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MATCH PREVIEW: DOVER VS WOKING

Manager Andy Hessenthaler’s men are back in action on Tuesday after an extended break from National League football.

An early FA Cup exit and the postponement of the trip to Wealdstone last weekend due to COVID-19 issues mean Dover have not played since the 1-0 home defeat to Altrincham on the last day of October.

Tuesday’s match was given the green light after all Dover players and staff tested negative for COVID-19.

Woking have played two games in November, drawing 1-1 with Yeovil Town after bowing out of the FA Cup 3-2 to Gillingham despite being two goals ahead.

The Cards took all three points in a dramatic game in this fixture last season, coming from 1-0 down to win 2-1.  Ricky Modeste had slotted 10-man Dover ahead after Kurtis Cumberbatch received an early red card.  Jake Hyde leveled on the half-hour mark and Tony Edser curled in a late winner.

Both teams were only able to play each other once last campaign, with the match at the Laithwaite Stadium, postponed due to the pandemic.

Woking boss Alan Dowson has added a number of players this season, including loanees from the EFL.

Josh Davison and Ben Dempsey have joined on loan from Charlton Athletic, with Both players having featured in the Championship for the Addicks.

Meanwhile, Koran Lofthouse, Slavi Spasov, and Malachi Napa have all joined on loan from Oxford United, with the latter two also making appearances for their parent club. Napa also has played in League Two for now-defunct club Macclesfield Town.

Tyler Reid and Sam Cartwright have also joined from West Brom and Peterborough United respectively.

Dowson has also signed John Goddard on a free transfer from Ebbsfleet. The winger has previous experience of playing in the Football League with Swindon and Stevenage, but in more recent years he has played in the National League with Bromley, Aldershot, and the aforementioned Fleet.

Charlie Cooper also moved to Woking this summer from FC Halifax Town. Like Goddard he has spent the last few seasons in the National League with Boreham Wood and Halifax, but he also featured higher up the football pyramid with Newport and Forest Green Rovers.

Cooper was part of the Rovers’ promotion-winning squad to League Two in 2017.

Finally, former Arsenal and Manchester United youth player Tyler Reid joined the club after leaving Swindon Town in October.

The Cards also have ex-England international and former Premier League player Matt Jarvis on their books.  The 34-year-old, who has over 200 Premier League games to his name, scored on his debut for the Surrey side last season against Maidenhead United.

Woking’s Player to Watch

New signing Davison is in red-hot form at the moment, having scored four in his last five games in all competitions.

Coverage

This game will be played behind closed doors, however, you can watch the game for £8 on DAFCtv.

Details on how to buy your match pass can be found here.

We will also have live updates on Twitter – @DAFCLiveText – Follow us and get all the news as it happens.

Tuesday’s National League Fixtures 

Aldershot Town Vs Maidenhead United

Altrincham Vs Chesterfield

Barnet Vs King’s Lynn Town

Bromley Vs Boreham Wood

Eastleigh Vs Wealdstone

FC Halifax Town Vs Notts County

Hartlepool United Vs Wrexham

Sutton United Vs Dagenham & Redbridge

CLUB STATEMENT

Dover Athletic can confirm that all the management, backroom staff, and players have tested negative for Covid-19 after the club received the results on Saturday evening.

Training was cancelled on Friday and all were tested privately at Crabble before being sent home as a precaution after the club was made aware of the situation on Thursday evening.

It means manager Andy Hessenthaler’s squad will return to training on Monday and Tuesday’s National League game against Woking at Crabble will go ahead as scheduled.

 

 

WEALDSTONE GAME POSTPONED

Saturday’s National League game away at Wealdstone FC has been postponed due to COVID-19 issues.

Our staff and players were tested at Crabble this morning and with the results not being known until tomorrow at the earliest, under COVID Protocols we will not be allowed to travel until these results are known.

We were made aware of the situation on Thursday evening and we acted immediately, arranging for all the squad and staff to be tested privately on Friday morning.

The protocol requires tests based on symptoms – as soon as reported, tests were booked.

Regular testing is not a requirement at our level.

A new date for the match will be arranged as soon as possible.

LOUIS WINS GOAL OF THE MONTH

Louis Collin’s goal against Eastleigh has been voted for as the October goal of the month by Dover fans.

The young striker’s fine finish to put Whites 2-1 ahead received over 30% of the votes, edging out the next placed goal, Ade Azeez’ winner later in the same game.

You can watch Louis’ cracker once again here:

OCTOBER GOAL OF THE MONTH

The first month of the 2020/21 National League campaign is complete and we have selected our top four finishes from last month.  We now need fans to pick their favourite.

Simply cast your votes on our social media via Facebook or Twitter – or simply add A, B, C or D in the comment section below.

The winner will be revealed on Thursday 12th November.

MATCH PREVIEW: DOVER VS ALTRINCHAM

Dover will be on the hunt for a second consecutive home win on Saturday following their dramatic win at Crabble against Eastleigh in midweek.

Ade Azeez’s late winner on Tuesday proved crucial as Whites moved out of the relegation zone and up to 16th on the National League ladder.

This weekend’s opponents Altrincham are without a league win this campaign so far and currently occupy the final the bottom of the table.  The Greater Manchester side have proved a tough opponent, drawing three of their four October league matches and also have two games in hand following recent postponements against Solihull Moors and Bromley after a number of their players tested positive for Covid-19 earlier this month.

It has been over four years since Whites last played Alty, with visitors Dover 2-1 victors on the day.  After going behind through Michael Rankine, two goals in seven second half minutes from Ricky Miller and Stefan Payne won it for Dover.

The Robins were relegated that same season and following a further relegation a year later, they are now back in the National League after beating Boston United 1-0 in last campaign’s National League North Playoff Final.

Phil Parkinson has brought in six players so far.  Ritchie brings Football League experience after joining from League Two Morecambe.   The defender also spent time with Stafford Rangers, Northwich Victoria, Mansfield, Tranmere and Barrow.

Another signing, winger Matty Kosylo, has played in all of Alty’s games so far this season, after joining from AFC Fylde having signed from FC Halifax Town a year prior.

Matt Gould has joined as a player/goalkeeping coach after a stint with National League North side Spennymoor Town.

Fisayo Adarabioyo, who started his career in the Manchester City youth academy, signed having previously playing for Dutch sides NAC Breda and FC Oss. Alty is his third club of 2020 after joining Northern Premier League side Warrington Town in February, Curzon Ashton in August and finally Altrincham in October.

Max Clayton and Darren Potter, who both dropped from full-time to part-time football to join Altrincham, left the club after playing one game each.

Altrincham’s Player to Watch

Attacking midfielder Josh Hancock was joint top scorer for The Robins in their promotion campaign and despite not scoring yet this season, he has started every game so far. He also scored in the first two rounds of their playoff campaign last season.

Coverage 

This game will be played behind closed doors, however you can watch the game for £8 with our all new and improved streaming service.

Details on how to buy your match pass can be found here.

We will also have live updates on Twitter – @DAFCLiveText – Follow us and get all the news as it happens.

Saturday’s National League Fixtures 

Bromley Vs Eastleigh

Hartlepool Vs Torquay United (5.20pm)

King’s Lynn Town Vs Woking

Maidenhead United Vs Solihull Moors

Stockport County Vs Weymouth

Yeovil Town Vs Chesterfield