindell STEWART, 14 Ruben SOARES-JUNIOR, 16 Harrison PONT, 15 Tamas AMGBADUBA, 23 George WILKINSON SUBS: 3 Fuad SESAY, 6 Luca COCORACCHIO, 9 Eniye AMGBADUBA, 12 Matty HOLNESS, 13 Claudio Boakye-Sarfo, 18 Henry YOUNG, 19 Jayden SILCOTT-BROWN

Sittingbourne: 1 Harley Earle, 2 Codey Cosgrave, 3 Henry Lukombo, 4 Ayman El-Mogharbel, 5 Liam Smith (C), 6 Chris Arthur, 17 Henry Sinai, 8 Richie Hammill, 9 Mitchell May, 10 Ryan Kingsford, 11 Troy Howard SUBS: 12 Charma Torsiello, 14 Jay Beckford, 15 Alex Georgiou, 16 Kyle Hawkins, 19 Ethan Fox, 18 Bagasan Graham

Up Next – Sittingbourne FC Replay

After a dramatic comeback in Saturday’s opening FA Cup match, Dover Athletic will host Sittingbourne for a crucial replay at the Megger Community Stadium on Tuesday night. Both teams are eager to secure a spot in the next round of the Emirates FA Cup, with Dover looking to build on the momentum from their late heroics in the first match.

Dover Athletic

Dover Athletic staged a dramatic comeback in their FA Cup opener against Sittingbourne, securing a 2-2 draw with two stoppage-time goals. Despite a tough first half where Sittingbourne led 2-0, Dover’s persistence paid off. Goalkeeper Mitch Walker’s long free kick, aided by the wind, found the net to make it 2-1. Soon after, Alfie Matthews scored a contentious free kick that was initially disallowed but later awarded, leveling the match. Manager Jake Leberl’s tactical changes and substitutions sparked Dover’s late resurgence, setting up a replay at the Megger Community Stadium on Tuesday.

Kieron Agbebi (foot) remains unavailable with injury. Harrison Pont is back from suspension.

From the Manager

“We’ve got boys that will recover really quickly. There’s lessons to learn as a group and for their own individual progress, if you’re not mentally right, it doesn’t matter who you’re up against, it will be a tough afternoon. It was a tough afternoon for quite a few of our lads. We lost the majority of individual battles all over the pitch from the start of the game but I just felt if we could get one, we could put a bit of pressure on them. I’m delighted to come away with a draw as funny as it sounds because we should be coming here and winning really but this is the FA Cup. This was their Cup Final. They’ve put in a really good performance, and I am sure they are disappointed. We’ve come out of it pleased and looking forward to the replay.”

Kit

Dover Athletic will line up in our white and black home kit, with our goalkeeper in pink. Sittingbourne play in yellow and blue with their keeper in green.

The Venue

We look forward to welcoming Sittingbourne to the Megger Community Stadium. More information on getting to the ground can be found here: https://doverathletic.com/visit-crabble/

Megger Community Stadium. Crabble Athletic Ground, Lewisham Road, Dover, Kent, CT17 0JB.

Admission  

This is a cup game, all must pay entry including season ticket holders.

Adults: £15
Concessions: £14
U18: £9
U11: FREE with a paying adult

We now only accept card on the gate and operate a cashless ground.

Report – Sittingbourne FC 2-2 Dover Athletic

Dover Athletic staged a dramatic comeback in their opening FA Cup match against Sittingbourne at Woodstock Park, battling the windy conditions to secure a 2-2 draw with two goals deep into stoppage time.

Manager Jake Leberl kept faith in his largely unchanged starting eleven, with Eniye Amgbaduba replacing Lindell Stewart in the only change from the previous lineup. The FA Cup rules allowed for a larger bench, bringing new goalkeeper Claudio Boakye-Sarfo into the squad for the first time, while Henry Young made a welcome return from injury.

The match kicked off to a scrappy start, with both teams struggling to find their rhythm in the opening 10 minutes. Dover’s early defensive frailties were exposed when Sittingbourne’s Henry Sinai capitalised on some poor defending to open the scoring in the 13th minute. The hosts continued to dominate the first half, doubling their lead in the 25th minute through Ryan Kingsford.

The second half saw Dover attempting to regroup, but they continued to struggle against Sittingbourne’s organised defense. Baptiste had a chance to reduce the deficit, managing to control a high ball and get a shot away, but it did little to trouble the Sittingbourne keeper. With Dover losing the midfield battle, manager Jake made a tactical change, bringing on Alfie Matthews for George Wilkinson in an attempt to inject some energy into the side.

