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HONOURS EVEN IN KENT DERBY

DOVER missed climbing into the play-off places after being held to a 1-1 draw by Maidstone United in the Kent derby at Crabble on Boxing Day.

Ricky Miller had put Whites ahead from the penalty spot in the opening half with his 25th National League goal of the season before Jamar Liza equalised for Stones in the second half.

The point keeps Dover sixth, one point out of the play-offs and they would have been in them after three of the five clubs above boss Chris Kinnear’s side lost.

Dover started  brightly and  Aswad Thomas volleyed just over shortly after kick-off before Ross Lafayette saw a goal bound header deflected wide.

Steve Arnold’s first piece of action saw him deny Yemi Odubade before Whites took the lead in the 16th minute.

Miller went down after a challenge from Tom Mills and got up to send Maidstone keeper Lee Worgan the wrong way.

Moses Emmanuel curled an angled effort just wide before Maidstone replied with Kevin Lokko going close with a header and Arnold produced a stunning save to turn over Loza’s shot.

At the other end, Miller was denied by Jamie Coyle’s brave block following a one- two with Lafayette. He then skewed wide Thomas’ pass from inside the box.

Alex Flisher should have levelled matters just before the interval, but blasted Vas Karagiannis’ free kick well over the bar from close range.

Lokko was almost left red faced after his lapse in concentration let in Lafayette, but Worgan intercepted the ball ahead of the target man.

After the break, Arnold was the busier of the goalkeepers, saving from Karagiannis, Flisher and Loza.

Loza was not to be denied though, his stunning lob from out wide in the 60th minute flew over Arnold and into the goal off the post.

Miller almost won the game at with a deflected shot that spun just wide before  Lafayette’s free kick at the death flew just wide.

Earlier, Kinnear named the same starting side from the 1-1 draw at Forest Green Rovers.

The only changes came on the bench where Sammy Moore and Jim Stevenson replaced Mitch Walker and Joe Healy.

Moore had missed the past four games with a hamstring injury while Stevenson had been ill on the trip to The New Lawn.

Dover and Maidstone meet again at he Gallagher Stadium on New Year’s Day at 6pm.

Dover: Arnold, Magri, Thomas, Grimes, Orlu, Sterling, Modeste, Parkinson (Stevenson 75mins), Miller, Lafayette, Emmanuel (Moore 79mins). Subs not used: Pinnock, Kinnear, Marsh

Maidstone: Worgan, Driver, Mills, Coyle, Lokko, Rogers, Karagiannis (Taylor 81mins), Paxman, Loza, Odubade (N’Guessan 83mins), Flisher. Subs not used: Evans, Acheampong, Greenhalgh

Attendance: 2,369 (509 from Maidstone)

PREVIEW: WHITES V MAIDSTONE UNITED

PLENTY of friendships will be set aside come kick-off when Dover host Kent rivals Maidstone United in the National League at Crabble on Boxing Day.

Players and officials on both sides know each other well, but with three valuable points on offer on the day and another in the return fixture at The Gallagher on New Year’s Day, there will be no room for any sentiment.

Dover boss Chris Kinnear, who spent ‘four or five’ seasons as a player with Maidstone, insists his emotion will be no different to any other matchday – a massive desire to win, like he has for every game.

Kinnear said: “I have a lot of fond memories of my time there and it will be good to see a lot of the old faces from those days again.

“I got to know a lot of people well in that time and we are still friends, well, we won’t be for 90 minutes on Monday.

“I’m really looking forward to the game and it should be played in a cracking atmosphere.”

But it’s not only some of the Maidstone fans that Kinnear knows.

Stones manager Jay Saunders played under Kinnear and alongside now Dover assistant boss Jake Leberl at Margate.

Kinnear said: “Jay and I go back a long way, but he’s got a job to do with Maidstone and I’ve got a job to do too.

“There is no doubt he will want the three points just as much as me – that goes without saying.”

