Boz's Fruit & Veg

Friday Night Football for the Cards

Nick Shaw
10:37am, Thu 24th Sep 2015
Dover Athletic v Woking
Vanarama National League
7.45pm on Friday 25 September 2015


The Cards travel to Crabble on Friday evening for a match that is being televised live by BT Sport. Games between these two sides are always keenly contested, so this should prove to be a lively encounter for the cameras. If you can’t make it to the game, why not come and watch the match Live on the Big Screen in the Cardinals’ Bar?

WOKING

The Cards suffered their second defeat in a row on Tuesday evening at Braintree Town, with Garry Hill making three changes to the side that lost to Cheltenham Town on Saturday. Giuseppe Sole, Godfrey Poku, and Joey Jones came in for Harry Cardwell, Jimmy Keohane, and Jake Caprice. Mark Ricketts is getting closer to a return, after being involved in the pre-match warm-up on Tuesday.

DOVER ATHLETIC

After a poor start last season – which reached its nadir with their 6-1 defeat at Kingfield – the Whites recovered strongly and became one of the form sides, eventually finishing only one place behind the Cards, though eight points adrift.

Canny manager Chris Kinnear has managed to retain most of the Whites’ key players from last season, including prolific striker Stefan Payne and talented midfielders Nick Deverdics and Tom Murphy. Other familiar names include keeper Mitch Walker, defenders Richard Orlu, Sean Raggett and Tyrone Sterling, and winger Ricky Modeste.

New arrivals include two ex-Cards, Jack Parkinson and Aswad Thomas. Parkinson appeared for Leyton Orient in the pre-season friendly at Kingfield and was apparently offered a contract but decided to join Dover. Thomas briefly rejoined the Cards towards the end of last season from Grimsby Town but made only one appearance before injuring his hand. A key addition to the Whites’ squad was Jamie Grimes, joining from Kidderminster Harriers to replace Connor Essam, who has joined Orient. Ricky Miller converted his loan to a permanent signing and has been joined up front by 6’4� Duane Ofori-Achampong, who was released by Torquay. Other arrivals were midfielder Naby Diallo, who counts Bristol City and Bristol Rovers among his previous clubs; and 21 year-old defender Sam Magri, most recently with Crystal Palace.

The Whites started the season with a defeat at Barrow but then went on a seven-match unbeaten run, with three wins at home (over Kidderminster Harriers, Altrincham and Boreham Wood) and four draws (Chester at home, and Aldershot, Bromley and Southport away). The run was ended away to Cheltenham Town, which was then followed by two 0-0 draws at home to Braintree Town and Guiseley AFC. On Tuesday evening they defeated Eastleigh 5-2 away, which resulted in Eastleigh manager Richard Hill resigning the next day.

GETTING THERE

Crabble Athletic Ground
Lewisham Road
River
Dover
Kent
CT17 0JB

Official website: www.doverathletic.com

By coach

The Cards Trust coach leaves the Laithwaite Community Stadium at 4pm. The cost is £19 for members and £24 for non-members, with accompanied U16s (a maximum of two per adult) £10/£12. Ring or email the Club Shop to book your place (01843 772470 or shop@wokingfc.co.uk).

By car

The directions on Dover’s official website are as follows: make your way to the M25 and then take the M2/A2 (following the signs to Canterbury and then Dover) as far as the Whitfield roundabout (there is a McDonald's Drive-Thru on the left).

Take the fourth exit at this roundabout, down Whitfield Hill. At the bottom of the hill turn left at the roundabout and follow this road until the first set of traffic lights. At the lights turn right (180 degrees down the hill) and follow the road under the railway bridge; the ground is a little further up the road on the left.

There is no parking for supporters within the ground, although parking is available in the rugby ground, which is just inside the main entrance.

By train

The main railway station in Dover is Dover Priory, which is about two miles from Crabble and would take you about 25/30 minutes on foot. The closest station to Crabble is Kearsney, which is about a 15/20 minute walk from the ground. If you get off at Kearsney, turn right as you leave the station, go under the railway bridge and then take the first road on the left (Lower Road). Follow Lower Road all the way along, past a pond on your right and Crabble Corn Mill on your left. At the end you will see the Cricketers pub on the other side of the road. Turn right and you will see the entrance to the ground.

Getting down to Dover Priory is reasonably straightforward: make your way to St Pancras International and catch the 17.37, arriving at 18.45, or, cutting it fine, the 18.07, arriving at 19.15. But trains back are more complicated, with the 22.49 from Dover Priory, arriving at St Pancras at 23.54 probably the best bet.

Trains down to Kearsney, either from Waterloo or Victoria, are generally slower or not conveniently timed.

A careful study of www.nationalrail.co.uk or www.thetrainline.com is advisable for anyone thinking of travelling by train.

ADMISSION PRICES

Adults: £15
Over 60's: £12
Under 18's: £6
Under 11's (accompanied): FREE

Transfer to the seated stands:

Adults: £1.50
Over 60's & Under 18s: £1
Under 11's: Free

LAST TIME OUT

Dover Athletic 2 Woking 1
6 April 2015

This was the game that finally killed off Woking’s play-off hopes following their 2-2 home draw against Welling United a couple of days earlier, although the Cards went to record victories against Gateshead and FC Halifax Town and a draw at Nuneaton before the season ended.

It looked promising at half-time after Yemi Odubade had given the Cards the lead in the 37th minute, pouncing when keeper Mitch Walker could only parry Kevin Betsy’s shot into his path. Woking had largely dominated the first half hour of the game but the home side had begun to come more into the game, so the goal seemed timely.

But a tired-looking Cards side never got going after the break in a half which Dover almost completely controlled. Within four minutes the scores were level as danger man Stefan Payne got his head to a ball hammered in and deflected it past Michael Crowe.

Woking’s on-loan keeper was kept busy in the remainder of the half but couldn’t prevent Payne from scoring the deserved winner from the spot after Brian Saah, who was sent off for his troubles, had brought him down.

Woking : Michael Crowe, Adam Newton, Mark Ricketts, Brian Saah, Chris Arthur, Manny Oyeleke (John Goddard 65), Keiran Murtagh, Josh Payne, Kevin Betsy, Scott Rendell, Yemi Odubade (Giuseppe Sole 65)

Unused subs: Charles Banya, John Nutter, Andy Little

Goal: Yemi Odubade 37

Dover Athletic: Mitch Walker, Sean Raggett, Richard Orlu, Ricky Modeste, Tom Murphy (Tom Wynter 92), Stefan Payne, Sean Francis, Tyrone Sterling, Nick Deverdics, Solomon Taiwo, Connor Essam

Unused subs: Barry Cogan, Liam Bellamy, Chris Kinnear, James Poole

Goals: Stefan Payne 49 and 89 (pen)

COMING UP

The Cards’ next game is at home to Southport on Saturday 3 October.


Come on, you Cards!

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