Shortly after, the game was paused due to disturbances in the crowd, but once play resumed, Jake made further substitutions to bolster both defense and attack, introducing Tamas Amgbaduba to the back line and Lindell Stewart upfront. These changes began to alter the dynamic of the game, and Dover started to create more opportunities.

As the clock ticked down, George Nikaj became a constant thorn in Sittingbourne’s side, but his efforts were cut short by a heavy tackle that forced him off the field, replaced by Silcott-Brown. Despite the setbacks, Dover’s persistence paid off in the dying moments of stoppage time.

Goalkeeper Mitch Walker launched a hopeful free kick from his own half deep into the Sittingbourne box. The wind played its part as the ball evaded everyone, bounced over the keeper Harley Earle, and miraculously found its way into the net, bringing the score to 2-1.

With renewed vigor, Dover pressed for an equaliser and was awarded a free kick on the edge of the box moments later. Alfie Matthews delivered a dangerous shot at goal. The ball appeared to cross the line, but the referee initially dismissed the goal. However, after consulting with his linesman, the goal was awarded, completing Dover’s dramatic comeback to level the match at 2-2.

The final whistle blew shortly after, ending a game that saw Dover claw back from the brink of defeat. The team will now prepare to face Sittingbourne again on Tuesday night at the Megger Community Stadium, looking to advance to the next round.

Sittingbourne – 2

Henry Sinai (13′)
Ryan Kingsford (25′)

Dover Athletic – 2

Mitch WALKER (90+3′)
Alfie MATTHEWS (90+5′)

Emirates FA Cup First Qualifying Round
Attendance: 523
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: Mr Dempster
Venue: The Staxson Stadium

Sittingbourne: 1 Harley Earle, 2 Donvieve Jones, 3 Henry Lukombo, 4 Ayman El-Mogharbel, 5 Liam Smith, 6 Chris Arthur, 17 Henry Sinai, 8 Richie Hammill, 9 Mitchell May, 10 Codey Cosgrave, 11 Troy Howard SUBS: 12 Charma Torsiello, 14 Jay Beckford, 15 Ryan Kingsford, 16 Bagasan Graham, 18 Alex Georgiou, 19 Joe Boachie, 20 Godfrey Poku

Dover Athletic 1 Mitch WALKER (C), 2 Roman CHARLES-COOK, 3 Fuad SESAY, 4 Jeremiah GYEBI, 5 Joe TENNENT, 6 Luca COCORACCHIO, 7 Luke BAPTISTE, 9 Eniye AMGBADUBA, 10 George NIKAJ, 14 Ruben SOARES-JUNIOR, 23 George WILKINSON, SUBS: 8 Alfie MATTHEWS, 11 Lindell STEWART, 13 Claudio Boakye-Sarfo, 15 Tamas AMGBADUBA, 18 Henry YOUNG, 19 Jayden SILCOTT-BROWN

GETTING SHIRTY WITH LEE BOWMAN

I’ve had Dover Athletic Shirts since 1994 (30 years!) and have kept and collected them ever since. It has only been in the last few years that my Football Shirt collecting has really accelerated, and not only to include Dover Shirts but those of other Non-League Clubs, particularly from the 90’s Conference days. I grew up watching us play Conference Football and have great memories of that period and have a vast knowledge of the players and kits of those clubs who participated in the Vauxhall/Nationwide Conference with us throughout those years.

I am very nostalgic about those times which has heavily influenced me to add Shirts, Scarves, Pennants, Programmes and general memorabilia of those 90’s/00’s Non-League teams and competitions. I have over 600 Football Shirts now, 97 of which are Dover ones!

Despite owning nearly a hundred Whites’ shirts, you’d think there wouldn’t be anything left out there for me to look for but there are still a fair few on my wanted list!

Countrywide DERV Shirts are always of interest, of course, particularly the ‘Spall’ 1989-1991 top. The 2002/2003 Yellow & Blue ‘Heritage Transport’ Away Jersey by Admiral, ‘Bergoni’ Sky Blue sponsorless alternative from 2001/2002, the 2005/2006 ‘Criccieth Homes’ Home by ‘Jacetts’ plus a fair few of our more recent ‘Gomez’ sponsored Away Shirts are all on the list. Any Goalkeeper Shirts are always of interest too!

What is your favourite Dover Athletic shirt?