Tickets

Tickets are not available in advance. Pay at the turnstiles for both home and away supporters. The fixture is segregated.

MAIDSTONE UNITED’S RECENT FORM

The Stones have lost their past two National League games, losing 2-1 at home against North Ferriby United last Saturday and 2-0 at Bromley.

Half-time substitute Jack Paxman was on target for the hosts after North Ferriby led 2-0 at one stage.

Maidstone had ended a four-game losing streak before the loss at Bromley by beating Eastleigh 2-1 at the Gallagher.

Midfielder Dan Sweeney, who joined League Two Barnet this week , got the first goal before Bobby-Joe Taylor scored a penalty to secure three points.

RECENT MEETINGS

The last time Dover played Maidstone United they beat today’s visitors 6-3 in a Kent Senior Cup match at Sittingbourne in October 2011.

The last league meetings between the sides was in the Isthmian Premier during the 2008-09 season.

Dover won both contests, 3-0 at Crabble, and 2-0 at Sittingbourne.

HITMEN

Whites’ top scorer in the National League this season is Ricky Miller with 24.

Miller’s strike partners Ross Lafayette and Moses Emmanuel both have nine each.

Bobby-Joe Taylor is Maidstone’s leading man with six league goals.

TEAM NEWS

Assistant boss Jake Leberl said after training on Friday that Leyton Orient loanee Sammy Moore is back in contention after his hamstring injury.

The midfielder has missed the past four games.

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!

TODAY’S OTHER NATIONAL LEAGUE FIXTURES

Aldershot Town v Woking

North Ferriby United v York City

Barrow v Gateshead

Braintree Town vs Dagenham & Redbridge

Bromley v Sutton United

Guiseley AFC v Lincoln City

Solihull Moors v Chester FC

Torquay United v Forest Green Rovers

Tranmere Rovers v Macclesfield Town

Wrexham v Southport

LOOKING AHEAD

The Supporters Club are running a coach to the National League games at Maidstone United and Macclesfield Town and details are as follows:

MAIDSTONE UNITED (Sunday, January 1)

Coach leaves Crabble at 4.15pm and the cost is as follows:

Adults Members £10, Adult Non Members £15 and accompanied child (under 16) £5.

MACCLESFIELD TOWN (Tuesday, January 10)

Coach leaves Crabble at 12.45pm and the cost is as follows:
Adults Members £30, Adult Non Members £35 and accompanied child (under 16) £10.

Please call or text Andy on 0793 4300335 to book your seat or see him in the Centre Spot on Monday.

PREVIEW: FOREST GREEN ROVERS V WHITES

DOVER head to Gloucestershire on Saturday aiming to get back to winning ways in the National League at promotion rivals Forest Green Rovers.

Whites slipped out of the play-off places after losing 2-1 at Crabble against Dagenham & Redbridge in their last league game.

That was followed by the FA Trophy exit at the hands of Dartford in Tuesday’s first round replay after the draw at Princes Park last Saturday.

Dover beat Forest Green 4-3 in the first meeting between the sides earlier this season after Ricky Miller scored at stunning hat-trick at Crabble in September.

But The New Lawn has not been the happiest of hunting grounds for Whites of late – they are winless there on their previous four visits.

The hosts won two of those encounters while the others ended in draws, including the 1-1 in the play-off semi-finals last season.

Assistant boss Jake Leberl is under no illusions about how tough breaking the drought in Nailsworth is going to be.

He said: “There is no questioning their quality – it’s going to be an extremely difficult game, they always are there.

“Saying that, we know we can compete with them and our win against them earlier this season proves it. I thought we were also unlucky not to win there in the final game of last season.

“Yes, we’ve had a bad week, teams do, and we didn’t do ourselves justice during it, but there’s nothing we can do about it now.
“It’s no good wondering what have been – you’ve got to focus on the present and we are sixth in the National League and just a point out of the play-offs.

“We’ve got to go there, get at them and play as well as we know we can.”

