Zero to Hero (FM23)

Unemployed! 25 years old! Wanting to prove myself out there with the big boys. We start the save with no badges and Sunday League Footballer experience. The only parameter I give myself for this save is that I won't apply for anyone. Clubs that come forward to me for an interview are the ones I will consider. Three clubs gave me interviews as we came into October. Banbury United went with Steve Claridge. Hemel Hempstead Town would have been a good option, but Dover Athletic are your underdogs this first season. They had a torrid time over Covid and then being relegated from the National League because they didn't have the money to compete was a massive kick in the teeth for them. But from here, we can see France. That's as continental as we're getting in this first season. The other rule with this save is that if I would make the move in real life with clubs, I will make the move on the game. If a club comes in for me, and they're paying me ten times more than my current club, I will be interested. It won't be easy, it won't be simple. But can I make it from Zero to Hero?

October 2022

We are the brand new Dover Athletic manager, coming in until at least the end of the season. Our first game will be the chance to try and get through to the First Round of the FA Cup as we face Worthing in the Fourth Qualifying Round. Think of the money should we get through. 

The wingers must be crap here then. But no, that looks quite attacking. Maybe I'll go with this but I'll take a look at the squad first and foremost. 

They do also want us to make the First Round of the FA Cup so will I be sacked immediately if it doesn't happen?

The league table looks like this before we play a game. It's very tight at the top in the push for promotion up to the top tier of non-league. Ebbsfleet United lead the way by 2 points, in a battle with Weymouth looking for an immediate return. It's a very tight league all the way down though, although we're firmly in a relegation battle at the moment with Hemel Hempstead. Taunton Town or Cheshunt haven't got to grips with the league yet in their first seasons at this level. Hungerford Town are also behind us in the battle to stay up. Our next opponents Worthing are currently in 16th place. 

Unfortunately, we're slightly over our wage budget. We will be looking to arrest that early on so we've got no chance really of bringing anyone decent in at the moment. At this level, you can do transfers almost immediately what with the transfer window being open all season. 

The fans are quite passionate about the club, that's all well and good. But can someone answer me this? How long have Gillingham and Dover been rivals for? They've always been like 3 leagues apart haven't they?

This is my first team with this club. Anytime I change the formation I will show the changes I make. But now you know where players are playing, I will inform you of changes and the like game by game.

Saturday 15th October 2022

The Emirates FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round

Dover Athletic 2-2 Worthing (Adam Porter 41' (pen), Luke Wanadio 80'; Ollie Pearce 42', 55')

Our first game as a manager ends with a draw and a replay at Worthing on Tuesday as Luke Wanadio scored an absolute worldie to save this tie. We actually had the ball in the net after 25 seconds, but Alfie Pavey got far too excited and was miles ahead of the defence when the ball found him from the cross. We were given a controversial penalty after 40 minutes, even I felt they won the ball with it. Adam Porter smashed it straight down the middle to give us the lead. Unfortunately, just seconds later, Ollie Pearce was picked out by Dan Bowry from the back, and on the half volley, it flew past Brass to make it 1-1 at the break. I thought it was going to go horrifically wrong after 55 minutes as the ball from the right by Robinson found Pearce unmarked in the middle of the box and he stroked home to make it 2-1. But Luke Wanadio, take a bow. A long ball forward by the defence found Trueman on the left who nodded on to Wanadio. He still had it all to do, but he dropped his shoulder, onto his right foot, and BANG! 30 yards out, beat the keeper all ends up in the top corner. If that was Messi, we'd be raving about that. Replay on Tuesday.

It took a little bit of convincing the board, as they have this tendency on recent games to delay it cause they're worried you'll get a bigger and better job. Yes I will eventually, but for now I'm Dover Athletic manager, and want to improve my standing in professional football.

Wednesday 19th October 2022

The Emirates FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round Replay

Worthing 2-0 Dover Athletic (Sammie McLeod 12' (pen), Ollie Pearce 13')

Two goals in the space of a minute within the first 15 minutes have sent Worthing into the First Round and a trip to Gloucester City, while we ponder what might have been after that first game. We gave away a penalty when Ollie Pearce was bearing down on goal and McLeod smashed it down the middle to give the home side an early lead. We barely had time to catch our breath when McLeod turned provider, passing it through the eye of a needle to Ollie Pearce who got his 3rd in two games against us by slotting it into the bottom corner. We weren't really at the races going forward and a horrific mistake from our keeper could have made it 3-0 but they were crowded out before they could shoot. We move on to the league at the weekend.

First signing since I've been here. Tom Donaghy is a 19-year-old who has come in on loan from Fleetwood Town in League One. He actually played at Farsley Celtic in the National League North last season, and is quite a handy stopper at this level. He's got the potential to be a decent shot stopper at National League level. His reflexes and his tendency to go to strikers feet are definitely a winner for me. His decision making impressed me as well. At this level, you're looking for 12-14 in things and he definitely seems like he'll do a job for us until the end of the season. 

Saturday 22nd October 2022

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 2-0 Farnborough (Reece Grant 22', Chike Kandi 37')

Reece Grant is a terrible penalty taker. That's the first thing I learnt from this game, but we still managed to beat a very lethargic Farnborough side 2-0. We got a penalty after 22 minutes which Reece Grant stepped up for. The keeper pushed it onto the post, but Grant was quicker to the rebound. You don't see too many rebounds go in on this game so it was good to see I must admit. A throw in led to the second goal. Terrible defensive play from Farnborough allowed Judd to win the ball back and swing it into the box to find Kandi at the far post coming in from the left. A very comfortable 2 goal lead could have been 3 with another foul in the box. All credit to Grant, he went the other way into the corner but the keeper again somehow got there so despite a decent game for him, he only got a 6.1 rating. But this result takes out of the relegation zone, and we're already purring in the league. 

Tuesday 25th October 2022

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 0-1 Concord Rangers (Jason Adigun 51')

Another disappointing result this game, and we really need to pick up points at home. We had the better chances for the first 50 minutes, but we had the tendency to keep firing over the bar unfortunately. I counted 3 from decent positions that went narrowly over. Minter, the keeper for Concord, was probably the man of the match for them, he made a couple of decent catches to keep his clean sheet. The only goal came from a decent team move for Concord. The team move found Louis Ramsay on the right, he crossed the ball into the middle to find Adigun who's header hit the bar and bounced just over the line to give them the lead. Unfortunately, we didn't recover, and Concord held on for a much needed win for them. With both Hungerford and Hemel winning, we actually drop to third bottom.

Trying to continue with signing under-23 players, we've signed Dave Johnson, a 16-year-old regen, but look at his stats. 14 finishing, 11 dribbling, he could play in the league now, and I'll tell you something, I'll probably stick him on the bench at some point soon. I'm very excited about this player.

