*BS*With two games to go this season, there are five teams fighting for the remaining three play-off places up for grabs.*BF*

Salisbury are guaranteed 2nd place but who will come 3rd, 4th and 5th? This midweek round of matches could go a long way to deciding it, though the battle for 3rd place is likely to go to the wire on Saturday.

This week we will take a look at the contenders for the play-offs and who will finish where in the top five.

*BS*THE OUTSIDERS: SUTTON UNITED*BF*

7th placed Sutton face a tough home fixture against Salisbury, needing a win to have a realistic chance of snatching 5th place. They lie four points off 5th with two games to go and need Eastleigh to slip up in both their games.

The Surrey club only registered their first win of the campaign in October, spending the opening months of the season firmly in the relegation zone. However, just two defeats in the following three months saw them shoot up the table; beating Eastleigh and Welling along the way.

Their season took another twist in March when four defeats in eight games, three of them at Gander Green Lane, seemed to end their play-off hopes. Players were swiftly released as the club started the rebuilding process for next season but April has seen them enjoy six straight wins with the talented Harry Beautyman, Marvin Williams and Craig Dundas leading the charge for the U’s.

They need to make it seven in a row against Salisbury and eight at Bath on Saturday to have a chance of achieving what seemed impossible at more than one stage this season.

*BS*THE UNDERDOGS: WESTON-SUPER-MARE*BF*

6th placed Weston have had a magnificent season under up-and-coming boss Craig Laird, who has gradually put together a strong side in the South West seaside town.

Punching somewhat above their weight for a club with the 18th highest average attendance in the division, Weston have been consistent against the mid-table and lower sides but struggled against the top five. Dover (twice), Eastleigh (twice), Chelmsford, Salisbury and Welling have all beaten the Seagulls. Just two wins in 10 games against the sides currently above them has seemingly curtailed their play-off dream.

It’s not over just yet for Weston. Admittedly, Chelmsford and Eastleigh victories this week will end their hopes but much stranger things have happened in non-league football. However, hoping for Chelmsford and Eastleigh to fail against Maidenhead and Truro in midweek is probably asking a bit too much on this occasion.

*BS*THE FORM TEAM: EASTLEIGH*BF*

Eastleigh have been in a great form since early January, new manager Richard Hill gradually moving the club up the table. One or two wobbles aside, Eastleigh have barely put a foot wrong in the past three months and found a useful knack for scoring important late goals.

Quality players such as Jai Reason and Craig McAllister, who have experience in the league above, have kept the goals flowing. In fact, former Exeter and Crawley target man McAllister has notched two consecutive hat-tricks in the past week, including a second half treble against Tonbridge after they were 1-0 down at half-time on Saturday.

In the summer Eastleigh made notable signings in midfield and attack to become pre-season favourites for the title. However, the defence remained unchanged from last season, which turned out to be a weakness in the first half of this campaign. Hill has addressed the problem, signing Ross Flitney from Gillingham, Dean Beckwith from Luton and Chris Todd from Forest Green.

A win for the Spitfires on Tuesday at home to Truro will seal their place in the play-offs. On Saturday they travel to champions Welling, who will be in party mood so the result could go either way there.

A play-off spot looks almost certain in their present run of form. Currently 2nd in the form table for the past six games, Eastleigh have scored 15 and conceded four. However, they haven’t faced one of the top five since playing Chelmsford and Salisbury in mid-February.

If McAllister keeps scoring, Eastleigh will be hard to stop and they will be a different side to the one Whites did the double against earlier this season.

Later this week I will review how the play-off picture has changed after the games on Monday and Tuesday. I will also put Chelmsford, Dover and Salisbury under the microscope ahead of the final league fixture and next week’s play-off semi-finals.

*BS*With two games to go this season, there are five teams fighting for the remaining three play-off places up for grabs.*BF*

Salisbury are guaranteed 2nd place but who will come 3rd, 4th and 5th? This midweek round of matches could go a long way to deciding it, though the battle for 3rd place is likely to go to the wire on Saturday.

This week we will take a look at the contenders for the play-offs and who will finish where in the top five.

*BS*THE OUTSIDERS: SUTTON UNITED*BF*

7th placed Sutton face a tough home fixture against Salisbury, needing a win to have a realistic chance of snatching 5th place. They lie four points off 5th with two games to go and need Eastleigh to slip up in both their games.

The Surrey club only registered their first win of the campaign in October, spending the opening months of the season firmly in the relegation zone. However, just two defeats in the following three months saw them shoot up the table; beating Eastleigh and Welling along the way.