FOREST GREEN’S RECENT FORM

Forest Green advanced to the second round of the FA Trophy after a 1-0 win in extra time at Truro City on Tuesday.

Darren Carter got the decisive goal in the 109th minute to secure the win.

City, who are 14th in National League South, had held Forest Green to a 1-1 draw at The New Lawn in the first game on Saturday to force a replay.

In their league campaign, Forest Green are currently third, three places and four points ahead of Whites.

They lost 3-1 at Wrexham in their last league game after being held to a 2-2 draw at home against Tranmere five days earlier.

RECENT MEETINGS

14/11/2015: Forest Green Rovers 3-1 Dover Athletic
30/04/2016: Dover Athletic 0-1 Forest Green Rovers
04/05/2016: Dover Athletic 0-1 Forest Green Rovers
07/05/2016: Forest Green Rovers 1-1 Dover Athletic
10/09/2016: Dover Athletic 4-3 Forest Green Rovers

HITMEN

Whites’ top scorer in the National League this season is Ricky Miller with 24.

Miller’s strike partner Ross Lafayette has nine goals while Moses Emmanuel’s has eight to his name.

Christian Doidge is Forest Green’s leading man with eight goals.

TEAM NEWS

Assistant boss Jake Leberl said on Friday that Leyton Orient loanee Sammy Moore has not yet recovered from his hamstring injury.

The midfielder has now missed the past three games.

Forest Green will be without the suspended Dale Bennett following his red card at Truro on Tuesday and the injured Sam Wedgbury.

New striker Shamir Mullings is in contention to make his debut after joining from Chelmsford City.

DOVER COLOURS

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

COVERAGE

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

SATURDAY’S OTHER NATIONAL LEAGUE FIXTURES

Macclesfield Town vs Bromley (12.15pm)
Boreham Wood vs Barrow
ChesterFC vs Aldershot Town
Dagenham & Redbridge vs Solihull Moors
Gateshead vs Braintree Town
Lincoln City vs Tranmere Rovers
Maidstone United vs North Ferriby United
Southport vs Eastleigh
Sutton United vs Wrexham
Woking vs Guiseley AFC
York City vs Torquay United

LOOKING AHEAD

The Supporters Club are running a coach to the National League game at Maidstone United on New Year’s Day.

Coach leaves Crabble at 4.15pm and the cost is as follows:

Adults Members £10, Adult Non Members £15 and accompanied child (under 16) £5.

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

PREVIEW: WHITES VS DARTFORD

A HOME tie with Chelmsford City in the FA Trophy second round will be the reward if Dover win Tuesday’s replay against Dartford at Crabble.

And assistant manager Jake Leberl knows it will need an improved performance to get the job done.

The Kent derby ended 1-1 at Princes Park on Saturday after Ricky Miller’s first half opener was cancelled out by Ronnie Vint’s equaliser 13 minutes into the second half.

Leberl said: “I am certainly looking for a reaction from the lads as I felt we were not quite at it in the second half on Saturday.

“We were really good in at the start, but credit to Dartford, they really stuck at it and deserved a draw.

“To be honest, the last two performances have been disappointing, but it was only just over a week ago we were on a terrific run and hitting Sutton for six.

“Maybe some complacency has set in, so we need to work harder and stick together in order to get back to doing what we do best and hopefully that will start on Tuesday night.”

The Darts won’t have fond memories of their last visit to Crabble – they lost 6-1 in January 2015, their heaviest defeat against Whites in 13 years.

Tom Murphy (two), Nicky Deverdics, Richard Orlu, Liam Bellamy and Barry Cogan scored the goals.

DARTFORD’S RECENT FORM

Darts reached this stage of the competition after a 4-2 win at Weston-Super-Mare.

Elliot Bradbrook starred in Somerset, scoring a hat-trick while Andy Pugh got the other goal.

In their league campaign, Dartford are currently fourth on the National League South ladder.