It’s difficult to pick out just one but the 1993-1995 ‘Derv’ Shirt produced by ‘Plaaya’ with the Castle detail sleeve design is up there, along with its classic Yellow & Green Away coloured variant. However, the 1999/2000 trio were a great set of Shirts. The traditional White & Black Home, Red & Black Away and the rare Yellow & Blue Third Shirt were all somewhat iconic. It was the first set of Dover kits produced by Vandanel and all 3 had the same base template which were all somewhat striking in their design.

The shirts were only worn for the one solitary, yet very successful and memorable, season as we finished 6th in the Conference under Bill Williams, our highest ever finish as a Club at that time.

The squad included some of the best players to wear the White Shirt including our gaffer Jake Leberl, Lee Shearer, Dave Clarke, Neil Le Bihan, Simon Wormull & Joff Vansittart.

The Yellow Third Shirt only had a few outings that year including an opening day 2-1 away win away at eventual Conference Champions that season, Kidderminster Harriers. The game that I associate it with most is the 3-2 FA Cup win away at Harlow Town at the Harlow Sports Ground in November 1999, some 25 years ago now incredibly.

How are you feeling about the season ahead?

I’m quietly optimistic about the season ahead. First and foremost it is all about stopping the rot of the past 4 years and consolidating. However, given the improvements around the club both on and off the pitch as well as a rejuvenated outlook and approach, plus the squad Jake has assembled, I believe we are capable of challenging for the Play-Offs but one step at a time, perhaps!

Up Next – Sittingbourne FC

Dover enter the FA Cup in the first qualifying round and face Isthmian South East Division side Sittingbourne at Woodstock Park. It’s 30 years since the clubs last met in the FA Cup, with Sittingbourne running out 2-1 replay winners after a 1-1 draw, also in the first qualifying round stage.

Dover Athletic

The Whites come in off the back of a 3-1 win at Horsham last Saturday. Despite falling behind to an early Horsham goal in the 22nd minute, Dover responded just before halftime with George Nikaj’s header from a corner, making it 1-1. The second half saw Dover dominate, taking the lead in the 69th minute when Luke Baptiste capitalized on a loose ball in the penalty area. Dover’s defense, led by captain Mitch Walker, thwarted Horsham’s efforts to equalize, including a crucial close-range save. A swift counter-attack in the 81st minute saw Soares-Junior score, sealing the 3-1 victory. Dover’s disciplined and clinical second-half performance earned them three valuable points, boosting their position in the league.

Kieron Agbebi (foot) remains unavailable with injury. Harrison Pont is suspended.

From the Manager

“I think it’s a really tough draw and a very difficult place to go. Sittingbourne have been used to winning for a couple of years. They’ve got some experienced and strong players, and they’re going to be right up for it. I’ve just said to our lads it’s all about attitude. On Saturday, if we can compete and do what we’ve been doing, hopefully we have enough. But it’s the FA Cup, anything can happen. It would be fantastic for the fans, more than anything, to have a great run in the competition this year.”

Kit

Dover Athletic will line up in our yellow and green away strip with our goalkeeper in pink. Sittingbourne play in red and black.

The Opposition

On Bank Holiday Monday, Sittingbourne had a convincing 3-1 win over Ashford United Goals from Troy Howard, Mitchell May and Jay Beckford sealed the win after Ashford’s Louis Collins scored the first. All three goal scorers coming on as second half substitutes.

In the previous round of the FA Cup, Sittingbourne played away at Farnham and won 4-2. A 3rd minute goal from Liam Smith put them 1-0 up but Farnham equalised in the 29th minute. After 59 minutes Mitchell May was fouled in the penalty area and stepped up himself to put the Brickies 2-1 up.  Mitchell went on to get his hattrick and Sittingbourne’s 4th to progress to the next round.

Sittingbourne manager, Ryan Maxwell, told Kent Online this week “In terms of what it means to everybody, it’s the biggest game I’ve had since I’ve been here. It’s FA Cup football, a Kent derby against a team in a higher league – it has to be the biggest game. I’m aware of the importance of it for the fans. They can’t wait – they’re excited.”

The Venue

Car – Set your SatNav to ME9 8AD (will take you past our entrance on the left so keep alert!) ME9 8AG (will take you into the Kent Science Park so ignore it when the voice tells you turn right but go up the hill and turn left into the ground!)

More info: https://www.kentmcl.co.uk/directions/

Sittingbourne Football Club The Staxson Stadium Woodstock Park Broadoak Road, Sittingbourne, ME9 8AG

Admission  

Buy Tickets HERE (https://www.kentmcl.co.uk/)

Adults (18-59) £10.00
Concessions (60+) £6.00
Students (with Student Card) £6.00
Young Persons (11-17) £3.00
Under 11 (Free with Paying Adult)

DARTFORD – VIP STYLE

Fancy watching the Whites take on Dartford in style? Of course you do.