Saturday 29th October 2022

Vanarama National League South

Bath City 0-0 Dover Athletic

Bath City had been on a rich run of form recently. top of the form table after winning their last 5 matches. To get a 0-0 draw at Twerton Park was a great result. Both teams had their fair share of chances, and Donaghy was called into action several times but our defending was top notch. We had a few chances that hit the roof of the net, but I will never pass up a point away at a tough place to go in recent times. We do gain a point on both Hemel and Hungerford as both lost over the weekend.

At the end of October, Ebbsfleet United still have the lead at the top, but St Albans are only behind them on goal difference, both on 28 points. Weymouth are also breathing down their necks in 3rd. It's a tight race for those play off places, with only 5 points seperating Eastbourne Borough in 4th and Braintree Town in 17th place. Hopefully it stays that way for the entire season. The relegation battle is close as well, with 3 points seperating Farnborough in 18th and us in 22nd. Cheshunt only got their second win of the season after thrashing Havant & Waterlooville 5-1 and Taunton are still struggling at the bottom.

Another new signing before we end the month is Francis Ameobi, another 16 year old regen that will feature for the youth team this season. I went for him for his tackling and the fact he plays in that deep midfield position. His teamwork at such a young age as well is quality. His heading is a strength for him and I'm sure we can work on his jumping reach at such a young age. 

Manager's Thoughts:

Taking over Dover Athletic, I knew I had a job on my hands to get the team playing, but we've had our moments, from our first game in the FA Cup against Worthing to our creditable draw away at Bath on the last game of the month. I think we have enough about us to stay up. I'm also looking towards the future with my signings, and maybe some of these will feature in the near future as we're going to need more energy to try and stay at this level. It's so tight we can end anywhere at the moment. I'm not saying a play off push but let's see where we stand in the near future. We start the new month away at Oxford City but then have the chance for a big win against Taunton so we need to stay positive and just keep working hard. No distractions from any other cup competitions until we start the FA Trophy at the end of November so it's all about picking up points, and training the young lads at the club.

November 2022

We start a brand new month and our first full month in charge of Dover Athletic. We've only won one game but it doesn't mean that we've been terrible at all. We've consistently been in games, we've had many chances in all our games and I think if we were more clinical up front, we could be winning more games definitely. Easier said than done I know, but there's a long way to go this season still and the league is as tight as anything I've ever seen. There's the chance with a few results, we could shoot right up the table. But there's also the chance with a few defeats, we'll be seriously struggling for the rest of the season. But let's take a look at this month, and let's kick things off as we travel to Oxford City.

Tuesday 1st November 2022

Vanarama National League South

Oxford City 0-1 Dover Athletic (Lee Martin 52')

I've got no idea how we managed this result. We were under the cosh for most of the 90 minutes. Oxford City had chance after chance after chance in this game and hit the bar 4 times and we still managed to score on the break to win the game. Things looked like they were heading south when Chike Kandi was sent off for a second bookable offence after a handball while we were attacking on 48 minutes. I was wondering whether I should change things up immediately, but then we started moving the ball just outside the penalty area. Mitch Brundle saw an opening and released Lee Martin, who one-on-one, slid the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the area. I went completely defensive to try and hold onto the win and like I said, City hit the post and bar 3 times, ball cleared off the line twice, Donaghy made several saves and we just about held on for a crucial 3 points.

In hindsight, not my best signing but Nicky Moxey is a 16-year-old Left Back, his bravery is top notch, his decision making, determination and teamwork are where we want them to be but his technical side of the game massively needs to improve. But our 4th signing of my time here, and it's just nice to add more numbers to the club.

Saturday 5th November 2022

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 2-2 Taunton Town (Alfie Pavey 14', 39'; Lee Lucas 43', Ross Stearn 53')

This was one of those games FM likes to bring out every once in a while, where it seems like you're absolutely cruising to victory, which theoretically you should be doing against bottom of the table Taunton, but all of a sudden, the opposition starts playing like prime Barcelona. Alfie Pavey scored his first two under me at least in this one. A throw-in from Judd was played short to Trueman who whipped the ball into the far post and Pavey swept the shackles off his back and gave us an early lead. It was 2 just before half time when Evans played a long ball from the back over the defence, and Pavey took the ball down, one-on-one, and smashed it into the back of the net. James had a free-kick for Taunton which Donaghy deflected onto the crossbar, but it bounced off it and Lucas tapped into an unguarded net from 2 yards out to make it 2-1. Taunton took a point when a ball to the right found Warwick, who played a cross across the area and Stearn headed home off the post to take a share of the spoils.

Monday 7th November 2022

Vanarama National League South

Chelmsford City 0-0 Dover Athletic

Bad news: We played out a fairly drab 0-0 draw where we missed loads of chances and even a penalty. Good news: We extend our unbeaten run to 4 matches, 3 of those games have been clean sheets. I think playing 2 matches in 48 hours away from Christmas is absolute rubbish, but we dealt with it. We kept play-off chasing Chelmsford's chances to a minimum, and like I said, we unfortunately missed another penalty, and we missed two against Farnborough. All in all, a clean sheet and a point away from home keeps the points ticking over. 

Another player to add to our youth ranks, Akeem Calvin is also 16 years old, and also another player we can work up to his full potential. Realistically, I'd like the 16 year olds to grow together and end up joining the first team in the next few seasons, whether I'm here or not.

Saturday 12th November 2022

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 1-0 Chippenham Town (Alfie Pavey 73')

A drab game was headed for a 0-0 draw until we got a corner with 17 minutes remaining. Lee Martin went across to take the corner and he found the head of Alfie Pavey at the far post which zipped past the keeper and gave us a win that we probably just about deserved. Chippenham had a few chances but nothing really exciting of note. It was a bit of a stop-start game, but we are now unbeaten in 5 matches and we now have back-to-back clean sheets in November. This has been a fantastic run of form we are on, and we're edging further and further away from the drop.

It just seems to be a thing that my scouts are finding young DMs at the moment cause this guy can play there as well. Michael Cox is 16 years old, his tackling is something that helps him out from the rest. His jumping is fantastic, just hope he can end up getting the heading to match. 

Latest signing is Stephen Crowley. He's 16 years old, we are again his first club. Same as the others really, except he is a Right Back and is very much hoof ball it looks like.

Tuesday 22nd November 2022

Vanarama National League South

Hampton & Richmond Borough 1-1 Dover Athletic (Tommy Wood 78'; Reece Grant 17')

A very tightly contested game probably ended with the right result as we picked up a 1-1 draw away at Hampton & Richmond. We took the lead inside 17 minutes as a lofted ball was played into the area, finding Trueman who helped it on to Grant for an easy tap in, and to help our good form continue. It looked to be fairly comfortable although Hampton were getting their chances, we were just keeping hold of the result. Unfortunately, the away win wasn't to be as Inman played a free-kick from deep inside his own half, the ball was played between 3 red shirts, and Whittingham ended up releasing Tommy Wood, who fired it into the top right corner to take a share of the spoils. After a 10-day gap, we didn't seem rusty at all which is good to see.

