NULL

Chris Kinnear admitted that his focus was mainly on Saturday’s FA Cup tie against Morecambe after seeing his team lost 3-1 to an impressive Folkestone performance. ‘The idea was not to play ant of the side that would play Saturday but the we had to play the game as the Kent FA make us. We brought in some triallists who were 18 and 19, and Raggett was the most experience defender. It was difficult for them, but at the same time it was not worth the risk to play the likes of Orlu, Bonner or Essam – Perhaps if we did not have the big game Saturday, I may have chosen to play a proper back four.’

Lady luck has not been too kind to whites on the injury front of late, with some players likely to miss the big match on Saturday. ‘Craig Stone has broken his ankle and will be out for twelve weeks, whilst Nanetti’s injury looked bad – He is off now for an X ray which is a blow as he would have been ideal to come on with twenty minutes to go and make an impact.’ He also added ‘Barry Cogan has a bit of a groin and hamstring strain, whilst Sean Raggett will be suspended, which is a blow for him as he has not had a good week after some personal upset recently.’

In spite of a number of players being unavailable, Kinnear believes this will be an opportunity for others to impress and stake a claim for a spot in the starting XI. ‘Murphy and Francis have been out of the team and now they are back in and that is what I said to the lads tonight. If you get an opportunity, it is no good just sulking and hiding, you have to show you are good enough to be in the side.’

Looking ahead to the game against League 2 Morecambe, Kinnear stated he is looking forward to the tie. ‘It is quite exciting and we have got a chance if we have a good day. I never used to be bothered about the cup when I first started managing as I always wanted to concentrate on the league, but it really helps raise the profile of the club and considering Dover have only been at this stage four times before. The fact that two of those are this and last season is good going.’ *Lpic1*

*BS*The Football Conference Ltd are extremely pleased to announce the appointment of a new independent Chairman who will succeed Brian Lee, when he steps down after eight years leading the competition, at the end of this current season.*BF*

The Board of the Football Conference at its meeting in London today agreed unanimously to offer an invitation to Brian Barwick to become its future Chairman.

Brian Barwick comes to the competition with a wealth of experience in the sporting and media world with a number of high profile organisations and his achievements in those is well documented.

Brian Barwick commented, “I am delighted to have been appointed the future Chairman of The Football Conference. And I particularly look forward to working with the accomplished current Chairman, Brian Lee, as he brings to a close his superb stewardship of the competition. Along with my fellow Board members I will be looking to build on the well-established strengths of Conference football and play my part in taking the organisation forward”.

“Throughout the Vanarama Conference divisions, there is a vast number of committed and hard-working football people who make their clubs tick and who provide great enjoyment for their local communities. In due course, I intend to meet all of them and share our mutual passion for football”.

“I look forward to a long and positive relationship with one of football’s most enduring and endearing competitions.

Brian Lee wished to endorse the selection procedure by the Board to find the right person to take on the task of leading the competition over the coming years.

He stated “Since I indicated this would be my last season at the helm, behind the scenes of the everyday work of the Football Conference, much has taken place into finding the right calibre of person, with the best credentials, to oversee the challenging times the game is going through and to enhance the future positioning of the Football Conference in it”.

“That choice has been well made and I am sure all connected with us, including directors, staff, club personnel, supporters and our sponsors, will join with me in welcoming Brian and extend to him the support I have received during my term of office”.

Chris Kinnear admitted that his focus was mainly on Saturday’s FA Cup tie against Morecambe after seeing his team lost 3-1 to an impressive Folkestone performance. ‘The idea was not to play ant of the side that would play Saturday but the we had to play the game as the Kent FA make us. We brought in some triallists who were 18 and 19, and Raggett was the most experience defender. It was difficult for them, but at the same time it was not worth the risk to play the likes of Orlu, Bonner or Essam – Perhaps if we did not have the big game Saturday, I may have chosen to play a proper back four.’

