Weston take the points as Whites falter at home again. – By Fred Deveson

It was a bitterly cold afternoon in Dover as The Whites hosted Weston-Super-Mare in the National League South but the home side fell short, losing 0-1 to the Somerset based team.

The lineup saw George Wilkinson replaced by captain James Dunne, who looked to bring more experience in the middle of the park, while Sinn’Kaye Christie missed out at the back due to an injury picked up in the warm up. He was replaced by Charlie Naylor at the heart of the defence.

From minute one, it was clear that the visitors were intent on dominating possession and tiring out the home team, both physically and mentally. The away side combined some good passes together and looked to open up the back line of the hosts and were nearly successful on a couple of occasions early on in the first half if not for Naylor and Akehurst being solid at the back.

Dover did threaten with balls over the top, however Weston coped with that threat well, neutralising the likes of Pearce and Allen. Dontai Stewart had a chance on the left-hand side which hit the advertising hoardings behind the goal and Luke Pearce had a hopeful penalty shout, but that was quickly waved away by the referee, and that was largely it for Dover’s attacking threat in the first half.

It was the away side that continued to pile on the pressure and a very well worked passing move ended with Dayle Grubb being left free inside the penalty area to finish past the on-loan Bournemouth goalkeeper, Billy Terrel, who could do nothing about it. The visitors went into the break a goal ahead and in full control.

The two sides came out for the second half and Dover made two changes to try and shift the momentum in the home side’s favour. Paris Lock was brought on for Iffy Allen, who picked up an injury late in the first half, and super-sub-Sutherland came on to try and make an impact in the second half from the left.

Both were very lively at the start of the second period, with Lock causing problems for the left back of the away side, and Zidan using his skills to cut inside. The latter did just that, but his shot was tame and easily gathered up by the goalkeeper.

The pressure did continue for a little while at the start of the second half, with a corner coming in from the left finding its way to Bailey Akehurst outside the area, who hit a wonderful volley that was goal-bound, but his strike was blocked by the defender.

The pressure unsurprisingly riled up the home fans, who got right behind their team and they had hope for better things to come in the second half, despite the time-wasting tactics that the away side were deploying from early in the second half. The fans particularly enjoyed the visitors’ bench receiving a yellow card, and then later a red card, after they were incredibly animated at some of the referee’s decisions.

As the second half progressed, Weston-Super-Mare gained more control of the game after they weathered the early storm from Dover in the first half. They played some good intricate passes in around the Dover penalty area, and whilst they largely didn’t come to anything, it did allow them to keep hold of the ball, which was valuable to them as it did not allow Dover any chance on the ball to break and find the equaliser. The hosts were pinned back and could do nothing.

This was how the game ended, Dover had very little of the ball and, despite the threat of Sutherland and Lock on the counter, the away side kept The Whites at bay and saw the game out, taking all 3 points back to Somerset.

A crucial game awaits Dover next, as they head to bottom placed Havant and Waterlooville. Is this where Dover’s fortunes change?

Dover Athletic: Terrell, Oyenuga, Mensah, Naylor, Allen, Akehurst, Dunne, Young, Anifowose, Stewart, Pearce

Subs: Wilkinson, Zidan, Dembele, Lock, Charles-Cooke

Weston-Super-Mare: Lee, Morton, Reid, Bastin, Humphries, Fletcher, Wilmott, Cane, Pope, Grubb, Avery

Subs: Purnell, Dodd, Thomas, Manning, Jackson

Attendance: 532

Mitch Brundle adds to his backroom staff.

Jake Leberl has re-joined the Whites today as he joins Mitch Brundle on his coaching staff as our new assistant manager. Leberl will come straight into the mix in time for tomorrows crunch clash with Weston-Super-Mare and will look to add his knowledge and experience to the dressing room, following his previous spell on the bench under then manager, Chris Kinnear.

Jake, who had two spells at Crabble as a player, was delighted to be back at his hometown club.

Looking forward to getting back involved with the club that’s played a massive part in my life & career and am thankful to be given the opportunity by Mitch & Jim. I helped bring Mitch to the club as a player & we had some great times so I am looking forward to picking up where we left off. I fully appreciate it’s a different club to when I left last & is going to be an extremely difficult challenge but hopefully I can pass on my knowledge I’ve picked up throughout onto the group to make us more organised, disciplined & a harder team to beat, in the hope of picking up enough points to get us out the situation we currently find ourselves in. I’ve watched the last few games so have an understanding of what we have as a group & where I feel we can improve, it’s a start of a new era for myself with the ultimate aim of fans walking down the slope at the end of games with a smile on their faces. – Jake Leberl

Welcome back, Jake.