One of the most Turkish names you're ever likely to see, according to his information, he was born in Bootle near Liverpool. We are definitely picking up a certain type of player in this squad, and we won't be short of defensive players going forward. 

Saturday 26th November 2022

The Isuzu FA Trophy Second Round

Sittingbourne 1-6 Dover Athletic (Jack Bogle 68'; Luke Wanadio 18', Alfie Pavey 20', 28', 45'+1, Will Trueman 64', Iestyn Evans 72')

This all-Kent match in the FA Trophy was only going one way from the kick off in this game, as we beat Sittingbourne, who play two divisions below us, 6-1. A fantastic counter-attack set up our first goal as Pavey found Wanadio to the right of him, and when he was one-on-one, he couldn't miss and he smacked it into the far corner. It was then 2 as Martin set up Pavey for a simple tap in. Pavey doubled his tally for the afternoon following a flick-on from a long ball, and he converted all alone in the area. He completed a first half hat-trick with a carbon copy of his first goal, being left with a nearly open goal and tapping in. It was 5-0 after 64 minutes with Martin setting another goal up, this time cutting back to Trueman who scored with a first-time finish. Sittingbourne scored from a rare attack at this point, with a picture perfect cross finding Bogle on the volley to at least give the home fans something to cheer. But the best goal came last as a shot from range was blocked and it fell back to Centre-back Evans, who controlled it with his foot, and volleyed it from 25 yards out, and it looped over the keeper and in off the bar. Best goal on FM23 this year for me. We go through comfortably to the next round.

The table after all games have been played in November looks like this. Ebbsfleet United have now opened up a 3 point gap over second placed Dartford and 3rd placed St Albans. There's now a little gap opening up between the top 7 and the rest of the league. Eastbourne, Concord, Oxford City and Havant & Waterlooville are currently making themselves comfortable, but we're not quite half way through the season yet. At the bottom, Taunton Town are now 11 points off safety, with Cheshunt nor Hemel Hempstead doing much better. For the first time since I've been here, we end the month outside the relegation zone with Farnborough only a point behind us.

Our latest signing for the youth team. Loyiso Twigg is 16 years old, and is a Left Attacking Midfielder, really good up and down the wing. A really fit player as well.

Manager's Thoughts:

November has come and gone with us remaining unbeaten all month. This is a massive step forward for a club that has been going backwards for so long, we lost the accelerator. Our football has got better this month, even better than last month. The team are making massive strides forward and if we have setbacks, we seem to overcome them almost immediately. The couple of problems from this month for me has been that game against Taunton, or more specifically, the second half against Taunton. Really, we should have held on to that 2-0 lead and closed the game out. That was the aim and unfortunately we didn't come through it. I suppose the other one is just that, we probably should and could have converted those draws into wins. We didn't fall behind in a single game this month, so we didn't fall behind. We were in control for maybe 60% of all game time this month, if we'd converted one draw into a win, we'd be at least 3 points clear of relegation. But those are only little niggly bits. I'm absolutely buzzing with the progress we're making. Let's take that into Christmas.

December 2022

Get your decs out, bang on Slade and The Pogues, find out what the latest toys will be this year, because it's December, it's the Christmas period, but for us, at least at the moment, it's less than hectic. We went through the entirety of November without losing a game, picking up 9 points from 5 games last month. This month, we have 5 games in the first 2 weeks. Points to be won, and hopefully we can keep the good recent defensive performances going. We also have a Third Round tie in the FA Trophy this month as we travel to Aldershot Town who play in the league above us. Let's see how it goes.

Saturday 3rd December 2022

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 5-2 St Albans City (Iestyn Evans 31', Reece Grant 36', 75', Adam Porter 52' (pen), Luke Wanadio 77'; Romeo Akinola 7', Liam Sole 54')

We took on high flying St Albans City in our first game of December. Yes, high flying St Albans City. I say it like that, cause we looked like the team chasing a play off place for the majority of the match. Early on though, they started really well. Roddy and Sole exchanged passes from a throw in, the former delivering into the box, and Akinola using his neck muscles to divert the ball past Donaghy. I thought it would be a long game for us. Evans is now scoring goals like a top class striker, a cleared corner found it's way to Brundle who laid off to Evans, and he smashed into the top corner from the edge of the box. An impressive run from Scanlon down the right resulted in a ball to the far post, finding Wanadio who placed it into the path of Grant who hammered home to turn the game on it's head. Porter made it 3-1 from the penalty spot, before Liam Sole made it 3-2 from another throw-in situation, Roddy playing into the box and a tap-in at the near post made it game on. A scrappy goal made it 4-2, a cross from Paxman was blocked out to Wanadio, who shot, it was deflected in with the last touch coming off Grant for his second. Wanadio got his goal 2 minutes later, Judd whipped in a cross and Wanadio was there at the far post to kill the game. A comfortable win against a promotion chasing team.

Tuesday 6th December 2022

Vanarama National League South

Cheshunt 2-3 Dover Athletic (Dajon Golding 54', 59'; Will Trueman 5', Alfie Pavey 50', Mitch Brundle 76' (pen))

We picked up our fourth win in 5 games in all competitions as we nearly threw away a massive 3 points, but in the end held on to win 3-2. A long ball deep inside our own half led to a decent team move, and Will Trueman bore his way down on goal and converted easily to give us the lead. A massive goalkeeping howler allowed us to make it 2-0. A throw in from Scanlon went short to Trueman, who played a cross onto the head of Pavey, who delivered the tamest header in the world, but the goalkeeper made it a hash of it and it went in for 2-0. 2 goals in 5 minutes brought lowly Cheshunt level, a diagonal into the box found Golding who played it into the top corner for 2-1. And then the biggest howler in my time playing this game made it 2-2. A shot that Donaghy could have caught went into the path of Sterling so he could clear it. Instead he squared it to Golding who scored the easiest goal of his life. We got a penalty with 15 minutes to go which Brundle dispatched to make it 3-2, and send us 4 points off the play-offs.

More youth players down that left hand side coming in, 16 years old, and our Under-18s have been incredible this season to be fair. He's got good first touch, technique, he's very determined when he plays. Fairly quick, and his agility is decent as well.