The boys will be looking to put on a show and where else would you rather watch it than here with us.

Watch the game from the best seats in the house and let our match day hospitality provide the ultimate way to spend your time with us.

The package includes:

  • Butler hosted lounge with large TVs and a projector showing the game
  • A three-course meal served at your table
  • Reserved undercover premium padded seating
  • Complimentary tea, coffee & mineral water, plus a dedicated paid bar before and after the match
  • Complimentary match day team sheet

The very special experience costs £29.95 per person and is available for individual and group bookings, or as a gift voucher.

Please note that this price does NOT include entry for non-season ticket holders who do attend, and they will still need to pay at the turnstile on the day.

On the menu for the game will be :

Starter: Prawn Cocktail

Main: Roast Beef and Vegetables

Dessert: New York Cheesecake

There are only 64 spaces available, so all tickets will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis. Please let us know if there are any dietary requirements when booking and we will accommodate as best we can with alternatives.

The dress code is smart casual.

To buy your VIP ticket please email [email protected] or call the office on 01304 822373

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: VIP HOST STEWARD

The Whites are on the lookout for VIP Host Stewards to join the team.

We are looking for Host Stewards to be part of our VIP hospitality suite. Your role will involve greeting our guests, directing them to the correct areas and ensuring their comfort and safety during the game.

You will need to be smart in appearance, polite but able to be firm when required. This is largely a voluntary role, a pre-match meal will be provided and limited travel expenses are available.  

Volunteers are a vital component of the running of the Club, and we remain incredibly grateful for the help we receive.

For anyone interested in the position, please contact [email protected]

CHAIRMAN INTERVIEW

Watch the full video here – https://youtu.be/p2-VfaJmbz4

Justin Allen catches up with Dover Chairman Jim Parmenter.

The pair talk on the season so far, positive developments both on and off the pitch, recent sponsors and commercial growth.

Jim shares his reflections on the league as a whole, his expectations for the season and plans for the future.

Report: Horsham FC 1-3 Dover Athletic

Dover Athletic claimed a well-earned 3-1 victory over Horsham at the Fusion Aviation Community Stadium, capitalising on second-half opportunities to secure three valuable points in the Isthmian League Premier Division.

The match kicked off with Dover making early inroads, nearly benefiting from an own goal when Horsham’s Jack Strange sliced a clearance just over his own crossbar following a dangerous cross by George Nikaj in the 8th minute. Dover continued to push forward, but Horsham’s defense held firm.

Horsham broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute through a set-piece. Isaac Philpot flicked James Hammond’s corner into the net at the near post, marking his first goal for the Hornets and giving the home side a 1-0 lead. Horsham nearly doubled their advantage shortly after, with Ola’s deflected shot saved by Dover goalkeeper Mitch Walker in the 32nd minute.

Dover responded strongly and found their equaliser just before halftime. In the 44th minute, George Nikaj scored a near-identical goal to Horsham’s opener, heading in from a corner delivered by Wilkinson to level the score at 1-1. The teams went into the break on even terms, with both sides having shown glimpses of quality.

The second half saw a more dominant performance from Dover. In the 69th minute, a scrappy play in the Horsham penalty area saw the ball break kindly to Luke Baptiste, who slotted home to give Dover a 2-1 lead.

Horsham pushed for an equaliser, but Dover’s defense, marshaled by captain Mitch Walker, who made a stunning close-range save in the 78th minute, held firm. The visitors sealed their victory in the 81st minute with a swift counter-attack. Soares-Junior broke free after Horsham were caught upfield and coolly slotted the ball past the keeper to make it 3-1.

Despite Horsham’s efforts to mount a comeback, Dover remained solid at the back and saw out the game comfortably. The final whistle blew after six minutes of stoppage time, confirming a 3-1 win for Dover Athletic, who showcased a disciplined and clinical performance in the second half to secure all three points.

The win sees Dover continue their push up the Isthmian League Premier Division table after a fantastic Bank Holiday Weekend.