The Seagulls flock to the White Cliffs for our next league fixture.

Weston-Super-Mare head to town in what will no doubt be an exciting encounter in the Vanarama National League South. The Seagulls come to White Cliffs country, buoyed by their victory over St Albans City last time out.

Weston sit five places in front of the Whites with Mitch Brundle looking to get his players firing on all cylinders as we head into a cluster of crunch fixtures. It would have been seen as two points dropped on Tuesday night so the lads will be looking to put that right this time out. Winning is a habit, as well as losing so if we can break the draw jinx and get the full points, we can be sure to start climbing that league table. We hope to see as many of you there as possible to cheer the lads on.

This weeks match sees the return of the rainbow laces campaign, now entering its 10th season.

COYW!

Form Guide:

Head to Head:

We still have players available to sponsor, an updated list will be in todays match day programme. If you are interested click HERE

Ticket Information:

Admission for this match is by turnstile only. We accept both card and cash on the gate.

Adults – £17

Over 60 – £15

Under 18 – £9

Under 11s continue to be free with paying adult

We are also offering a five game ticket. These can only be used by one individual per match and not in groups.

Adult – £75 (£10 saving)
Concession – £65 (£10 saving)

Striker lottery to be replaced by a new version.

Dover Athletic have announced that their STRIKER lottery will be discontinued and replaced with a more modern 200 CLUB.

Chairman Jim Parmenter commented ‘There are laws around lotteries of the Striker format which require a certain percentage of the takings to be paid to the intended recipient. With falling membership, mainly due to the ever-increasing competition, with a new charity lottery being announced nearly every month, coupled with people having to watch their budgets in the current environment, we have struggled to meet those legal obligations. With a drop in prize money not being a viable option, we have taken the only decision open to us, which is to discontinue the Lottery which has been an important source of income to the club over many years.

I would like to thank all of those involved in the lottery over the years and in particular Harry Reed who has worked tirelessly over the last few years on a voluntary basis to try to keep the Striker up and running. The last draw will take place on the 3^rd of January 2024.

However, those wishing to regularly support the Cub whilst still having the chance to win £1,000 every month will have the opportunity to do so through our new 200 CLUB format.’

The odds of winning will be significantly better than the Striker and more details will be announced soon, those interested can register for membership by contacting the club office or e-mailing [email protected].

Fancy watching the Whites take on Weston-Super-Mare AFC in style? Of course you do.

Mitch Brundle and 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 £28 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 :

• Potato & Leek Soup served with a bread roll
• Pie, Mash Potato, Vegetables & Gravy
• Salted Caramel Blondie Cheesecake & Cream

Arrival at the ground should be at 1pm and food will be served at 1.30pm.

There are only 64 spaces available, so all tickets will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis.

The dress code is smart casual.

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

Akehurst signs to add to the squad.

Mitch Brundle has added further to his squad with the acquisition of Bailey Akehurst, who will add much needed depth to the left full-back area.

Despite being a second-year scholar, Akehurst made his league debut for Gillingham in a 1–1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday on 13 September 2021, having made his first senior appearance in an EFL Trophy match against Crawley Town earlier on that season. On 7 June 2022 he signed his first professional contract with the Kent side. Shortly into the 2022–23 season, he signed for Hastings United on loan, where he started out this campaign following his release from the Gills.

Welcome to Crabble, Bailey.

Latest Striker results for Wednesday 22nd November

Congratulations to all the winners and better luck next time if your name wasn’t drawn out. It could well be your time next week.

For anyone who doesn’t know how the Striker Lottery works well let me explain if for you. Each week, so long as you have paid your £1 weekly subscription, your number will be entered into a draw. If your number is drawn, congratulations – you’re a winner! It’s as simple as that. The draw is held every Wednesday. Keep an eye on the website and social media pages for full details. Who knows, your number could scoop the £1,000 top prize.