Lady luck has not been too kind to whites on the injury front of late, with some players likely to miss the big match on Saturday. ‘Craig Stone has broken his ankle and will be out for twelve weeks, whilst Nanetti’s injury looked bad – He is off now for an X ray which is a blow as he would have been ideal to come on with twenty minutes to go and make an impact.’ He also added ‘Barry Cogan has a bit of a groin and hamstring strain, whilst Sean Raggett will be suspended, which is a blow for him as he has not had a good week after some personal upset recently.’

In spite of a number of players being unavailable, Kinnear believes this will be an opportunity for others to impress and stake a claim for a spot in the starting XI. ‘Murphy and Francis have been out of the team and now they are back in and that is what I said to the lads tonight. If you get an opportunity, it is no good just sulking and hiding, you have to show you are good enough to be in the side.’

Looking ahead to the game against League 2 Morecambe, Kinnear stated he is looking forward to the tie. ‘It is quite exciting and we have got a chance if we have a good day. I never used to be bothered about the cup when I first started managing as I always wanted to concentrate on the league, but it really helps raise the profile of the club and considering Dover have only been at this stage four times before. The fact that two of those are this and last season is good going.’ *Lpic1*

*BS*The Football Conference Ltd are extremely pleased to announce the appointment of a new independent Chairman who will succeed Brian Lee, when he steps down after eight years leading the competition, at the end of this current season.*BF*

The Board of the Football Conference at its meeting in London today agreed unanimously to offer an invitation to Brian Barwick to become its future Chairman.

Brian Barwick comes to the competition with a wealth of experience in the sporting and media world with a number of high profile organisations and his achievements in those is well documented.

Brian Barwick commented, “I am delighted to have been appointed the future Chairman of The Football Conference. And I particularly look forward to working with the accomplished current Chairman, Brian Lee, as he brings to a close his superb stewardship of the competition. Along with my fellow Board members I will be looking to build on the well-established strengths of Conference football and play my part in taking the organisation forward”.

“Throughout the Vanarama Conference divisions, there is a vast number of committed and hard-working football people who make their clubs tick and who provide great enjoyment for their local communities. In due course, I intend to meet all of them and share our mutual passion for football”.

“I look forward to a long and positive relationship with one of football’s most enduring and endearing competitions.

Brian Lee wished to endorse the selection procedure by the Board to find the right person to take on the task of leading the competition over the coming years.

He stated “Since I indicated this would be my last season at the helm, behind the scenes of the everyday work of the Football Conference, much has taken place into finding the right calibre of person, with the best credentials, to oversee the challenging times the game is going through and to enhance the future positioning of the Football Conference in it”.

“That choice has been well made and I am sure all connected with us, including directors, staff, club personnel, supporters and our sponsors, will join with me in welcoming Brian and extend to him the support I have received during my term of office”.

*BS*Chris Kinnear has today added three new players to his squad, with the club pleased to announce the signings of defenders Ben Sampayo and Tarik Moore-Azille, and midfielder Alistair Gordon.*BF*

Right-back Sampayo joins from Ryman Premier League side Grays Athletic. The 21-year-old was part of the youth setup at Chelsea, and also lists Greenock Morton, Chelmsford City and Brighton & Hove Albion amongst his former clubs.

18-year-old central defender Tarik Moore-Azille joins from Ryman Division One North side Thurrock, and previously played at youth level for Arsenal, Peterborough United and Coventry City.

Also joining the club is midfielder Alistair Gordon. The 19-year-old former Chelsea and Crystal Palace man was released by the South London club at the end of last season and trialled with Dagenham & Rebridge in pre-season.

The club are delighted to welcome Ben, Tarik and Alistair to the club.

NULL

*BS*Chris Kinnear has today added three new players to his squad, with the club pleased to announce the signings of defenders Ben Sampayo and Tarik Moore-Azille, and midfielder Alistair Gordon.*BF*

Right-back Sampayo joins from Ryman Premier League side Grays Athletic. The 21-year-old was part of the youth setup at Chelsea, and also lists Greenock Morton, Chelmsford City and Brighton & Hove Albion amongst his former clubs.

