Archives: News

The Big Interview – Alfie Matthews

Watch it here: https://youtu.be/NgkCFpvcGPo

ALFIE MATTHEWS sits down for his first big interview since signing for the Whites this summer.

And talking to Justin Allen during a short break in the fixtures schedule, he looks back at his time at Arsenal where he spent most of his youth career and was team-mates and close pals with England star Bukayo Saka.

Also he discussed how Covid prevented him from signing for a Serie A club, his couple of years at Crystal Palace and the disappointment of being released.

Matthews also chats about his drop into non-league and how he believes Dover Athletic can give him a platform to enjoy playing football as well as help propel him back into professional football.

The attacking ace also discusses the cracking start to the season Dover have enjoyed and how he is already forging great friendships at the club.

He also believes the Whites are looking upwards again under boss Jake Leberl.

In the far-ranging chat he also talks about meeting David Beckham and playing youth football in the England age groups.

Up Next – Carshalton Athletic vs Dover Athletic

After a short break, The Whites are back in action on the road against Carshalton Athletic.

Dover Athletic

Last time out, Dover Athletic secured a dominant 5-1 victory over Dartford at The Megger Community Stadium, moving them to second in the Isthmian League Premier Division. Dartford’s defense faltered early, with Ruben Soares-Junior capitalising on a goalkeeping error in the 25th minute. George Wilkinson quickly doubled the lead, followed by Luke Baptiste’s goal just before halftime. Alfie Matthews added a fourth with a free kick, while Jeremiah Pinder netted Dartford’s consolation. Soares-Junior completed the scoring in the 82nd minute. Dover’s commanding display marked their first win over a Kent rival since 2020 and extended their goal tally to 24 in six games.

Kieron Agbebi (foot) remains unavailable with injury.

From the Manager

“We’ve had quite a busy schedule since the start of the season, and fortunately enough we’ve had a couple of weeks off now, which came just at the right time, especially after getting a good win against Dartford.”

Carshalton

Carshalton Athletic have had a mixed start to the season. They opened with a 1-1 draw away to Folkestone Invicta, followed by a thrilling 3-2 home win over Wingate & Finchley. Momentum continued with a 3-1 victory against Chichester City, but consecutive defeats to Dartford and Cray Valley PM slowed their progress. A strong FA Cup campaign has been a highlight, with a 3-1 win over Haywards Heath Town and a 1-0 victory against South Park (Reigate). A goalless draw with Lewes in their last league game leaves them firmly in mid-table (11th).

On Saturday, Carshalton Athletic secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over South Park (Reigate) in the FA Cup Second Round Qualifying. The game started brightly with an early free kick from Saraiva tipped round the post by Bracken. Tommy Bradford broke the deadlock in the 18th minute, bundling the ball home after Ifeanyi’s determined run. South Park came close to equalizing, but Healy failed to capitalize on a corner. Carshalton controlled much of the match, with Stagg and Bradford threatening, though South Park piled on late pressure. Hamstead and the defense stood firm to protect the lead, and Carshalton emerged victorious after a tense final few minutes.

The Venue

Postal code for Sat-Nav SM5 2PW. Carshalton have a large off street free car park.

Carshalton British Rail Station is five minutes walk from the ground. Trains to Carshalton.

Many bus routes come close to the ground.
127 – 157 – 407 – 627 – S3 – X26

War Memorial Sports Ground, Colston Avenue, Carshalton SM5 2PW

Admission  

Tickets can be purchased online or at the turnstile. Buying tickets at the turnstile is £1 dearer than online. Purchase here.

Online Ticket prices:
Adult (over 17)  £11
Senior (over 65) £8
Child (under 18) £5
Under 5s go free

Fuad Sesay Interview

Watch it here: https://youtu.be/poUZrKMEnUQ

Whites defender Fuad Sesay talks to Justin Allen about being back at Crabble, celebrating his 21st birthday with his team-mates and the change in environment under boss Jake Leberl.

Wingate & Finchley – VIP Style

Fancy watching the Whites take on Wingate 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: Minestrone Soup

Main: Steak Pie served with Mash Potato, Peas, Carrots and Gravy

Dessert: Raspberry & Elderflower Cone served with Cream

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 gavin.hughes@doverathletic.com or call the office on 01304 822373

Report: Dover Athletic 5-1 Dartford FC

Dover Athletic stormed to an emphatic 5-1 victory over Dartford in front of 1,018 fans at The Megger Community Stadium, as they moved to second place in the Isthmian League Premier Division.

From the first whistle, Dover looked sharp, with early chances from Luke Baptiste and Ruben Soares-Junior giving a taste of what was to come. Dartford’s defence, which had only conceded three goals in the league before this match, looked shaky from the outset, and it wasn’t long before the cracks showed.

The breakthrough came in the 25th minute when a goalkeeping blunder by Dartford’s Matt Kerbey gifted Soares-Junior the opening goal. Kerbey spilled a cross, and Soares-Junior, quick to react, tapped home from close range to give Dover a 1-0 lead.

Just two minutes later, Dover capitalised on another defensive error from Dartford, with George Wilkinson doubling the lead. Matthews, after winning the ball in midfield, combined well with Soares-Junior who passed to Wilkinson before slotting the ball into the net.

Dover’s pressure was relentless, and in the 43rd minute, a poorly handled free kick by Kerbey led to Baptiste poking in the rebound, making it 3-0 just before half-time.