Please note that only paid-for tickets are entered in the draw. For your convenience, your membership fee can be collected from you, or you can pay at the Club Office or, to save time, you can pay monthly or quarterly by standing order.

Contact [email protected] to register your interest and good luck

Whites held at home again. – Report by Fred Deveson.

It was a wet and windy night at Crabble but that didn’t stop Dover putting in a good performance and earning themselves a 1-1 draw with visitors Eastbourne Borough in the battle for survival. It was largely scrappy in the opening exchanges, with both sides testing each other out with long balls flying from back to front for the first ten minutes. Iffy Allen had a positive start to the game, as he proved a nightmare to defend. His pace and trickery gave the home side a clear avenue of attack and he got in behind on several occasions and put some good balls in, but no goals came from this in the first half.

Part of Dover’s success last night was down to the defence, who were on it from the start. Jacob Mensah was a rock at the back, winning all of his duels and keeping the visitors quiet for most of the first half. The man on loan from Bournemouth in the Dover goal was outstanding too, making a couple of crucial saves in the first half and keeping the score level. Debutant Bailey Akehurst also made an impressive start to life in white, winning challenges and being in the right place at the right time. The former Gillingham and Hastings man was impenetrable for large periods of the game.

It wasn’t until later in the first half that the action started, and shots came in. Dontai Stewart had a chance near the corner of the six-yard box which he sliced wide, and Luke Pearce had a penalty shout waved away by the referee, the latter of who had a good game. The rain continued to pour down but that didn’t stop Eastbourne from putting themselves in front with 5 minutes left in the first period. The visitors managed to get in behind the Dover backline and the ball was slid across the face of the goal for Emmerson to roll it into an empty net. The score remained level at the break.

The second half started, and the home side came out with a new lease of life. It only took 4 mins for Dover to level the scoring, with their early pressure paying off. The ball was played into Stewart, who had time to turn and pick his spot expertly in the bottom corner. This was by no means the end of the chances or action. Stewart continued to find good spaces and Pearce was looking lively, dropping deeper to receive the ball and trying to play others in. The away side did come back into the game, with balls over the top being a constant threat. Billy Terrel was forced into a few good saves during this period to keep the game level.

Later on in the half, Paris Lock replaced Iffy Allen on the right wing and was a danger from the moment he entered the pitch. Like Allen, his pace proved to be a big problem for Borough. He used his skills to beat the defender often, and he created more than one good chance from his side of the pitch. He played the ball across to Wilkinson who was bursting into the box from deep but couldn’t finish. Lock also had another big chance to square it to Stewart or Pearce, but couldn’t make the most of it, as a heavy touch saw the ball put out for a corner.

When it looked the game was heading for a draw, super-sub Zidan Sutherland came on and netted at the back post after a Paris Lock shot. The goal, however, was shortly chalked off for offside, much to the heartbreak of Sutherland and the home fans. That wasn’t all. Eastbourne had their own chance right at the end, with Billy Terrel being forced into an unbelievable save from point blank range, preserving Dover’s hard-earned point.

Dover host Weston-Super-Mare at Crabble on Saturday, looking to gain all three points for the first time since the win at Slough on matchday two, as the hunt for survival continues.

Dover Athletic: Terrell, Oyenuga, Mensah, Christie, Allen, Akehurst, Young, Anifowose, Wilkinson, Stewart, Pearce

Subs: Hatcher, Zidan, Dembele, Lock, Naylor

Eastbourne Borough: Foulkes, Uche, Carter, Holman, Olarewaju, Gravata, Emmerson, Vigar, Defise, Kealy, Brown

Subs: Holter, Quick, Remy, Sheriff, Bridgman

Attendance: 441

Borough head to Crabble in a crunch clash.

Tonight we face Eastbourne Borough in an important Vanarama National League South clash at the foot of the table. Borough sit just a handful of places above us in the table so a win will be vital in our quest to march up the table.

New signings Sinn’Kaye Christie, Luke Pearce and potentially a new left back, will all be available for selection as the manager begins to freshen up his squad. The games will start to gather more importance as we steer our way towards the Christmas period, facing five of the teams around us by the first week of the new year, but as always in football, you take one game at a time.

We can’t keep having teams tell us we are a good side and are difficult to play against. The table doesn’t lie. We need to turn performances into wins. – Mitch Brundle

Borough themselves have only one win in five, including crashing out of the FA Trophy to Hendon on Saturday. It’s going to be a tight affair and we will need all the support we can get to help push the team along.