RECENT MEETINGS

16/09/14: Dartford 2-1 Dover Athletic
17/01/15: Dover Athletic 6-1 Dartford
10/12/16: Dartford 1-1 Dover Athletic

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Dover Athletic wins: 35 Dartford wins: 32 Draws: 24

HITMEN

Whites’ top scorer in all competitions this season is Ricky Miller with 27.

He has scored in seven consecutive games following his goal at Darford on Saturday.

Miller’s strike partner Ross Lafayette has nine goals while Moses Emmanuel’s has eight to his name.

Bradbrook is Dartford’s leading man with six goals.

TEAM NEWS

Leberl said Leyton Orient loanee Sammy Moore is still struggling with a hamstring injury and the midfielder won’t be in contention after missing the past two games.

For Dartford, they will be missing central defender and former Dover loanee Tom Bonner through suspension.

Tom Gardiner and Andy Pugh both started last Saturday but were both substituted after picking up knocks.

COVERAGE

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

TUESDAY’S OTHER FA TROPHY REPLAYS

Barrow AFC v Harrogate Town
Brackley Town v AFC Fylde
Chester v Witton Albion
Woking v Ebbsfleet United
Weymouth v Whitehawk
Royston Town v Dulwich Hamlet
Wingate & Finchley v Wealdstone
North Leigh v South Park
Truro City v Forest Green Rovers
Maidstone United v Boreham Wood
Leiston v Bromley

LOOKING AHEAD

The Supporters Club are running a coach for the National League games at Forest Green Rovers and Maidstone United and details are as follows:

FOREST GREEN ROVERS (Saturday, December 17)
Coach leaves Crabble at 9am and the cost is as follows:

Adults Members £25, Adult Non Members £30 and accompanied child (under 16) £5.

MAIDSTONE UNITED (Sunday, January 1)
Coach leaves Crabble at 4.15pm and the cost is as follows:

Adults Members £10, Adult Non Members £15 and accompanied child (under 16) £5.

Please call or text Andy on 0793 4300335 to book your seat or see him in the Centre Spot tonight.

MAIDSTONE AWAY TICKETS

TICKETS for our National League clash at Maidstone United on New Year’s Day are now on sale.

BUY Tickets

Away section tickets are only available to buy online

Capacity at the Gallagher Stadium has been reduced from 3,030 to 2,455 due to building works at the north end of the ground

Dover Athletic supporters have been allocated a section along the west side of the ground. This is flat standing and uncovered

As the area is flat standing, tickets are sold on the understanding of restrictive viewing

This section will accommodate 391 supporters

A very limited number of main stand seats (nine) have been made available. These will be available from the club office at Crabble

Away fans will need to show their ticket (in paper form or on mobile/tablet) at turnstile eight. This entrance is off James Whatman Way, opp. Kent History & Library Centre

Gates will open at 15:30, ahead of the 6pm kick off

FA TROPHY DRAW R2

DOVER will earn a home clash with National League South side Chelmsford City in the FA Trophy second round if successful in Tuesday’s replay against Dartford at Crabble.

Whites and the Clarets have already met this season, playing out a 1-1 draw in a pre-season friendly at City’s Melbourne Park.

Chelmsford beat visiting Hitchin Town 1-0 on Saturday to book their place in the draw.

The 16 ties will take place on Saturday, January 14, with winning clubs picking up £6,000 from The FA’s prize fund.