Saturday 10th December 2022

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 4-1 Worthing (Alfie Pavey 13', 20', 37', Lee Martin 89'; Ibby Akanbi 72')

I always thought that the game that would see how far we've come would be the game against Worthing in the league after our FA Cup exit to them in my first 2 games as manager. Today we played them off the park. Alfie Pavey has been the man getting the tap-ins recently and he did it again for his first today, converting a cross from Trueman. A second tap-in from a Kandi diagonal made it 2-0. Martin then became the provider for Pavey to get the easiest hat-trick of his career, all from a combined distance of about 10 yards. Bowry played route one all the way through to Akanbi who hit a first time shot under the keeper to make it 3-1. But the fourth came right at the death, Kandi running down the right again, the ball evaded everyone from the low ball but in sneaked Lee Martin at the back post for a fourth tap in for the team, and another 3 points to our total. Unfortunately, Myles Judd got injured in this game so we will find out together how broken he is. But a great result against Worthing, revenge for the Cup is so sweet.

He got a twisted ankle unfortunately so he will be out for up to 5 weeks, which takes us into the new year. Really feel for him, he's been great at the back this season. 

I hope it is properly 5 star please FM

Another 16-year-old gracing the Under 18s matches, someone to play down the right now. Stephen O'Donnell will learn in this academy.

Tuesday 13th December 2022

Vanarama National League South

Tonbridge Angels 1-2 Dover Athletic (Louis Collins 45'+2; Adam Porter 24' (pen), Reece Grant 60')

We extended our unbeaten run in the league to 10 games with a 2-1 win over Kent rivals Tonbridge Angels. Adam Porter scored the opener inside 24 minutes with a well taken penalty to the keeper's right, beating the despairing dive. A chipped ball from Fielding found Collins in the area and he hit the net just before the half time break which changed my team talk. Kandi made the run down the left to provide the ball to Reece Grant in the middle of the area with a tap in to give us an important 2-1 win before we take a 13-day break in the league. Our next game is in the FA Trophy.

Had our first player departure, he was never going to feature in the first team, so he;s gone over to Lowestoft Town in the league underneath us.

Saturday 17th December 2022

The Isuzu FA Trophy Third Round

Aldershot Town 1-1 Dover Athletic (after extra time) (Jimiel Chikukwa 119'; Luke Baptiste 94')

How did we not win this game? How is this going to a replay? So many questions. The answer is that we weren't clinical enough in normal time, and then when it came to extra time, we weren't good enough defensively. We hit the woodwork 5 times in this game against a team a league above us. We scored the first goal 4 minutes into extra time, a free kick from Scanlon found Pavey at the far post, whose header was saved by Ashby-Hammond but the ball fell to Baptiste, who scored his first goal for the club with this goal. We were heading for a win until 1 minute from the end. A blocked shot from Bokoum found it's way into the path of Chikukwa who chipped it over Donaghy, and that set up a replay at our place in midweek. Gutted but we go again.

Another youth signing, Paul Kabiru is 17 years old, he's a free kick taker, a good team player, quite pacy, quite agile. Let's hope he progresses well.

Wednesday 21st December 2022

The Isuzu FA Trophy Third Round Replay

Dover Athletic 2-1 Aldershot Town (Luke Wanadio 49', Reece Grant 78'; Jemiel Chikukwa 71')

We picked up a dream result against Aldershot to continue our amazing form and book our place into the Fourth Round of the FA Trophy and a home game against Blyth Spartans after a tight game ended 2-1 to us. It was tighter than the first game. Evans set up the first goal by producing a diagonal ball to Grant, who's deflected header found Wanadio and a nice volley put us a goal up. Aldershot equalised after Amartey brought a long ball down, he had Chikukwa to his right on the edge of the area and he found the bottom corner to level it up. The winner came when Krasniqi played a long ball from just inside the opposing half, it found Sterling, he played it across for Grant to tap in and for us to take our place in the Fourth Round. 

And there was me sat here thinking the name Gary was dying off. This is not the best regen, only really signed him for his name but you have to with a name like Gary Lane. He sounds like he should be 45 with an office job.

So our Boxing Day game against Dulwich Hamlet was called off, so that rounds off 2022 in the National League South. Ebbsfleet United head into the New Year with a 4 point lead over Dartford, with Bath City worming their way up to third place. The play off places are rounded off with Weymouth, St Albans, Eastbourne and Havant & Waterlooville in there. After an amazing month where we won every single league game thrown at us, we've gone from 20th to 10th in the table, now on 35 points, and 2 points off the play off places with a game in hand. At the bottom, Taunton have overtaken Cheshunt but both are way off even making an attempt to stay up this season. Tonbridge Angels are 3 points off safety and Hemel are still down there, but are closing the gap to Welling by the minute.

I'll take that. Managed to sort out a new deal up until the end of next season. He has been dynamite for me this year at the back, plus he's scored a couple of worldies so I'll happily extend the contract for him. 

Manager's Thoughts:

Well, this month has gone far better than I thought it would. We've gone over two months without losing a game, and I joked in October that we could make the play-offs. We could literally make the play-offs and I'm not joking. Highlights of the month being knocking out Aldershot Town in the FA Trophy, and the fact we've scored a glut of goals and won every game in the league just gets me buzzed. The new young players are working well in the youth team and also the boost given to the lads when Iestyn Evans has signed a new contract will be galvanising as well. Let's see what 2023 brings to the club, but I don't think this turnaround could have gone much better. 

January 2023

Happy New Year, one and all, and welcome back to Dover for our third full month in charge of this wonderful club. We are currently on the brink of the play-off places after an amazing month where we just ended up scoring a glut of goals. Unfortunately, we didn't keep a clean sheet but when you're scoring enough, that's not such a problem. We start the month with a double header against Dulwich Hamlet, and we also have an important game against Blyth Spartans in what is probably the longest journey in this year's FA Trophy. The confidence is flying through the team. I just hope we don't get too many nosebleeds. There is the genuine outside chance of promotion after a season away, which seems a world away from where we were in October. First of all, Dulwich Hamlet. In fact, first of all, we start with this.

December Manager of the Month. I would say, I didn't see it coming but we literally won all of our league games this month. It wasn't even close with the others.

Sunday 1st January 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 0-2 Dulwich Hamlet (Alex Bonnington 14', 77')

The bloody Manager of the Month curse! Never give me it. Don't care if we have an unbeaten season. I can live without it. Our first game in 2023 brings us our first defeat since October and we just weren't at the races for this one. A simple play from Dulwich led to a simple ball that split our defence for Bonnington to go through and make it 1-0. It was another simple move to make it 2-0 with 13 to go as Kalala played the ball from the right and that slid through Bonnington to confirm the points for them and bring our first defeat for over two months. It happens. You can't win them all. We just hope it doesn't happen again for a while.

So our first defeat in 10 league games was the instigator for me to change up my formation and my instructions. Our route one has been working since I've arrived albeit in a different formation so I've decided to do a 4-4-2 route one formation. I think it's more attacking than the previous one believe it or not, the squad are fairly familiar with it. Pavey and Grant get to play together for once. Both have had their moments this season so it'll be interesting to see what we can do. This is a formation that can utilise Krasniqi properly as well. 

