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WHITES IN KENT CUP ACTION

NEW signing James Caton is poised to make his Dover Athletic debut when Whites host Ryman League North side VCD Athletic in the Kent Reliance Senior Cup quarter-final clash at Crabble on Monday.

The former Shrewsbury Town winger joined boss Chris Kinnear’s last Thursday after spending the first half of this season with National League rivals Southport.

Dover won 1-0 at Ryman League, Division 1 South side Herne Bay thanks to Tyrone Marsh’s first half goal last month to reach this stage of the competition.

Marsh won’t feature against VCD, who beat Gillingham 3-2 in the last round, due to a knee injury.

VCD did not play on Saturday after their league clash at Bowers & Pitsea was called off due to a waterlogged pitch.

They have lost their past five league games and are currently 18th on the ladder, five points above the relegation zone.

The club have reduced the admission price for the game down to just £5 for all, while under-11s get into Crabble for free, to allow as many fans and members of the community as possible to come along.

The game kicks-off at 7.45pm.

WHITES SIGN CATON

DOVER Athletic boss Chris Kinnear has added some extra firepower to his attack after signing winger James Caton.

The 23-year-old former Shrewsbury Town man has spent the first half of this season playing in the National League for Southport.

He played 24 games for the Sandgrounders, including in Dover’s 1-0 win at the Merseyrail Community Stadium last September.

Caton, who was released by League One Shrewsbury last May, scored two goals during his time with Southport.

His last appearance was in the 3-2 win against visiting Wrexham on New Year’s Day.

After putting pen to paper with Whites on Thursday, Caton said: “I am delighted to have signed for Dover.

“I’ve been in and around the team for the last week or so and got a great vibe from everyone – they have all been great with me from the players to the management and the staff.

“I am really looking forward to hopefully playing my part in what should be an exciting end to the season.”

Caton spent the second-half of last season on loan at Lincoln City, scoring three goals in 12 games, which also saw him play for the Imps in their 4-1 defeat at Crabble last March.

During his time at Shrewsbury, Caton, also had loan spells at Mansfield and Wrexham.

The former Bolton youngster made two league appearances for Shrewsbury after joining the club from Blackpool in 2014.

He made two appearances in the Championship during his time at Blackpool.

Welcome to Dover James!

LEWES 2-7 DAFC ACADEMY

MATTHEW Robinson scored a hat-trick as Dover Academy bounced back from their first home defeat of the season with an impressive win at Lewes.

Coach Mike Sandman’s side put the disappointment of the 2-1 loss against Hastings behind them in style in East Sussex.

Dover led 5-0 at one stage thanks to first half doubles from Ben Cardwell and Robinson as well as an own goal.

Robinson (pictured above) completed his treble in the second half before substitute Jack Cussen added the seventh to complete the rout.

Earlier, Dover opened the scoring in the 15th minute after Cardwell slotted home Jordan Bartlett’s corner.

Robinson added a second five minutes later with a clinical finish following Connor Miller’s fine run and cross.

Cardwell turned provider to set up Robinson for the third before Robinson’s corner was deflected into his own net by a home defender.

Dover’s fifth came from Cardwell, who picked the ball up on the halfway line and completed a magnificent run with a clinical finish.

Lewes pulled one back just before half-time and another from the penalty sport after the restart, but there was to be no more joy for the hosts.

Robinson completed his hat-trick with a stunning half-volley before Cussen scored the seventh.

REDUCED ADMISSION FOR CUP CLASH

DOVER Athletic have reduced the admission price for the Kent Reliance Senior Cup quarter-final clash with VCD Athletic next Monday (February 6).

The club has cut the price down to just £5 for all, while under-11s get into Crabble for free, to allow as many fans and members of the community as possible to come and see the game against the Ryman League North club.

Boss Chris Kinnear’s side won 1-0 at Ryman League, Division 1 South side Herne Bay thanks to Tyrone Marsh’s first half goal earlier this month to earn the home tie.

VCD beat Gillingham 3-2 in the last round.

The game kicks-off at 7.45pm.

Highlights: Dover 3 – Chester 1

REACTION: DOVER ATHLETIC 3-1 CHESTER FC

Dover boss Chris Kinnear after his side beat Chester FC at Crabble to move back into the play-off places.

