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WHITES DEFEATED BY LEADERS

PREVIEW: LINCOLN CITY V DOVER ATHLETIC

JAMIE Grimes scored his first goal of the season in the 2-0 win against Lincoln City at Crabble in September.

The captain says he wouldn’t mind repeating it when Whites play the now table-topping Imps at Sincil Bank on Friday night.

But the defender, who has scored in his past two National League games, admits that comes way down on his list of priorities as boss Chris Kinnear’s side aim to complete the double over Lincoln for the second consecutive season.

Grimes said: “A win is my first priority, regardless of who scores – I don’t mind at all as long as we get the three points.

“I would then say a win with a clean sheet is next on my list and then a win with goal from yours truly would be nice as I will have about 12 family members in the crowd!

And Grimes is well aware of the challenge that lies ahead in Lincolnshire.

He said: “We want the points – they want them too.

“It’s going to be a massive game with a massive crowd in attendance.

“As player, these are games you want to play in. Me and lads are really looking forward to it.”

LINCOLN’S RECENT FORM

The Imps dumped Championship side Ipswich Town out of the FA Cup on Tuesday night after winning the Third Round replay 1-0 at Sincil Bank.

Nathan Arnold scored the all-important goal in injury time after the sides had drawn 2-2 at Portman Road 10 days earlier.

In their last National League game, Lincoln came from behind to beat nine-man Guiseley 3-1 at Sincil Bank on New Year’s Day.

Guiseley took the lead through Sam Habergham’s own goal before the hosts replied with an Alan Power penalty and goals from Sean Raggett and Arnold.

That win took them top of the ladder and they are currently five places and six points ahead of Whites.

RECENT MEETINGS

31/01/15: Lincoln City 1-0 Dover Athletic

07/03/15: Dover Athletic 1-2 Lincoln City

09/01/16: Lincoln City 2-3 Dover Athletic

15/03/16: Dover Athletic 4-1 Lincoln City

24/09/16: Dover Athletic 2-0 Lincoln City

HITMEN

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

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

Matt Rhead is Lincoln’s top marksman in the league with 11 goals while Arnold has got 10.

TEAM NEWS

Boss Chris Kinnear says all players are fit for the trip apart from an ill Ricky Modeste.

The squad will also include loan signing, defender Connor Essam. who arrived from Eastleigh last week and played in the Kent Reliance Senior Cup win at Herne Bay on Monday.

Lincoln signed Brighton & Hove Albion winger Joe Ward on a one-month loan deal last week.

The 21-year-old has played four games this season for Albion’s under-21 side in the EFL Trophy.

DOVER COLOURS

For Dover fans wanting to show their colours at Lincoln by wearing the matching shirts as the players, captain Jamie Grimes and his team-mates will be wearing their blue shirts.

TICKET NEWS

With the game being broadcast live on BT Sport, and due to the interest in the fixture from Imps’ supporters, the decision has been made to open up the Stacey West Stand for home fans.

That means Dover supporters will now be in blocks 1-3 of the Bridge McFarland Stand and not in the normal away end.

Dover fans will be able to buy tickets at the away turnstiles on Friday night and prices are as follows:

Adult £18

60+/*Disabled £13

Student (Photo ID) £7

Junior U18 £7

*Disabled – Proof of DLA Medium/ High | PIP – enhanced. If travelling disabled supporters have the HIGH or ENHANCED rate they will be entitled to the helpers ticket free of charge.

COVERAGE

The game starts at 7.45pm but if you are unable to make the trip north, we will have live updates on Twitter – @DAFCLiveText - follow us and get all the news as it happens!

Coverage starts from 7pm.

COACH TRAVEL

The Supporters Club are running a coach to the game at Lincoln City and it’s not too late to get on it.

Thanks to a generous donation by local businessman and huge Dover Athletic fan Nick Cunningham– who owns Nick Cunningham Plumbing and Heating Engineers, based in Sandwich –seats on the coach are being sold at a reduced price.

We thank Nick for his kind gesture and hope that fans take advantage of his generosity.

Coach leaves Crabble at 1pm and the cost is:

Adults Members £10, Adult Non Members £20 and accompanied child (under 16) £5.

Please call or text Andy on 0793 4300335 to book your seat.

Whites cup date set

DAFA 4 – 2 Eastbourne

Dover Academy enjoyed yet another comfortable win over the same opponents as last week, Eastbourne Borough. Dover ran out 4-2 winners on what was a bitter cold day.

Dover started on the front foot, scoring after just 2 minutes, when Matthew Robinson delivered a sublime cross which found the head of Chris Barnard. 3 minutes later and Barnard had double the score line for Dover and his own personal tally for the game when he nodded in his second from a delightful cross assisted by Connor miller.