Wednesday 4th January 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dulwich Hamlet 0-1 Dover Athletic (Reece Grant 31')

Change the formation, and this happens. Let's face it, Dulwich Hamlet were all over us. They had 7 shots on target to our 1 but Donaghy was in inspired form for this one. He was absolutely unreal in this one. Turns out Pavey and Grant can play together, and if you can put Krasniqi into his proper position, he will be electric as well. Our winning goal actually came from a free-kick from Donaghy in his own box. He played it midway into their half and it was nodded down to Krasniqi. He slid a forward pass through the eye of a needle into Grant who had it all to do, but 20 yards out, surrounded by defenders, he hit a superb shot into the top left hand corner with their keeper grasping thin air. A much needed response to that defeat on New Year's Day and a new tactic, and we go back to winning ways. 

My favourite sight to see today so far. Myles Judd will be back in the team before we know it after his recent injury. And also, we have 0 injuries at the moment. This is what you need when it comes to being a semi-pro outfit with not the biggest squad.

When I was about to buy this lad, the coaches and scouts were giving him an A+ when it came to prospects. He still could be but it annoys me when the game does this. Mark Daly, 16 years old, playing for our U18 team, the team has been transformed in the second half of their season, and are in contention to win their league at the moment which is always good to see. 

Saturday 7th January 2023

Vanarama National League North

Hungerford Town 3-0 Dover Athletic (Claudio Ofusu 9', 45', Callum Willmoth 22')

A first half where we were completely played off the park by Hungerford, it was very frustrating to watch and not even have a real go in the second half unfortunately. A long ball found Tyler on the right for Ofusu to head into the corner to give Hungerford the lead in this one. The second goal also came from a header. A corner by Bansal-McNulty found Willmoth in the area and he managed to whack his head on it for 2-0. Another corner from the same side was cleared away but only as far as Muir, who found Ofusu via a deflection, and it was game over. I know what we're working on this week.

I always love looking at these reports after your first 20 matches in charge. We've done incredibly well since I've taken over, a 50% win percentage in our first 20, only 4 defeats in charge of this football club. We were really struggling at the bottom of the table, and now we're being considered for the end of season play-offs. I'm so proud of this journey so far and I hope we can take Dover as high as we possibly can.

Tuesday 10th January 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 1-1 Ebbsfleet United (Alfie Pavey 36'; Toby Edser 61')

A point against the league leaders is something we needed especially after that crushing 3-0 defeat to Hungerford. We were on the back burner for the whole game but we took advantage of the chances we had in this game, and at one point, seriously looked like we had a chance of beating them. Our goal came against the run of play in the 36th minute. A chipped ball on the left by Wanadio was positioned onto the edge of the area onto the foot of Pavey, who half volleyed it into the bottom corner. Ebbsfleet were shell-shocked and it took them a while to get back into this one. When they did, this may be a goal of the season contender. A cross played into the area and was punched clear by Donaghy, it fell to Edser, who plucked it out the air with his right foot, and one touch later, he lobbed it over the defence and over the keeper from 30 yards out, and hit the back of the net with Donaghy left flat-footed. We'll take the point because Ebbsfleet are running away with the league.

Saturday 14th January 2023

The Isuzu FA Trophy Fourth Round

Dover Athletic 4-1 Blyth Spartans (Alfie Pavey 34', Chike Kandi 53', Lee Martin 57', Jordan Scanlon 81'; Josiah Dyer 12')

An early setback proved to be the catalyst in this all 6th-tier Trophy tie, as we go through to the last 16 by disposing of famous giantkillers over the years, Blyth Spartans. It was the National League North side that started the better, and they took the lead after 12 minutes, Evans playing a long ball through to McNall, who volleyed the ball across goal to find the head of Dyer. We equalised from a throw-in, Judd took it short to Brundle, who played it into the box to find the outstetched boot of Pavey, who volleyed home in the 6-yard box. 2 goals in 4 minutes changed the course of the tie in the second half. First of all, Judd played a simple ball down the left to Reece Grant, who played it across for the sub Kandi to have the easiest tap in. It was 3-1 when another throw-in was cleared away only as far as Trueman, who found Martin in acres of space in the area, and he fired in across the keeper into the far corner. It was game over with 9 minutes left, a corner cleared as far as Brundle, who played a short pass on the left to Scanlon. He then ran into the area instead of crossing, and he fired home at the near post. 

We've signed an exciting young goalkeeper, only 16 years old but could be a star for the future. Leighton Coughlan's rushing out of goal looks incredible. He's also eager to put a decent punch on the ball, his reflexes are good for this level. He seems to be one for the future. 

Saturday 21st January 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 2-3 Havant & Waterlooville (Lee Martin 26', Adam Porter 36'; Muhammadu Faal 24', 43', 68')

Taking on the team top of the league form table is never easy, especially when your results have been inconsistent recently, but we gave our visitors a game and really we were let down by three mistakes at the back. A throw-in by Magri allowed Crichlow to run down the wing and aim a central ball into Faal, who gave them the lead after a mistake by Donaghy when he got both hands to it, but it went through him. We equalised 2 minutes later. A game of head tennis was won by us and the ball fell to Porter, who from the centre, sent the ball over the heads into Lee Martin, coming in from the left, and he scored a first time finish for 1-1. We took the lead via the luckiest of deflections when Porter himself ran into the box and hit it from an angle, deflecting in off a defender to make it 2-1. It was 2-2 before half time and a ball from McCarthy fell to Wright, but Donaghy had come out of goal to try and win the ball, and the ball was nodded down for Faal to get his second into an empty net. The winner came with over 20 minutes left, Wright ran round our defence and was allowed to go to the byline without so much as a tackle flying in, he played it back for Faal to claim his hat-trick and win the game.

Tylor Cousens, a 16-year-old Left Winger to play for the Under-18 team. Quite determined in games, his teamwork is good as well. 

Saturday 28th January 2023

Vanarama National League South

Hemel Hempstead Town 1-3 Dover Athletic (Ogo Obi 25' (pen); Alfie Pavey 32', 48', Lee Martin 45'+1)

We got back to winning ways over in Hertfordshire, despite falling behind early on again, as we beat Hemel Hempstead 3-1. We gave away a controversial penalty after 25 minutes, and Obi sent Donaghy the wrong way to make it 1-0. That's as good as it got for the hosts as we equalised just 7 minutes later. Scanlon made the run down the right and crossed it onto Pavey to grab a headed goal in the 6-yard box. We then took the lead just before half time as Pavey turned provider as a team move from a throw in found it's way to the striker, who laid it off for Martin to stroke into the net. A long ball found Trueman down the left and he played the ball into an unmarked Pavey in acres of space, and he didn't need a second invitation to finish the game off and take the points.