The second half saw more of the same from Dover. In the 50th minute, Alfie Matthews added a fourth goal with a brilliantly struck free kick that left Kerbey with no chance. Dartford’s afternoon went from bad to worse despite a consolation goal from Jeremiah Pinder in the 56th minute, as Dover continued to dominate proceedings.

Ruben Soares-Junior completed the rout with his second of the game in the 82nd minute, neatly finishing after a well-placed cross from Baptiste.

Despite making several substitutions, Dartford struggled to gain any foothold in the match. Dover, on the other hand, maintained control even as manager Jake Leberl rotated his squad late on. The introduction of players like Henry Young, Tamas Amgbaduba, and Lindell Stewart kept the pressure on Dartford, ensuring there would be no comeback.

This comprehensive win not only boosts Dover’s position in the league but also marks their first competitive victory over a Kent rival since January 2020. Dover’s attacking prowess was on full display as they took their tally to 24 goals in just six league games.

Dover Athletic – 5

Ruben SOARES-JUNIOR (25′)
George WILKINSON (27′)
Luke BAPTISTE  (43′)
Alfie MATTHEWS (50′)
Ruben SOARES-JUNIOR (82′)

Dartford – 1

Jeremiah Pinder (56′)


Isthmian League – Premier Division
Attendance: 1,018
Kick-off: 3pm
Referee: Peter Conn
Venue: Megger Community Stadium

Dover: Walker, Charles-Cook, Sesay, Tennent, Cocoracchio, Baptiste (Stewart 83mins), Matthews (Young 67mins), Nijaj (Amgbaduba 76mins), Soares-Junior (Silcott-Brown 85mins), Pont (Gyebi 90mins), Wilkinson.

Dartford: Kerbey, Odaudu, Hill, Dsane, Jones, Olopade (Carruthers 79mins), Box, Pinder, Okoye, Williams, Christian-Law (Allen 59mins). Subs not used: Marsden, Whitefield, Apat.

Up Next – Dover Athletic v Dartford FC

Dover are back at the Megger Community Stadium once again for another big Kent Derby against Dartford. After a disappointing FA Cup exit in midweek, The Whites turn their attention back to the Isthmian Premier Division campaign.

Dover Athletic

On Tuesday, Dover hosted Kent rivals Sittingbourne in an FA Cup First Qualifying Round replay at Crabble. Sittingbourne dominated early, quickly taking the lead with a header that looped over Walker. Dover struggled in the first half, only coming close when Soares-Junior hit the post. In the second half, Matthews tried to inspire a comeback with several chances, including a long-range shot that hit the bar. Manager Jake Leberl’s substitutions injected energy, but Dover couldn’t find a breakthrough. Despite late pressure and a penalty shout, Dover’s FA Cup run ended as Sittingbourne held on to progress to the next round.

Kieron Agbebi (foot) remains unavailable with injury.

From the Manager

“The boys have given a hell of a lot, there’s a lot of tired boys, we have a few niggles as well, so we’re seeing where we are at training on Thursday. We’ve got to get over disappointments, never too high, never too low. We’ve started off incredibly well in the league and this is the first real big disappointment. On Tuesday, for the first time, for the first game, I actually didn’t see us scoring and we have scored in every game so far, and that happens. Like I say, it’s how we react to that, how the boys react to that. We’ve got to dust ourselves down and regroup and go again.”

Dartford

Dartford FC, who came down to the Isthmian Premier Division with us, have had a strong start to their season, winning four of their first five league matches. They secured away victories against Cray Valley (2-1) and Carshalton Athletic (1-0), and home wins over Canvey Island (2-0) and Chatham Town (3-1). Their only setback came in a 0-1 home loss to Potters Bar Town.

Last Saturday, Dartford cruised to a dominant 6-2 victory over Marlow in the FA Cup at Princes Park. The match began with Dartford asserting control early on, and despite Marlow’s brief resistance, Eddie Dsane opened the scoring in the 42nd minute with a clinical finish. Olly Box added a second just before halftime, putting Dartford firmly in control.

After the break, Dartford quickly extended their lead, with Box scoring again in the 49th minute. Although Marlow pulled one back through a penalty by Kareem Akinnibi, Dartford responded with three more goals, including a brace from Ben Allen and a late strike from Callum Jones. Dartford’s comprehensive performance secured their place in the next round.

Head to Head

17 Feb 2024 Dover 1-2 Dartford
28 Aug 2023 Dartford 2-0 Dover
10 Apr 2023 Dartford 2-1 Dover
13 Sep 2022 Dover 1-3 Dartford
13 Dec 2016 Dover 1-2 Dartford
10 Dec 2016 Dartford 1-1 Dover
17 Jan 2015 Dover 6-1 Dartford
16 Sep 2014 Dartford 2-1 Dover

Kit

Dover Athletic will line up in our white and black home kit, with our goalkeeper in pink. Dartford play in all blue.

The Venue

We look forward to welcoming Dartford 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  

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.

Mitch Walker Interview

Watch it here – https://youtu.be/KeBfYEulD1U

Dover keeper and captain Mitch Walker speaks with Justin Allen about the disappointing FA Cup performance against Sittingbourne, urges our “magnificent fans” to keep playing their part in what has been a largely positive start to the season and looks ahead to the Kent derby with Dartford.

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