Domination continued throughout the first half from Dover, however on the 35th minute of the game against the run of play Eastbourne pulled a goal back following a long ball to the corner of the box which was bought down well by the Eastbourne player who beat Stan Waller at his near post from the edge of the box.

Moments before the whistle was blown for half time, Connor Miller restored Dover’s two goal lead with an elegant volley which found the bottom corner, after Robinson deliver a pin point free kick. Dover ended the half leading 3-1 after a sumptuous first half performance.

The second half began and yet more pressure was piled onto the Eastbourne defence which was struggling to cope with the Dover attacks. Finally on the hour mark Ben Cardwell put the game to bed when he grabbed his first of the game following a corner whipped in by Robinson, flicked on at the near post by Marshall Wratten and fell kindly for Cardwell who never looked like missing from 3 yards out.

Again Dover’s defence was breached in the 62nd minute after a long range shot flew into the top corner, Waller was nowhere to be seen.

Following the slight scare of Eastbourne potentially getting themselves back into the game, Dover saw off the last 15 minutes comfortably creating more chances to extend there lead. The game finished 4-2 in what was a great afternoon for Dover Academy who jump up to second place in the league.

Man of the match: Christopher Barnard
Goal scorers: Christopher Barnard x2
Connor Miller
Ben Cardwell
Match report by: Tom Bond

WHITES ADVANCE IN CUP

WHITES IN CUP ACTION

Our Kent Reliance Senior Cup campaign starts at Ryman League, Division 1 South side Herne Bay on Monday night.

The game kicks-off at Winch’s Field at 7.45pm.

The winners will play VCD – who knocked Gillingham out 3-2 – in the quarter-finals.

WHITES WELCOME BACK ESSAM

Dover Athletic are delighted to confirm the signing of defender Connor Essam on loan from fellow National League club Eastleigh for the rest of the season.

Essam, 24, who captained Dover during his first spell at Crabble during the 2014-15 campaign, signed for the Spitfires last summer having joined them from Leyton Orient.

He played 42 games for Whites prior to joining Orient in July 2015 where he made 26 appearances in League Two before re-joining Dover on loan in March last season.

The centre-back went on to make nine appearances for boss Chris Kinnear’s men

He previously had spells at Dartford, Crawley and Luton, having started his career as a trainee at Gillingham.

Welcome back Connor!.

DAFA 6-2 Eastbourne

Dover Academy enjoyed a comfortable 6-2 win over 2nd place Eastbourne at the Crabble. Dover started the half brightly by dominating possession and in the 10th minute Matty Robinson split the Eastbourne defence and Jordan Bartlett scored his first of the day by calmly slotting the ball underneath the keeper and into the net.

Not long after this Dover added more pressure in the Eastbourne final third and that resulted in Kieran Smith putting in an inch perfect cross for Bartlett to get his second 5 minutes later.

For the next 10 minutes Dover again was dominant but unable to make the score 3-0 and were punished as Eastbourne won the ball on the left flank and were able to put a cross in and it resulted in the Eastbourne centre forward just getting in front of Dover goalkeeper Stan Waller and he directed the ball into the goal to make it 2-1 half an hour into the first half.

Dover quickly responded with Marshall Wratten playing in Ben Cardwell down the left who puts a ball in back post which allowed Bartlett to complete his first half hatrick as he volleys into the back of the net. Dover had opportunity’s to make it 4-1 but were unable to convert and this allowed Eastbourne to nearly come back into the game when they have a free kick that gets crossed in and an Eastbourne player gets a free header that goes just wide, Dover go into the break up 3-1.

The second half started much like the first with Dover being the better team and controlling the ball with quick passing, and eventually Dover managed to break down the wing with Jack Smith and Chris Barnard linking up to set Bartlett free who cuts it back for Cardwell to finish and make it 4-1 on the hour mark.

The Dover centre backs Ollie Roberts and Kyron Connelly came under pressure for 10 minutes after the Dover 4th goal in which they defended well with a lot of clearance’s from the Eastbourne crosses, Waller also helped by pulling off two fine saves from a cross and free kick.

The Dover midfield consisting of Connor Miller and Chris Barnard battled well throughout the whole game winning every one of their duals as Miller got his reward from working hard as he wins back the ball just inside his own half and realises Cardwell who calmly chips the on rushing Eastbourne Goalkeeper on the 75th minute mark. Eastbourne battled on and soon after the goal won themselves a corner which Dover managed to clear, but not far enough as they get another chance to deliver which they took and found an unmarked Eastbourne head who nods into the bottom corner.

Dover were the team who finished on the high as they managed to make it 6-2 when Cardwell plays through the substitute Shusanta Rai who places the ball into the bottom corner and raps off a fine day for the Dover Academy.

Goals from Jordan Bartlett x3 and Ben Cardwell x 2

MOM Jordan Bartlett

Match report by Ben Cardwell