*IS*Vanarama Conference*IF*
*IS*Saturday 29 November @ Gateshead International Stadium*IF*
*IS*Live text commentary on Twitter (@DAFCLiveText)*IF*

*BS*Dover Athletic make their longest trip of the season as they travel 350 miles to face last season’s play-off finalists Gateshead in the Vanarama Conference on Saturday.*BF*

Whites recorded their biggest win of the season in midweek as *Link1* on Saturday to extend their unbeaten run in the league to five games.

And after gaining only 7 points out of a possible 33 in their opening 11 games, Chris Kinnear’s side have lost only twice in their following 11 league games since as they find themselves amongst the top of the form table.

But they face arguably their toughest opposition yet in the form of Gateshead, who are looking to avenge last season’s play-off final defeat to Cambridge United with promotion this time around.

*Q1*Kinnear spoke to DAFCtv about the difficult fixture following Dover’s emphatic victory on Tuesday night: “The chairman’s chartered a flight and we’re going from Biggin Hill up to Newcastle, we’re meeting at 10:30 so we must be flying about 11:00 [or] 11:15, against Gateshead who the chairman and I went to watch in the play-off final and I thought they were a bit unlucky against Cambridge but against a good Cambridge side.

“They’re a good side, they’re two points of second place (before Tuesday night’s fixtures) as well so again it’s all part of our learning experience.

“Early on in the season we played six of the best seven sides in the league, this was the only one we didn’t play of the top sides so this will be a good judge for us but again what we are going to do is go up and do what we’ve been doing; trying to win games and we’ll try and go there and win.

“Obviously they’ll have something to say to that but whatever happens, I know the lads will give 100% because they have done this year and last year.”

*BS*TEAM NEWS*BF*
Kinnear has gone into the loan market once again to secure the services of *Link2* and *Link3* until January, and both players are available for Saturday’s fixture at Gateshead.

*Lpic1*Striker Poole made over 100 appearances in the Football League for Bury and Hartlepool United, scoring 15 goals, while midfielder Davies returns to Crabble after a successful loan spell in which he helped Whites to Conference South play-off final glory last season.

Nick Deverdics registered his fifth goal in his last seven games on Tuesday night, therefore he is expected to keep his place in the starting line-up as he looks to haunt one of his old clubs for a second time this season after his brace at Alfreton Town two weeks ago.

Following the arrival of Poole on Wednesday, strike duo Nathan Elder and Jake Reid were both transfer listed and are both set to miss this clash after falling down the pecking order.

Gateshead will be without the suspended Valentin Gjokaj after the Albania U21 defender was sent off for two bookable offences on his debut at his new side’s 2-2 draw at Torquay United last weekend.

*BS*MORE ON THE OPPOSITION*BF*
Gateshead, also known as the Tynesiders, have been playing in the Conference since 2009 after securing promotion through the Conference North play-offs which contained Alfreton, AFC Telford United and Southport, who have all gained promotion to the Conference since.

*Lpic2*Football League participants between 1930 and 1960, the Tynesiders were close to a return to it last season after falling just short against Cambridge in the Conference play-off final at Wembley Stadium.

Gary Mills’ side look strong contenders to clinch at least a play-off spot for a second consecutive season after losing only 4 of their opening 21 games in the Vanarama Conference.

They have lost only twice at Gateshead International Stadium in the league thus far, although one of those defeats included a heavy 6-1 defeat to Grimsby Town in August.

Whites keeper Andrew Rafferty may have not conceded a single goal at Crabble in eight games but he is yet to keep a clean sheet away from home in the league, and he comes up against a side who are one in just six sides to score at least 20 home goals in the league.

*BS*HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD*BF*
Whites will make their sixth visit to Gateshead International Stadium on Saturday, where they have won three of their past five league meetings between 1993 and 1998, with Kinnear masterminding a 2-1 victory in Dover’s first visit there in April 1994.

The last league meeting between the two sides at the 11,800-seater stadium ended in another 2-1 win for Whites in March 1998, with Liburd Henry and Sammy Ayorinde scoring for Dover.