Their season took another twist in March when four defeats in eight games, three of them at Gander Green Lane, seemed to end their play-off hopes. Players were swiftly released as the club started the rebuilding process for next season but April has seen them enjoy six straight wins with the talented Harry Beautyman, Marvin Williams and Craig Dundas leading the charge for the U’s.

They need to make it seven in a row against Salisbury and eight at Bath on Saturday to have a chance of achieving what seemed impossible at more than one stage this season.

*BS*THE UNDERDOGS: WESTON-SUPER-MARE*BF*

6th placed Weston have had a magnificent season under up-and-coming boss Craig Laird, who has gradually put together a strong side in the South West seaside town.

Punching somewhat above their weight for a club with the 18th highest average attendance in the division, Weston have been consistent against the mid-table and lower sides but struggled against the top five. Dover (twice), Eastleigh (twice), Chelmsford, Salisbury and Welling have all beaten the Seagulls. Just two wins in 10 games against the sides currently above them has seemingly curtailed their play-off dream.

It’s not over just yet for Weston. Admittedly, Chelmsford and Eastleigh victories this week will end their hopes but much stranger things have happened in non-league football. However, hoping for Chelmsford and Eastleigh to fail against Maidenhead and Truro in midweek is probably asking a bit too much on this occasion.

*BS*THE FORM TEAM: EASTLEIGH*BF*

Eastleigh have been in a great form since early January, new manager Richard Hill gradually moving the club up the table. One or two wobbles aside, Eastleigh have barely put a foot wrong in the past three months and found a useful knack for scoring important late goals.

Quality players such as Jai Reason and Craig McAllister, who have experience in the league above, have kept the goals flowing. In fact, former Exeter and Crawley target man McAllister has notched two consecutive hat-tricks in the past week, including a second half treble against Tonbridge after they were 1-0 down at half-time on Saturday.

In the summer Eastleigh made notable signings in midfield and attack to become pre-season favourites for the title. However, the defence remained unchanged from last season, which turned out to be a weakness in the first half of this campaign. Hill has addressed the problem, signing Ross Flitney from Gillingham, Dean Beckwith from Luton and Chris Todd from Forest Green.

A win for the Spitfires on Tuesday at home to Truro will seal their place in the play-offs. On Saturday they travel to champions Welling, who will be in party mood so the result could go either way there.

A play-off spot looks almost certain in their present run of form. Currently 2nd in the form table for the past six games, Eastleigh have scored 15 and conceded four. However, they haven’t faced one of the top five since playing Chelmsford and Salisbury in mid-February.

If McAllister keeps scoring, Eastleigh will be hard to stop and they will be a different side to the one Whites did the double against earlier this season.

Later this week I will review how the play-off picture has changed after the games on Monday and Tuesday. I will also put Chelmsford, Dover and Salisbury under the microscope ahead of the final league fixture and next week’s play-off semi-finals.

*BS*Book your seat for the Supporters Club coach going to STAINES on TUESDAY 23RD APRIL.

TUESDAY 23RD APRIL- STAINES vs DAFC – 19.45PM KICK OFF
The coach departs Crabble at 4.45PM*BF*

*BS* Adult Member £15*BF*
*BS* Child U16 Accompanied by a Member £5*BF*
*BS* Non Member £20*BF*
*BS* Child U16 Accompanied by a Non Member £10 *BF*

To book your place, call or text Andy Fisher on 07934 300335.

All Supporters Club transport to away games is covered by insurance meaning that if the game is called off on the day of the match you will not lose your money. Our insurance only covers Supporters Club members so we can not refund non members money.

*Lpic1*
*IS*RULES FOR THE COACH TRAVEL*IF*

All vehicles are NON SMOKING
No alcohol will be permitted on our vehicles at any time. (which means not just drinking alcohol but also taking it on the coach)
Any damage caused will be charged to the Supporters Club
Any abnormal or excessive cleaning will result in a £50 fine payable by the Supporters Club
No excessively rowdy behaviour will be tolerated

Bayliss runs a ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY if any of the above restrictions are breached and any individual found to be flaunting the rules, they will be removed from the coach immediately, irrespective of the location of the vehicle.

It is obviously in everyones interest and to encourage people who are understandably wary about using the coach, that behaviour is kept within the bounds of common sense.

Supporters Coaches are operated by the Dover Athletic Supporters’ Club and are in no way organised by or the responsibility of Dover Athletic F.C.