FA Trophy second round draw

1 Worthing v Sutton United

2 Tranmere Rovers v South Park or North Leigh

3 Bromley or Leiston v Welling United

4 East Thurrock United or Aldershot Town v Braintree Town

5 Nuneaton Town v Guiseley

6 Boreham Wood or Maidstone United v Alfreton Town

7 Harrogate Town or Barrow v Matlock Town

8 Southport v Wealdstone or Wingate & Finchley

9 Gateshead v Shaw Lane or Nantwich or Lincoln City

10 Dartford or Dover Athletic v Chelmsford City

11 Kidderminster Harriers v Ebbsfleet United or Woking

12 Harlow Town v York City

13 AFC Sudbury v Altrincham or Macclesfield Town

14 Whitehawk or Weymouth v Dulwich Hamlet or Royston Town

15 Witton Albion or Chester v Forest Green Rovers or Truro City

16 Stockport County v AFC Fylde or Brackley Town

The Buildbase FA Trophy

LOOK AHEAD: DARTFORD V WHITES

DOVER boss Chris Kinnear is looking forward and not back ahead of Saturday’s FA Trophy first round clash at Dartford.

Whites have bowed out of the competition at the quarter-final stage in the past two years, something Kinnear wants to erase from the memory bank.

He said: “What is done is done, no matter how much those two defeats hurt and I can tell you they did because we should have made it all the way to Wembley.

“We didn’t give a great account of ourselves in those two games, but that’s all in the past now.

“The slate has been wiped clean and now we have to focus on the job at hand – getting a result at Dartford.”

And Kinnear is taking nothing for granted against a side currently fourth on the National League South ladder.

He said: “The table never lies. Dartford are in good form and we’ve got to ensure we are on our game.”

DARTFORD’S RECENT FORM

Darts reached this stage of the competition after a 4-2 win at Weston-Super-Mare.

Elliot Bradbrook starred in Somerset, scoring a hat-trick while Andy Pugh got the other goal.

Dartford finished the game with 10-men after defender Tom Bonner, who spent time on loan at Crabble from Cambridge United, was shown a straight red.

He is currently serving a four-game ban.

In their league campaign, Dartford beat visiting Poole Town 2-1 last Saturday with goals from former Dover striker Duane Ofori-Acheampong and Luke Wanadio.

RECENT MEETINGS

16/09/14: Dartford 2-1 Dover Athletic
17/01/15: Dover Athletic 6-1 Dartford

HITMEN

Whites’ top scorer in all competitions this season is Ricky Miller with 24.

Miller’s strike partner Ross Lafayette has nine goals while Moses Emmanuel’s has eight to his name.

Bradbrook is Dartford’s leading man with six goals.

TEAM NEWS

Assistant boss Jake Leberl said on Friday that Leyton Orient loanee Sammy Moore is the only injury concern.

The midfielder missed last Saturday’s clash with Dagenham & Redbridge with a sore hamstring.

DOVER COLOURS

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

COVERAGE

The game starts at 3pm 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!

SATURDAY’S OTHER FA TROPHY FIXTURES

Gateshead v King’s Lynn Town
Farsley Celtic v Southport
Solihull Moors v Matlock Town
Shaw Lane Association v Lincoln City
Alfreton Town v North Ferriby United
Kidderminster Harriers v AFC Telford United
Nuneaton Town v Stocksbridge Park Steels
Harrogate Town v Barrow
AFC Fylde v Brackley Town
York City v Worcester City
Chorley v Guiseley
Witton Albion v Chester
Wrexham v Tranmere Rovers
Stockport County v Marine
Ebbsfleet United v Woking
Chelmsford City v Hitchin Town
Dagenham & Redbridge v Worthing
Harlow Town v Eastleigh
Whitehawk v Weymouth
Braintree Town v Torquay United
East Thurrock United v Aldershot Town
Dulwich Hamlet v Royston Town
Welling United v Hythe Town
Wealdstone v Wingate & Finchley
South Park v North Leigh
AFC Sudbury v Gosport Borough
Sutton United v Bath City
Forest Green Rovers v Truro City
Boreham Wood v Maidstone United
Bromley v Leiston

LOOKING AHEAD

The Supporters Club are running a coach to the National League game at Forest Green Rovers next Saturday (December 17) and details are:

Coach leaves Crabble at 9am and the cost is as follows:

Adults Members £25, Adult Non Members £30 and accompanied child (under 16) £5.

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