*BS*OTHER VANARAMA CONFERENCE FIXTURES*BF*
AFC Telford United v Grimsby Town
Altrincham v Kidderminster Harriers
Barnet v Macclesfield Town
Bristol Rovers v Welling United
FC Halifax Town v Alfreton Town
Forest Green Rovers v Dartford
Lincoln City v Southport
Nuneaton Town v Chester
Torquay United v Eastleigh
Woking v Braintree Town
Wrexham v Aldershot Town

*BS*The club’s Academy side has enjoyed success in clashes with fellow Kent sides Ebbsfleet United and Gillingham – match reports from Harry Priddle and Rhys Austin can be found below.*BF*

*BS**IS*Ebbsfleet 2 DOVER 3*IF**BF*

Dover looked to carry on the good league form against Ebbsfleet.
Dover started the game bright with great intensity and high pressure which wasn’t matched by Ebbsfleet and this was proven when Simbarashe made a good run down the wing and pulled it back for Priddle who slotted it away on the half volley.

Dover didn’t settle for the 1 nil lead and they grabbed a second through Alfie Paxman and it was Simbarashe the provider again. But after this Ebbsfleet started to get in to the game and for the last 15 minutes of the half Dover were pinned back.

After half time Ebbsfleet were still on top as Dover started the second half slowly and Ebbsfleet managed to get one back from a set piece through bad marking from Dover.

Ebbsfleet continued to dominate but Dover’s work rate and desire helped them maintain the lead and they kept breaking on the counter and chances falling Alfie, Alusine and JJ Donnelly. Soon after Dover scored a third and it was a well worked team goal that was slotted away by JJ Donnelly.

Dover didn’t want to allow Ebbsfleet back in to the game and they managed to do so until 3 minutes from time when Ebbsfleet grabbed a second but time was up before they could cause Dover any more troubles.

Dover got a good 3 points away from home and this allowed them to stay top of the table.

Match Report by Captain Harry Priddle

*BS**IS*Gillingham 1 DOVER 1 (Dover win 3-1 on penalties)*IF**BF* – League Cup

We turned up on a wet soggy pitch, willing to go through to the next round of the league cup.

The first half Dover Athletic started poorly and couldn’t keep the ball well, so that gave confidence to the Gillingham side to attack Dover. Then when Dover kept the ball there were some good spells where Simba was travelling down the channels and delivering the ball into the box where no one was their to tap it in.

The Dover side was letting the Gillingham side through to keep creating chances but they couldn’t punish Dover’s mistakes in the midfield. The Gillingham side started to create more good chances with consecutive corners, but the Dover side held on to defend the corners well. Gillingham also had a couple of chances to create something from free kicks outside of the box, but they couldn’t get through.

The first half was really sloppy from Dover, they couldn’t create good enough chances to score and get shots on target. With sloppy passes and Dover not being able to match the determination from the Gillingham side it went to the second half at 0-0.

Straight from the second half Gillingham played it back to their midfielder straight over the top to their right midfielder and with our right back slipping over the Gillingham side went straight on goal to try and score but they could not punish the Dover athletics poor performance.

Still at 0-0 both teams were trying to break through each other but when Dover had a chance up the other end to score the Gillingham’s goalkeeper had the ball in his hands and kicked it long over the top where our centre back missed timed the header and flicked it on to their striker and they went through on goal to make it 1-0 to the home side.

Dover then had to go to get and equalizer before it went straight to penalties, with Dover creating some chances when Alu for Dover Athletic hitting the post from inside the box where he should of scored.

Then their was a cross from the left hand side straight to Josh where he took a touch and then slotted it home to make it 1-1.

Then only minutes to go till the end of the game no chances were created. After full time it went to penalties. The score on penalties was 1-3 to Dover Athletic. It was poor penalties from Gillingham, Josh took the first penalty and scored, Gillingham stepped up and hit the crossbar, second penalty for Dover which Brandon missed, the second penalty for Gillingham the stepped up and they missed, then stepped up Alife and he scored so the score is 2-0, then Gillingham stepped up the then Rhys in goal saved their penalty.

Then Dover Athletic missed their 4th penalty. Then they scored their penalty to make it 2-1 where then Dover had to score their penalty to win the game, where Jack stepped up and slotted it in to win the game.