Horsham 1

Isaac Philpot (22′)

Dover Athletic 3

George NIKAJ  (44′)
Luke BAPTISTE  (69′)
Ruben SOARES-JUNIOR (80′)

Isthmian League – Premier Division
Attendance: 1,243
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: Joshua Langley- Fineing
Venue: The Camping World Community Stadium

Horsham: 1 Lewis Carey, 4 Danny Barker, 5 Jack Strange, 6 Isaac Philpot, 7J ames Hammond (Captain), 8 Charlie Hester-Cook, 10 Daniel Ajakaiye, 11 Ola Ogunwamide, 16 Joel Daly, 19 Chris Dickson, 20 Lee Harding SUBS: 2 Tom Beere, 9 Shamir Fenelon, 12 Joe Turner, 15 John Brivio, 18 Reece Myles-Meekums

Dover Athletic: 1 Mitch WALKER (C), 2 Roman CHARLES-COOK, 3 Fuad SESAY, 4 Jeremiah GYEBI, 5 Joe TENNENT, 6 Luca COCORACCHIO, 7 Luke BAPTISTE, 10 George NIKAJ, 11 Lindell STEWART, 14 Ruben SOARES-JUNIOR, 23 George WILKINSON SUBS: 8 Alfie MATTHEWS, 9 Eniye AMGBADUBA, 15 Tamas AMGBADUBA, 19 Jayden SILCOTT-BROWN, 20 Jaiden DRAKES-THOMAS

Up Next – Horsham FC

The Whites head to Horsham on Bank Holiday Monday in the hopes of back to back wins.

Dover Athletic

On Saturday, Dover secured an impressive 5-2 victory over newly promoted Chichester City, with Ruben Soares-Junior scoring a hat-trick. Jake Leberl made several changes to the lineup, including a debut for Alfie Matthews and a start for Jaiden Drakes-Thomas after his recent goal-scoring form.

Dover started strong, with Soares-Junior opening the scoring in the 5th minute with a header from a beautifully delivered free-kick by Matthews. The teams went into halftime tied at 2-2, but Dover dominated the second half. Nikaj scored twice in quick succession to put Dover firmly in control, and Soares-Junior completed his hat-trick to seal the victory.

Kieron Agbebi (foot) remains unavailable with injury. Harrison Pont is suspended.

From the Manager

“It’s another three points and we look forward to Monday. Obviously, we are straight into recovery, the boys were straight into the ice baths after the game. You saw we made a lot of changes and a lot of subs against Chichester. We rested some boys when we needed to, because the game allowed us to. We’ve got a good enough squad so we are confident”

Kit

Dover Athletic will line up in our white home shirt and black shorts. Horsham will play in their home strip of green shorts and a yellow and green shirt.

The Opposition

On Saturday, Horsham secured their first away victory of the season with an impressive 4-1 win against Hashtag United. Daniel Ajakaiye was the standout performer, scoring two goals in the first half to give the Hornets a strong lead. Horsham continued their dominance when Danny Barker added a third goal, his first for the club, after a well-placed corner from James Hammond.

Hashtag United struggled to contain Horsham’s dynamic play, managing to pull one goal back through Toby Aromolaran. However, Horsham sealed their victory when Hammond converted a stoppage-time penalty after Shamir Fenelon was fouled.

Manager Dom Di Paola maintained the same starting lineup from their previous match, with notable performances from Charlie Hester-Cook and Joel Daly. Horsham’s midfield control and quick exploitation of space, particularly through Ajakaiye, were key to their commanding performance. The victory moved the Hornets up to third in the standings

The Venue

Find us

Car parking

On matchdays the car park at the Stadium is reserved for officials and players only. But don’t worry, there is ample free parking available less than five minutes’ walk away at the Horsham Park & Ride. Park up and find the letter ‘K’, which is situated next to the path through to the traffic island for crossing Worthing Road. If a large attendance is expected, information will be published on the website regarding additional parking nearby, with a complimentary shuttle service to the stadium. On such occasions we’d also encourage you to car share, or travel by bus, if possible.

Turnstiles

As you walk down the lane to the stadium, cross the wooden footbridge and enter through the gate. The clubhouse building is on your left. Pass all the way along the building and you will come to the turnstiles. Here you will be greeted by one of our friendly stewards, who will be able to answer any questions you might have. If you have pre-purchased your ticket please have the QR code ready to be scanned. Otherwise we do accept cash or cards at the turnstiles, unless the match has been advertised as ‘all-ticket’.

Horsham Football Club, HOP OAST STADIUM, Worthing Road, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 0AD 

Admission  

Buy tickets HERE

Matchday programme: £3

CategoryOnline in advanceMatchday
Adult (18-64)£13.00£14.00
Concession (65+/Student/U18s)*£8.00£9.00
U16£3.00£3.00
U6FreeFree
Family(2 x Adult & 2 x U16)£27.00£32.00