*BS*Book your seat for the Supporters Club coach going to STAINES on TUESDAY 23RD APRIL.

TUESDAY 23RD APRIL- STAINES vs DAFC – 19.45PM KICK OFF
The coach departs Crabble at 4.45PM*BF*

*BS* Adult Member £15*BF*
*BS* Child U16 Accompanied by a Member £5*BF*
*BS* Non Member £20*BF*
*BS* Child U16 Accompanied by a Non Member £10 *BF*

To book your place, call or text Andy Fisher on 07934 300335.

All Supporters Club transport to away games is covered by insurance meaning that if the game is called off on the day of the match you will not lose your money. Our insurance only covers Supporters Club members so we can not refund non members money.

*Lpic1*
*IS*RULES FOR THE COACH TRAVEL*IF*

All vehicles are NON SMOKING
No alcohol will be permitted on our vehicles at any time. (which means not just drinking alcohol but also taking it on the coach)
Any damage caused will be charged to the Supporters Club
Any abnormal or excessive cleaning will result in a £50 fine payable by the Supporters Club
No excessively rowdy behaviour will be tolerated

Bayliss runs a ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY if any of the above restrictions are breached and any individual found to be flaunting the rules, they will be removed from the coach immediately, irrespective of the location of the vehicle.

It is obviously in everyones interest and to encourage people who are understandably wary about using the coach, that behaviour is kept within the bounds of common sense.

Supporters Coaches are operated by the Dover Athletic Supporters’ Club and are in no way organised by or the responsibility of Dover Athletic F.C.

*BS*Steven Thomson speaks to doverathletic.com about his first season at Crabble, adjusting to part time football and the highlights of what has been an impressive career in League football.*BF*

Having spent 20 years in the professional game in England and Scotland, Thomson is clearly enjoying his football at Dover, despite finding the the adjustment to part time football difficult at first after his relocation south of the border to London.

Thomson said: “I had offers from various to stay full time, but I promised my wife we would move when my boy was due to start school, so I chose part time – If I had given up football completely, I would have been depressed.

“I gained qualifications in financial advising when I was playing full time and I found the biggest hurdle was combining football and work – especially training in the evenings! But I am over that now and my body is used to it – I am really enjoying both my job and my football (except the paperwork!).”

Even though Thomson saw his former team mate Nicky Forster leave the club at the start of the year and Chris Kinnear take the Crabble reins, the Scottish player has been impressed with a manager he had no prior knowledge of: “Confidence in the team was low after losing five on the bounce, but he has come in, plays the system he wants and geed all the players up.

“He has a really good knowledge of football at this level and I really like the fact that if you play well, you seem to keep the shirt, as otherwise there is less incentive to work hard and earn your place in the team. I am always happy to do whatever job is asked of me; Dean and I have been asked to be solid in the middle and let the attacking players do the attacking.”

*Q1*Confidence is certainly sky high in the Dover camp right now, with the team on a nine match unbeaten run which is perfect form in the end of season run in, what with the play-offs and quite possibly the title at stake.

Thomson is both realistic and optimistic about the task ahead: “In order to win the title, we are relying on Welling to lose three or four games and us not to lose any. The play-offs are a good bet and though all the teams that make it will fancy their chances, we have hit form at the right time.”

At his peak, Thomson was playing five levels above the Conference South, but is certainly appreciative of the toughness of the opponents he faces week in week out: “As you go up the leagues, players are technically better and more aware as there is more emphasis on keeping the ball. At this level, the ball tends to go forward quicker, but that is probably more to do with fitness levels as teams do not train every day.”

The combative midfielder has no intention of hanging up his boots just yet: “I really enjoy it at Dover and I hope the manager will want to keep me on even if we are promoted. Even though there is extra travelling, being self employed means I can move things around. But I’ve not thought about next season yet as I don’t want to lose focus on the job in hand at the moment. I want to carry on playing for a few years yet all the while I enjoy it.”

*Lpic1*Having moved to Crystal Palace from Rangers at the age of 16, Steven was given his debut by ex-England manager Terry Venables and accruing a further 104 league appearances before spells at Peterborough, Falkirk, Brighton and St Mirren followed.

Looking back on his career, his main highlights were with his first and last professional clubs: “The semi final of the Worthington Cup against Liverpool where we won in the first leg, but were spanked at Anfield, and playing in front of 50,000 fans at Hampden Park against Rangers in the Scottish Cup final where we (St Mirren) lost 1-0, but should have won.