Match Report by Academy player Rhys Austin

*IS*Vanarama Conference*IF*
*IS*Saturday 29 November @ Gateshead International Stadium*IF*
*IS*Live text commentary on Twitter (@DAFCLiveText)*IF*

*BS*Dover Athletic make their longest trip of the season as they travel 350 miles to face last season’s play-off finalists Gateshead in the Vanarama Conference on Saturday.*BF*

Whites recorded their biggest win of the season in midweek as *Link1* on Saturday to extend their unbeaten run in the league to five games.

And after gaining only 7 points out of a possible 33 in their opening 11 games, Chris Kinnear’s side have lost only twice in their following 11 league games since as they find themselves amongst the top of the form table.

But they face arguably their toughest opposition yet in the form of Gateshead, who are looking to avenge last season’s play-off final defeat to Cambridge United with promotion this time around.

*Q1*Kinnear spoke to DAFCtv about the difficult fixture following Dover’s emphatic victory on Tuesday night: “The chairman’s chartered a flight and we’re going from Biggin Hill up to Newcastle, we’re meeting at 10:30 so we must be flying about 11:00 [or] 11:15, against Gateshead who the chairman and I went to watch in the play-off final and I thought they were a bit unlucky against Cambridge but against a good Cambridge side.

“They’re a good side, they’re two points of second place (before Tuesday night’s fixtures) as well so again it’s all part of our learning experience.

“Early on in the season we played six of the best seven sides in the league, this was the only one we didn’t play of the top sides so this will be a good judge for us but again what we are going to do is go up and do what we’ve been doing; trying to win games and we’ll try and go there and win.

“Obviously they’ll have something to say to that but whatever happens, I know the lads will give 100% because they have done this year and last year.”

*BS*TEAM NEWS*BF*
Kinnear has gone into the loan market once again to secure the services of *Link2* and *Link3* until January, and both players are available for Saturday’s fixture at Gateshead.

*Lpic1*Striker Poole made over 100 appearances in the Football League for Bury and Hartlepool United, scoring 15 goals, while midfielder Davies returns to Crabble after a successful loan spell in which he helped Whites to Conference South play-off final glory last season.

Nick Deverdics registered his fifth goal in his last seven games on Tuesday night, therefore he is expected to keep his place in the starting line-up as he looks to haunt one of his old clubs for a second time this season after his brace at Alfreton Town two weeks ago.

Following the arrival of Poole on Wednesday, strike duo Nathan Elder and Jake Reid were both transfer listed and are both set to miss this clash after falling down the pecking order.

Gateshead will be without the suspended Valentin Gjokaj after the Albania U21 defender was sent off for two bookable offences on his debut at his new side’s 2-2 draw at Torquay United last weekend.

*BS*MORE ON THE OPPOSITION*BF*
Gateshead, also known as the Tynesiders, have been playing in the Conference since 2009 after securing promotion through the Conference North play-offs which contained Alfreton, AFC Telford United and Southport, who have all gained promotion to the Conference since.

*Lpic2*Football League participants between 1930 and 1960, the Tynesiders were close to a return to it last season after falling just short against Cambridge in the Conference play-off final at Wembley Stadium.

Gary Mills’ side look strong contenders to clinch at least a play-off spot for a second consecutive season after losing only 4 of their opening 21 games in the Vanarama Conference.

They have lost only twice at Gateshead International Stadium in the league thus far, although one of those defeats included a heavy 6-1 defeat to Grimsby Town in August.

Whites keeper Andrew Rafferty may have not conceded a single goal at Crabble in eight games but he is yet to keep a clean sheet away from home in the league, and he comes up against a side who are one in just six sides to score at least 20 home goals in the league.

*BS*HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD*BF*
Whites will make their sixth visit to Gateshead International Stadium on Saturday, where they have won three of their past five league meetings between 1993 and 1998, with Kinnear masterminding a 2-1 victory in Dover’s first visit there in April 1994.

The last league meeting between the two sides at the 11,800-seater stadium ended in another 2-1 win for Whites in March 1998, with Liburd Henry and Sammy Ayorinde scoring for Dover.