WHITES BACK IN PLAY-OFFS

PREVIEW: WHITES V CHESTER FC

Dover will be out to end a run of two consecutive National League defeats when they host Chester FC at Crabble on Saturday.

Losses at Macclesfield Town and Lincoln City have seen boss Chris Kinnear’s side drop to sixth on the ladder on goal difference behind Barrow.

Whites will also want to secure a first win at home since the 3-1 triumph against Woking on November 22.

But the boss is not letting the formbook get to him.

He said: “It is always disappointing to lose, but we are not going to overreact to recent defeats.

“With second to fifth all facing each other, Saturday will provide a great opportunity for us to make up some ground and hopefully we can end the day in the play-off positions again.”

Chester FC scored five second half goals to beat Dover 5-0 earlier this season and condemn Whites to their heaviest league defeat in two years.

Something captain Jamie Grimes wants to erase from the memory bank.

He said: “We owe Chester after probably our worst performance of the season at their place in October.

“It was possibly a false score in the end after having played 60 minutes with goalkeeper Steve Arnold hobbling around with a fractured foot.

“But that doesn’t make that result any easier to bear – that hurt, so hopefully we can put it right on Saturday.”

CHESTER’S RECENT FORM

The Blues came from behind the draw 1-1 against visiting Wrexham in the cross-border derby last Saturday.

Former Chester man John Rooney put Wrexham ahead in the second half after he scored from close range.

James Alabi levelled for the hosts from the penalty spot after he had been brought down by James Jennings.

Chester finished the game with 10 men after a second yellow card for captain Luke George.

Alabi also scored a double in Chester’s previous league game, a 2-1 win at Braintree Town.

RECENT MEETINGS

01/10/16: Chester 5-0 Dover Athletic

24/11/15: Chester 1-1 Dover Athletic

15/08/15: Dover Athletic 0-0 Chester

11/04/15: Chester 3-1 Dover Athletic

11/10/14: Dover Athletic 2-0 Chester

HITMEN

Whites’ top scorer in the National League this season is Ricky Miller with 25.

Miller’s strike partners Ross Lafayette and Moses Emmanuel are also both in double figures with Emmanuel on 11 and Lafayette with 10 to his name.

Alabi is Chester’s leading man with 11 goals.

DOVER TEAM NEWS

Assistant boss Jake Leberl said on Friday that there are no injury concerns although Ricky Modeste’s involvement remains to be seen as he awaits the birth of his first child.

TICKET NEWS

Tickets can still be purchased on the day and this match is NOT segregated.

COVERAGE

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

SATURDAY’S OTHER NATIONAL LEAGUE FIXTURES (3pm)

Aldershot Town v York City

Barrow v Forest Green Rovers

Bromley v Southport

Eastleigh v Woking

North Ferriby United v Macclesfield Town

Solihull Moors v Maidstone United

Torquay United v Gateshead

Tranmere Rovers v Dagenham & Redbridge

Wrexham v Boreham Wood

AWAY DAYS

Dover hit the road for two National League games at North Ferriby United and Woking Town with Supporters Club coach details as follows for travelling fans.

NORTH FERRIBY UNITED (3pm Saturday, February 18)

Coach leaves Crabble at 7.30am and the cost is as follows:

Adults Members £30, Adult Non Members £45 and accompanied child (under 16) £10.

WOKING TOWN (7.45pm Tuesday, February 28)

Coach leaves Crabble at 4.30pm 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 before or after today’s game.

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.

DAFC ACADEMY 1-2 HASTINGS

CONNOR Miller’s goal was not enough to prevent Dover Academy from suffering their first home defeat of the season after losing 2-1 against Hastings on Wednesday.

Dover made a promising start to the game with Kyran Connolly having his diving header ruled offside.

But coach Mike Sandmann’s young side did finally break the deadlock through Miller in the 25^th minute.

A great run into the box and cross from Ben Cardwell ended with Miller (pictured above) firing home.

Dover were in control now and were creating plenty of chances but couldn’t make them count, so they had to settle for a slender lead at half-time.

It was Hastings who started the stronger side after the break and they equalised from close range 10 minutes into the half.

Once again Dover created plenty of chances and again failed to put them away.

The best chance of the second half saw Cardwell fail to put away a cross from man-of-the match Matty Robinson.

Dover continued to pile on the pressure and Connolly had another goal disallowed in the 65^th minute after Josh Spencer was ruled to have fouled the goalkeeper.