“If I had stayed at St Mirren I would have won the trophy this year!”

A close friend of the Championship’s top scorer Glenn Murray, with whom he was room mates with at Brighton and has been close friends ever since, Thomson does not have any current plans to manage: “I do have my UEFA B license and I might become a coach one day, but managing is not a secure enough profession!”

*BS*Dover play a Crabble double header this week, with AFC Hornchurch on tonight (Tuesday 26th) at 7.45pm and Sutton on Saturday 30th March.*BF*

*BS*Steven Thomson speaks to doverathletic.com about his first season at Crabble, adjusting to part time football and the highlights of what has been an impressive career in League football.*BF*

Having spent 20 years in the professional game in England and Scotland, Thomson is clearly enjoying his football at Dover, despite finding the the adjustment to part time football difficult at first after his relocation south of the border to London.

Thomson said: “I had offers from various to stay full time, but I promised my wife we would move when my boy was due to start school, so I chose part time – If I had given up football completely, I would have been depressed.

“I gained qualifications in financial advising when I was playing full time and I found the biggest hurdle was combining football and work – especially training in the evenings! But I am over that now and my body is used to it – I am really enjoying both my job and my football (except the paperwork!).”

Even though Thomson saw his former team mate Nicky Forster leave the club at the start of the year and Chris Kinnear take the Crabble reins, the Scottish player has been impressed with a manager he had no prior knowledge of: “Confidence in the team was low after losing five on the bounce, but he has come in, plays the system he wants and geed all the players up.

“He has a really good knowledge of football at this level and I really like the fact that if you play well, you seem to keep the shirt, as otherwise there is less incentive to work hard and earn your place in the team. I am always happy to do whatever job is asked of me; Dean and I have been asked to be solid in the middle and let the attacking players do the attacking.”

*Q1*Confidence is certainly sky high in the Dover camp right now, with the team on a nine match unbeaten run which is perfect form in the end of season run in, what with the play-offs and quite possibly the title at stake.

Thomson is both realistic and optimistic about the task ahead: “In order to win the title, we are relying on Welling to lose three or four games and us not to lose any. The play-offs are a good bet and though all the teams that make it will fancy their chances, we have hit form at the right time.”

At his peak, Thomson was playing five levels above the Conference South, but is certainly appreciative of the toughness of the opponents he faces week in week out: “As you go up the leagues, players are technically better and more aware as there is more emphasis on keeping the ball. At this level, the ball tends to go forward quicker, but that is probably more to do with fitness levels as teams do not train every day.”

The combative midfielder has no intention of hanging up his boots just yet: “I really enjoy it at Dover and I hope the manager will want to keep me on even if we are promoted. Even though there is extra travelling, being self employed means I can move things around. But I’ve not thought about next season yet as I don’t want to lose focus on the job in hand at the moment. I want to carry on playing for a few years yet all the while I enjoy it.”

*Lpic1*Having moved to Crystal Palace from Rangers at the age of 16, Steven was given his debut by ex-England manager Terry Venables and accruing a further 104 league appearances before spells at Peterborough, Falkirk, Brighton and St Mirren followed.

Looking back on his career, his main highlights were with his first and last professional clubs: “The semi final of the Worthington Cup against Liverpool where we won in the first leg, but were spanked at Anfield, and playing in front of 50,000 fans at Hampden Park against Rangers in the Scottish Cup final where we (St Mirren) lost 1-0, but should have won.

“If I had stayed at St Mirren I would have won the trophy this year!”

A close friend of the Championship’s top scorer Glenn Murray, with whom he was room mates with at Brighton and has been close friends ever since, Thomson does not have any current plans to manage: “I do have my UEFA B license and I might become a coach one day, but managing is not a secure enough profession!”

*BS*Dover play a Crabble double header this week, with AFC Hornchurch on tonight (Tuesday 26th) at 7.45pm and Sutton on Saturday 30th March.*BF*

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*BS*Loyal sponsor Nick Cunningham not only supports the club and first team, he has also helped Whites’ impressive Under-16’s with the purchase of new tracksuits for the team this season.*BF*

Manager and Youth Section Chairman Will Graham said: “Nick Cunningham has a plumbing and electrical business based in Deal but fulfils work all over Kent, and with his support of the boys I am sure we can showcase his name all over Kent & London.

“The support Nick has for the club is truly amazing and hopefully this will show all local businesses that being linked with the club in all aspects has great advertising opportunities, as well as showing the clubs professional attitude and look.”

*Link1*

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