Tuesday 31st January 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 3-4 Eastbourne Borough (Reece Grant 70', Lee Martin 90'+3, Lee Wanadio 90'+4; Ollie Hulbert 8', 90+2', Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong 59', Bradley Barry 65')

This may look like it was the tightest game known to man, but the scoreline doesn't reflect how this game went. We had the ball in the net after 19 seconds but it was ruled offside. Kandi was the scorer of that goal and was obviously frustrated cause after 5 minutes, he was sent off after he scissor tackled Hammond. We would play 85 minutes with 10 men. Ollie Hulbert gave Eastbourne the lead after a lapse in concentration at the back gave him an easy one-on-one to finish off. It was 2-0 after 59 minutes after Hammond released Berkeley-Agyepong into the box and he fired in off the inside of the post. 6 minutes later, we fell 3-0 down as Donaghy saved a Whelpdale free-kick but Barry reacted quickest to the rebound. We got what seemed like a consolation in the 70th minute, a simple Lee Martin corner reached the head of Grant at the far post. Hulbert sealed the win through a deflected shot from a cross in by Berkeley-Agyepong. The scoring wasn't over yet though as we scored 2 in 2 minutes. Wanadio played a cross in from the right and Lee Martin ran in from the left to fire into the top corner from 8 yards out for 4-2. Martin returned the favour from the left, with Wanadio finding the top corner this time. But time ran out shortly after, a good effort with 10 men, losing by the odd goal in 7.

The league table after January shows Ebbsfleet United still leading with 61 points with 16 games to go for them. Bath City are having a remarkable season and currently in 2nd place. The usual suspects are still up there with St Albans, Havant & Waterlooville, Dulwich Hamlet, Dartford and Eastbourne Borough completing the play-off places at the moment, but teams all the way down to Braintree Town are still dreaming of at least 7th place. Taunton Town and Cheshunt are both still really struggling, 22 points each and both 9 from Tonbridge in 20th. It's tighter for the other 2 places, both filled with Chelmsford City on 30 and Slough Town on 31, but Slough are only in there on goal difference. 

Manager's Thoughts:

Overall, I'm quite disappointed with what happened this month. we got a couple of vital wins, with Dulwich Hamlet, Blyth Spartans and Hemel Hempstead Town on our hit list this month, but defensively, we weren't as good as we have been. We've been flirting with being on the fringes of 7th all month, but we now currently sit in 12th, just holding onto our place in the top half. We were dealt a cruel blow with the defeat against Eastbourne after going down to 10 men after 5 minutes so I can look past that cause we actually had a go late on. But it's the games like Hungerford and Havant & Waterlooville, especially the latter one when we could have taken a point, but the lapses in concentration at the back have been infuriating. I know it was a new formation, and I will stick with it for now cause we are scoring goals, but we need to tighten up, and we will be working on that in training. 

February 2023

A brand new month and a month with some important games coming up as we start heading towards that business end to the season. We're still in the FA Trophy and we have a home tie against Yeovil Town in the last 16 so we will be preparing for that game. This month, I want to tighten up at the back as that was our downfall in a month that we had 4 defeats in, all in the league and it could have mucked up our hopes for the play-offs if other teams had been stronger in January. Hopefully, it was just a new year hangover. We start the month travelling to relegation threatened Slough, who are on a very poor run of form as things stand at the moment, and we need to take advantage of that.

We've made our first club signing of February, Stacy Wadsworth who is a 16-year-old CM, he's got good technique and first touch, his work rate is there with his teamwork as well. Stamina, Balance and Acceleration is also in the yellow so a nice little talent. 

Saturday 4th February 2023

Vanarama National League South

Slough Town 1-0 Dover Athletic (Florian Kastrati 58')

A disappointing result and the first time in my tenure here that we have lost 2 games in a row in the league. Slough just seemed to frustrate us all game, we weren't on it at all. We had a few half chances in this game, a couple going narrowly over the bar and I would have taken a draw at one point, but oh no! Slough had a free-kick at the corner of the box, and Kastrati took it, and caught Donaghy off guard. He's really not playing well at the moment, I will be having words with him. He palmed it onto the bar and it bounced down and went in. Another defeat and not what we needed heading into the Yeovil game. Our season is in danger of fizzling out into mid-table mediocrity.

Saturday 11th February 2023

The Isuzu FA Trophy Fifth Round

Dover Athletic 1-4 Yeovil Town (Reece Grant 81'; Sam Perry 22', Alex Fisher 29', Jake Scrimshaw 35', Malachi Linton 73')

As in real life, there's a huge difference between part-time teams and full-time teams and Yeovil showed up and showed the reason why they're currently top of the National League heading into this game. We were ripped apart in the first half. Williams played a long ball from inside his own half for the first, which Perry brought down and hit an amazing volley from way out, which went in off the post. It was 2-0 seven minutes later, when another long ball forward from Richards-Everton found Fisher in the area with a first time finish. Yeovil were out of sight by 35 minutes, Yeovil playing the ball around themselves before releasing Reckord, who found Scrimshaw in the middle for a tap in. The long ball beat us again with 17 minutes to go, Bevan finding Linton, who evaded the tackle from Evans and he rifled it into the back of the net for 4-0. We got a consolation with 9 minutes remaining, route one from Donaghy, finding Grant just outside the box, one touch and then he fired it past the keeper for a little bit of delight. All in all, totally outplayed, but I'm happy with the run we had in the FA Trophy this season, the Fifth Round is a good journey for us, and good money coming into the club.

Saturday 18th February 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 2-1 Chelmsford City (Will Trueman 24', Adam Porter 45' (pen); Charlie Ruff 38')

After three defeats in a row, the boys bounced back against relegation threatened Chelmsford, with all the goals coming in the first half. We took the lead after 24 minutes. Trueman played the ball out left to Martin, who's deflected cross fell right in the path of Trueman, and he volleyed past the keeper from close range for 1-0. Another defensive mix-up allowed Chelmsford to level up. A long ball from Mitter produces a mix-up at the back between Sterling and Donaghy, and Ruff was left with an open goal to just tap in. We need to get rid of these mistakes. We scored what would prove to be the winning goal just before half time as we were gifted a penalty, and Adam Porter sent Marsden the wrong way as he rifled into the corner. We take a much needed 3 points, and a much needed confidence boost after the poor recent results. 

I'm a proper manager!!!!!!! Got my National C Licence, gets me on the ball now and hopefully we can progress further with our licences. 

And straight away, the board have given us the money to start our National B Licence. Always try and get your licences as quickly as you can so you can work up as a manager. 