Form Guide:

Head to Head:

We still have players available to sponsor, an updated list will be in tonight’s match day programme. If you are interested click HERE

Ticket Information:

Admission for this match is by turnstile only. We accept both card and cash on the gate.

Adults – £17

Over 60 – £15

Under 18 – £9

Under 11s continue to be free with paying adult

We are also offering a five game ticket. These can only be used by one individual per match and not in groups.

Adult – £75 (£10 saving)
Concession – £65 (£10 saving)

Whites crash out of the Trophy after a ding dong affair at home. – By Fred Deveson

An action packed, thrilling game at Crabble saw Dover draw 4-4 to Weymouth, with the away side eventually progressing to the next round via a 4-1 penalty shootout win.

It was a slightly different side that played in front of just under 400 people, with George Wilkinson making his first start of the season, and Luke Pearce making his debut after signing on loan from Southampton. Iffy Allen also started the game for Dover and impressed from minute one. His pace and trickery caused problems for the Weymouth right back and, after a scrappy start, Allen put The Whites in front with a deflected shot that looped over the goalkeeper inside the first ten minutes.

It only took the home side 6 minutes to double their lead, with George Wilkinson placing his effort in the bottom corner from just inside the area much to the delight of the home faithful. Dover looked fairly comfortable and were threatening time and time again, with chances for Allen and Dontai Stewart being blocked by the away side.

However, just after the 30-minute mark, Weymouth hit back. Touray finished his effort from close range after the visitors had threatened with balls in behind and crosses from the wide areas. Stewart had the chance to make it 3-1 to the home team, but he couldn’t convert. Dover began to look nervous and suddenly more gaps started appearing at the back, and it then wasn’t long before the equaliser hit the back of the net, right before half time, with Touray doubling his tally.

There was some questionable refereeing in the first half, with some crunching tackles from both teams going unnoticed by the referee, which angered the fans and players alike. These decisions continued into the second half, with tackles flying in left, right and centre. Bookings for both teams did arrive eventually.

After the break, it did not take long for the away team to put themselves in front. Goodship was the scorer after an incisive break away from Weymouth. The comeback was complete, and the hosts’ morale dropped as a result. The goal crushed the spirit of the home side, who kept giving cheap balls away and found themselves out of position often.

Paris Lock had a chance to bring Dover back to 3-3, but a good save from the goalkeeper kept the score at 2-3. The visitors saw the gaps at the back left by Dover and pounced. Seven minutes after the third goal, a fourth was added by Tom Bearwish, and it looked plain sailing for the away side.

Weymouth had chances to make it five, but Dover number 1 Billy Terrel made a couple of good saves to keep the home side in it, which proved to be vital come the end of the game. Wilkinson had a shot from inside the area but put it over the bar, and Zidan had a shot saved by the goalkeeper and that looked to be it, until Nick Dembele, the substitute pulled it back to 3-4.

Dover kept fighting, and with the support of the home crowd, they found the equaliser in the dying seconds. Zidan Sutherland found his way to the back post and slotted in the equaliser for Dover after a cross from Lock found its way to him. The game was set for penalties.

Weymouth netted their first penalty, but Zidan, the hero of injury time, saw his penalty saved. Bearwish for the visitors and Anifowose for Dover both scored and it was 1-2. The visitors then scored their next penalty, but Wilkinson saw his effort held. Anthony Chesire then stepped up and sent the visitors through to the next round of the FA Trophy, much to the heartache of Dover.

Even if it wasn’t to be for The Whites, the team showed great fighting spirit to level the game and send it penalties, and the 4 goals scored is a huge positive for the next few games. It’s Eastbourne Borough next for Dover Athletic, as the team looks to escape the drop.

Dover Athletic: Terrell, Oyenuga, Naylor, Mensah, Lock, Allen, Dunne, Young, Wilkinson, Stewart, Pearce

Subs: Anifowose, Nikaj, Dembele, Zidan, Baptiste, Hatcher, Powell

Weymouth: Thompson, Howe, Hamblin, Cheshire, Thompson j, Olu, Bearwish, Roberts, Goodship, Touray

Subs: Benfield, O’Connell, Rollinson, Bolton, Thomson

Attendance: 338