18-year-old central defender Tarik Moore-Azille joins from Ryman Division One North side Thurrock, and previously played at youth level for Arsenal, Peterborough United and Coventry City.

Also joining the club is midfielder Alistair Gordon. The 19-year-old former Chelsea and Crystal Palace man was released by the South London club at the end of last season and trialled with Dagenham & Rebridge in pre-season.

The club are delighted to welcome Ben, Tarik and Alistair to the club.

NULL

*BS*Dover Athletic take on neighbours Folkestone Invicta in a south-east Kent derby at Crabble in the second round of the Kent Senior Cup on Tuesday night.*BF*

Whites are currently enjoying a decent run of form, having lost only twice in their 10 competitive matches, recently qualifying for the FA Cup First Round and coming from behind to draw with Southport in the Vanarama Conference Premier on Saturday.

Now Chris Kinnear’s side switch their attention to the Kent Senior Cup – a competition where they reached the final of last season – as they take on Neil Cugley’s Folkestone for the first time since January 2010.

Dover progressed to the second round of this season’s competition with a 2-1 home victory against Ryman South outfit Faversham Town last month, while Folkestone – another Ryman South club – received a bye into the second round.

*Ppic1**BS*TEAM NEWS*BF*
Stefan Payne scored a brace in Whites’s first round victory against the Lilywhites, however he is likely to be rested along with several other key players ahead of Dover’s FA Cup First Round fixture against League Two side Morecambe on Saturday.

This means Greg Rutherford is likely to make his debut for Chris Kinnear’s side since being released from Hartlepool United and could link up with strike-partnership Nathan Elder and Jake Reid, who have been both lacking game time in recent weeks.

Other players who are likely to feature on Tuesday evening are Lee Hook, Sean Raggett, Sean Francis, Robert Gerrard, Liam Bellamy, Barry Cogan and Christian Nanetti, who all did not feature in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Southport, with the exception of Francis who headed in an equaliser.

*BS*OPPOSITION FORM*BF*
Like Whites, Invicta are also enjoying a similar run of good form, having not lost in their last 9 competitive matches, with the exception of a penalty shoot-out defeat at Ramsgate in the Robert Dyas (Isthmian League) Cup.

They currently occupy 3rd place in the Ryman South – their fourth consecutive season at that level – after winning 9 of their opening 16 league games, and only losing on two occasions, although both defeats have come away from their Cheriton Road ground.

Invicta – whose manager Cugley has been in charge for over a whopping 900 games since being appointed in 1997 – have not enjoyed much success on the road this season so far after recording only three away wins in the league, and have also exited the FA Cup and the Isthmian League cup as the visiting team.

*Lpic1**BS*HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD*BF*
Whites’ last competitive game against Folkestone was in January 2010 when Invicta knocked them out of the Kent Senior Cup with a 2-0 win, although mainly DAFC Academy players filled up the starting line-up that evening.

That was the first meeting between the two sides since the 2004/05 Ryman Premier League season, with Cugley’s side recording a double over Dover (both 1-0 wins) as Whites suffered relegation.

Whites’ last competitive victory over Folkestone dates back to February 2004, when goals from Craig Cloke and Issy Amadi helped Dover to a 2-0 win in the Isthmian Cup, before losing to Crawley Town in the following round.

*BS*MATCH INFORMATION*BF*
Once again, the club are offering fans to watch Whites in Kent Senior Cup action for just a fiver at Crabble as Kinnear’s side aim to reach the quarter-finals of the competition at the expense of Invicta.

Fans unable to make the game can follow live text commentary as always, where that will be provided on Twitter via @DAFCLiveText.

*BS*OTHER KENT SENIOR CUP FIXTURES*BF*
Gillingham v Dartford
Sittingbourne v Tonbridge Angels
Margate v Herne Bay
Cray Wanderers v Ramsgate
Maidstone United v Hythe Town
Ebbsfleet United v Charlton Athletic
Thamesmead Town v Whitstable Town