Tuesday 21st February 2023

Vanarama National League South

Concord Rangers 1-5 Dover Athletic (Ben Williamson 86'; Alfie Pavey 5', Lee Martin 17', Reece Grant 45'+3, 69', Luke Baptiste 74')

If you look at the stats for this game, it was the tightest game in our league season. The scoreline and the consistency with our shots today tell you completely different. We were so clinical for the first time in ages. We dominated down the wings in the first half. Wanadio found Pavey on the edge of the box, he took a touch and absolutely thumped it past the keeper in off the near post for 1-0. It was 2-0 with a beautiful ball played down the wing by Paxman, he found Martin on the left of the box, one-on-one and he stuck it away comfortably. It was 3-0 before half time with Brundle playing the long ball to Wanadio on the right, and he found Grant for his second assist, volleying home in the middle of the box. 2 goals in 5 minutes completely killed the game. A Paxman pass from the left completely evaded everyone and Grant hit the loose ball on the edge of the box into the far corner to make it 4-0. Grant found a running Baptiste for the 5th. He beat the offside trap, gave the keeper the eyes and he got in on the act. The one blot on an otherwise perfect day was their consolation. Adigun played it right to Williamson, he ran into the area and again Donaghy was beaten at his near post. It's getting beyond a joke now. But I rarely get these games where I can just enjoy the second half. I'll take this. 

Saturday 25th February 2023

Vanarama National League South

Taunton Town 1-4 Dover Athletic (Harry Warwick 10'; Luke Wanadio 23', 60', Reece Grant 57' (pen), 65')

Another home team on the end of a hammering against us as we win three in a row now with a 4-1 win over whipping boys Taunton Town. Taunton, in fact, took the lead inside 10 minutes. James chipped the ball over our entire defence with Warwick running onto it, he was one-on-one and he slid it into the corner to give them a shock lead. We equalised 13 minutes later where Brundle played a ball from his own half to a running Wanadio on the right, he ran into the area and scored from the angle to level it up. We then proceeded to score 3 goals in 8 minutes to kill the game. It was 2-1 from the penalty spot, Reece Grant sending Bycroft the wrong way. Trueman then found Wanadio on the right hand side of the area and from an even tighter angle, he made it 3-1. And finally, a long ball from Donaghy went all the way through to a running Grant, who kept his composure to get his second and our fourth.

It's all about training these young players up, and Jake Payne has come into the Under-18s. We're gonna take a chance on him with his crossing ability, his bravery, determination, acceleration and agility. He's definitely someone that I can see coming on leaps and bounds down that left side, even if he spends his entire career at this level.

Now is the time to get those new contracts sorted out for the players that I want to keep, and this guy has been a rock at the back, as well as bombing up and down the wing whenever we've needed him. He deserves a new contract and I'm glad he's staying at least for next season. 

We've hit the end of February and Ebbsfleet still lead the way, although not as comfortably as they were last month, with only a 2-point lead above Bath City in second place. A little bit of a gap opening up to St Albans in 3rd, and Dartford in 4th. Havant & Waterlooville are comfortably in the play-offs at the moment, and so are Dulwich Hamlet really although all can change. Weymouth are clinging on to seventh spot although they are being chased by Hungerford (who were struggling with us when I took over), and Dover. Taunton and Cheshunt still prop up the table, both 11 points from safety. Worthing are third bottom and Slough are fourth bottom, 2 points from Chelmsford who have escaped the relegation zone at the moment. 

Manager's Thoughts:

Let's get the bad bits out the way. We can't keep clean sheets. We could be playing against the worst teams in the world and we still can't go a game without conceding. We scored 1 each in all of our league games and got thumped in the FA Trophy. The first 2 games this month, I thought, were going to be a sign of things to come. We weren't at the races. We weren't having a go in the Slough game at all. But, we went on a 3-match winning streak, including getting 5 at Concord and 4 at Taunton. It's great to see us firing again, and the confidence is now flowing through the team, or at least the attacking side of the team. We got our first licence, which I hope to improve on now. and we're back to within 1 point of 7th spot, so we're sort of back on track. We have 11 games to go and hopefully, we will get our rewards come April.

March 2023

Hello, and welcome back to Zero to Hero as we head into the business end of the first season. We go into this month on the back of 3 wins in a row against Chelmsford, Concord and Taunton, scoring 11 goals and conceding 3. The one problem we've been having recently is the lack of a clean sheet. We haven't actually kept a team out since 4th January in our 1-0 away win at Dulwich Hamlet. To still have a chance of making 7th place, we need to start being tighter at the back, and I will keep saying that until we start keeping clean sheets. We start the month with two big home games coming up, Bath City and Cheshunt, two teams at opposite ends of the table who need results for two different reasons. We've done OK against teams at the top this season, so I'm panicking overly about the Bath game, but I do expect to beat Cheshunt as they struggle to survive the drop. But FM is not that easy. We need to be on it today.

Saturday 4th March 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 1-3 Bath City (Iestyn Evans 35'; Alex Fletcher 22', Cody Cooke 66' (pen), 77')

Taking on Bath, we knew it was going to be a tough game at this time of the season with them trying to become champions. Alex Fletcher scored the opener after 22 minutes with a looping header from a Frear corner on the right. But we equalised just over 10 minutes later, and both our centre-backs combined for this one. Brundle took the free-kick into the box, lofted it in, and Evans got his neck muscles behind it and headed it over the keeper, looping into the corner for 1-1, and that's what it was at half time. We held on until the 66th minute when Cody Cooke got his name on the scoresheet by sending Donaghy the wrong way from 12 yards out. And it was 3-1 with 13 minutes to go, a long ball from Batten saw Cooke outmuscle our defence, take a touch, and then smashed it into the roof of the net. Bath was always going to be tough, we had a go, next up is Cheshunt. 

Tuesday 7th March 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 2-2 Cheshunt (Reece Grant 7', 11'; Tolu Ladapo 15', William Van Lier 74' (pen))

I am furious after this result! The players thought it was over after 10 minutes. Our game management went out the window this game. Reece Grant had a great start to this game with 2 goals in the first 11 minutes. Pavey spotted Grant's run from deep for the first one, he was released past the defence, and fired high into the net for 1-0. It was 2-0 just four minutes later, Porter picked out a similar pass and from the other side to the first one, Grant stuck it into the same corner and I honestly thought we'd be cruising. Then it happened. We're never going to keep a clean sheet again at this rate. A long ball came from the Cheshunt keeper, Woods, and it bounced over the defence with Ladapo, who fired straight at Donaghy but he was too close to it to keep it out and it deflected off him and into the net for 2-1. We gave away our second penalty in two games already this month, and Van Lier took the typical non-league penalty, high into the roof of the net to save struggling Cheshunt a point. 

A new signing which hopefully helps once more with what the board wants us to do. He plays on the right. His crossing, passing and technique is good for a club at our level. His determination is an 18 which is good to see. Welcome to the club, Lee Marshall. 