*BS*OTHER VANARAMA CONFERENCE FIXTURES*BF*
AFC Telford United v Grimsby Town
Altrincham v Kidderminster Harriers
Barnet v Macclesfield Town
Bristol Rovers v Welling United
FC Halifax Town v Alfreton Town
Forest Green Rovers v Dartford
Lincoln City v Southport
Nuneaton Town v Chester
Torquay United v Eastleigh
Woking v Braintree Town
Wrexham v Aldershot Town

NULL

*BS*The club are delighted to announce that Callum Davies is returning to Crabble on loan from Gillingham. The midfielder has agreed a stay with Whites until January.*BF*

Davies had a spell at the club at the end of last season and played an instrumental part in Whites’ form which saw the side promoted to the Vanarama Conference through the playoffs.

The Gillingham man is the second loan signing in as many days, following yesterday’s announcement that striker James Poole has joined until January on loan from League Two side Bury.

*BS*The club are delighted to announce that Callum Davies is returning to Crabble on loan from Gillingham. The midfielder has agreed a stay with Whites until January.*BF*

Davies had a spell at the club at the end of last season and played an instrumental part in Whites’ form which saw the side promoted to the Vanarama Conference through the playoffs.

The Gillingham man is the second loan signing in as many days, following yesterday’s announcement that striker James Poole has joined until January on loan from League Two side Bury.

NULL

*BS*The club are delighted to announce that Callum Davies is returning to Crabble on loan from Gillingham. The midfielder has agreed a stay with Whites until January.*BF*

Davies had a spell at the club at the end of last season and played an instrumental part in Whites’ form which saw the side promoted to the Vanarama Conference through the playoffs.

The Gillingham man is the second loan signing in as many days, following yesterday’s announcement that striker James Poole has joined until January on loan from League Two side Bury.

*BS*The club are delighted to announce that Callum Davies is returning to Crabble on loan from Gillingham. The midfielder has agreed a stay with Whites until January.*BF*

Davies had a spell at the club at the end of last season and played an instrumental part in Whites’ form which saw the side promoted to the Vanarama Conference through the playoffs.

The Gillingham man is the second loan signing in as many days, following yesterday’s announcement that striker James Poole has joined until January on loan from League Two side Bury.

[utube]

*IS*Post-match interview courtesy of DAFCtv*IF*

*Link1*
*Link2*
*Link3*

*BS*Stefan Payne scored twice and set up two other goals as Dover Athletic thumped a poor Nuneaton Town side at Crabble to climb up to 15th in the Vanarama Conference.*BF*

Tom Murphy opened the scoring from Payne’s cross before Connor Essam notched his second goal for Whites after turning in Nick Deverdics’ corner from a tight angle.

Payne capitalised on a dreadful mistake by Boro keeper James Hogarth-Wren to assist Deverdics before the striker scored a second-half brace to complete the scoring.

The victory was Whites’ biggest of the season in a game where goalkeeper Andrew Rafferty celebrated his 18-month contract with an astonishing 8th home clean sheet in a row in all competitions.

*Q1*”I thought the lads did really well today,” said manager Chris Kinnear, who was quick to compliment his side.

“We look like we’re going to score lots of goals now, we don’t look like we’re going to concede and we’re winning most of the knockdowns so it’s a complete gain today for us.

“We mustn’t get carried away but saying that, the last six games we’re top of the form guide in the whole league so we’re doing something right, but again that’s probably down to we didn’t get too carried away early on in the season when things didn’t go right because we had to learn about the league.

“If you learn and apply what you’ve learnt I think’s that’s why we’ve come on, you know you’re always going to get 100% from every one of our players, there’s no doubt about that, but now that they’re getting a little bit of knowledge and things are working really well.”

When asked about the opposition keeper’s performance, Chris said: “I think he just had one of those games today.

“The first couple of goals he maybe have done a little bit better but it’s because we put people under pressure so much it would have been difficult for any keeper today, but saying that, we got five in the end and he pulled off three unbelievable saves.”

*Ppic1**BS*OTHER VANARAMA CONFERENCE RESULTS*BF*
Braintree Town 0-1 Welling United
Bristol Rovers 2-1 Barnet
Dartford 2-4 Chester
Grimsby Town 3-1 Woking
Kidderminster Harriers 1-1 Wrexham
Macclesfield Town 1-0 Torquay United
Southport 1-3 Aldershot Town