Saturday 11th March 2023

Vanarama National League South

Chippenham Town 4-1 Dover Athletic (Jack Connor 11', 57', Jordan Young 47', 61'; Reece Grant 34')

This was the first time this season that I felt truly helpless with this team. The defending was awful as per. I swear to God, we're working on our defending in training. Unfortunately we get 2 training sessions a week and only one if we're playing on the Tuesday. Early on, trying to clear the ball away, it fell to Martinez and landed at Connor's feet, it was deflected back into his path off our defenders, and he couldn't have wished for an easier finish for 1-0. We equalised after 34 minutes, Pavey playing his typical diagonal over to Grant, who produced his usual finish across the keeper into the top corner to make it 1-1. It was 2-1, 2 minutes into the second half, as a ball was cleared away into the path of Fasanmade, he went to the byline and found Young, and he slid home to give the home side the lead. Fasanmade was the provider for the third goal, this time finding Connor in a similar position and he slid home for 3-1. Parker produced a searching pass down the left hand side and found Young, he smashed it into the top corner for 4-1. A disappointing result and starting to realise it may just be a mid-table finish this season. 

Lee McDermott has signed for the club at 16 years old, not the best technically, so a lot to train him on. His teamwork is already at 16 which is good to see though. 

Saturday 18th March 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 1-1 Hampton & Richmond Borough (Adam Porter 17' (pen); Luis Fernandez 70')

Another case of what might have been if we could actually defend at corners. A drab game ended 1-1. Porter gave us the lead in the first half through a well converted penalty for 1-0. In the second half, Hampton & Richmond got a corner. Gyamfi swung it in, it came off Hill at the near post with Donaghy again coming miles off the line, and Fernandez tapped in at the far post for 1-1. At least it wasn't a thrashing but it's a disappointing result. We're just struggling to hold onto leads at the moment. Bit worried we'll end this month with no wins. 

Saturday 25th March 2023

Vanarama National League South

St Albans City 3-4 Dover Athletic (Aaron Ekumah 31', TJ Bramble 69', Liam Sole 71'; Lee Martin 35', Chike Kandi 37', Reece Grant 56', 90'+2)

My worries about ending this month without a win nearly happened, but not quite. An incredible game with play-off certainties, St Albans City, ended 4-3 to us. The first goal came from a near post corner by Noble, and Ekumah headed in for 1-0. Lee Martin equalised with a well placed free kick from 20 yards out into the top corner. Martin then fired a ball forward into the box, Kandi and Grant played an unorthodox 1-2, and Kandi tapped in to make it 1-2 to us. Grant then got a goal of his own, a long ball by Paxman found him, and the ball went in off the keeper to make it 3-1. A Noble free-kick was saved by Donaghy but our defence was not quick enough and Bramble got the touch onto it for a scrappy goal off our defence for 3-2. A Noble shot was then blocked, so he played it through to Sole in the area and another deflected shot across the floor left Donaghy flat-footed and it was suddenly 3-3. It would stay that way until the 2nd minute of injury time. A free kick was nodded down to Martin, and he played it through to Grant, who scored his 20th goal of the season by sliding it into the side netting, and made me punch the air with delight in my living room.

With 6 games to go this season, Ebbsfleet United and Bath City are both guaranteed at least a play-off place. Ebbsfleet are on 83 points with Bath City on 79. There's an 11-point gap down to Dartford and Havant & Waterlooville, with St Albans now a further 2 points behind them. The battle for the play-offs has been tight all season, and heading into the month that will decide it all, anyone down to 20th placed Tonbridge Angels, can still technically get 7th place. At the bottom, a defeat for Taunton in their next game will end their 1-season stay in the National League South. Cheshunt and Worthing also look in severe danger of going straight back down, with even Slough Town 5 points away from safety.

Another contract extension, someone who could work his way up to the first team next season, Harrison Byford is staying until the end of this season for now but a new contract in June will definitely be coming. 

Manager's Thoughts:

We've reached the end of March. We have one month left remaining to see if we can get that 7th spot although, I won't be too disappointed if we get a top half finish. I'm disappointed with a lot of how we played this month. Unfortunately, we still haven't got a clean sheet since the start of 2023 and this needs to be something we fix, because if we don't, it'll literally be a case of rebuild everything heading into next season. I haven't been offered a new contract yet, but I guess the board are waiting to see what happens come the end of the season. The best bit of the month was the last minute winner we beat St Albans with, it keeps us in with a chance, albeit a slim chance, of reaching the play-offs. We're still only 4 points off 7th so it's up for grabs. 

April 2023

This is it. We've come to the final month of the season, and we've come a long way since we were struggling to survive at the wrong end of the table. We're now sitting just 4 points off the play off places, we have nothing to lose at this stage of the season, and the plan is to try and just perform to 100% in all our games we have remaining. We have 6 games to go, we have 3 teams who are underneath us in the table to play, and we have the backing of the fans who have given me an A+ so far with my performances as manager. Even if we fail to make the play-offs, we have had a run of form that could stand us in good stead for the start of next season. First of all, we travel to Cressing Road in a game we must take maximum points from, away at Braintree Town.

Saturday 1st April 2023

Vanarama National League South

Braintree Town 1-2 Dover Athletic (Matt Rush 31'; Alfie Paxman 14', Reece Grant 39')

On April Fools Day, we did not prove to be the jokers as we won 2-1 against a very resilient Braintree side who probably should have drawn the game. Our first goal was a first goal of the season for Alfie Paxman, a ball played from the right by Judd found Grant on the edge of the box, who laid the ball off for Paxman, who fired home inside the D, straight into the top corner. Braintree's equaliser was a real team goal. A long ball from the keeper made it's way down the right to Reynolds. He nodded on to Matthews, and a couple of first time balls via Coker led to a first time finish by Matt Rush into the bottom corner. Judd set up the winner in the 39th minute. A free kick was powered forward into the path of Pavey, he brought the ball down and fired across goal for Reece Grant to tap in and give us back to back wins for the first time since February.

Reece Grant is staying. One of my favourite players in the save so far has agreed a new deal on £375 p/w and will stay until the end of next season. He's got a total of 21 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions this season, and has been vital for us to be in this position towards the end of the season. I want to see what I can do when I start a season for the first time with this club. 

I've now signed a new one-year deal which will keep me in charge of Dover Athletic until the end of next season. I'm really enjoying myself at this club, and to have these come to me as my first club was a great decision from both sides. While I've still only got the qualifications to be a non-league manager, I want to take this club as far as we can go.

Friday 7th April 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 0-1 Welling United (Ethan Wassall 13')

When it's not your day, it's really not your day. Playing at home to 18th placed Welling United, on the back of a win like that against Braintree, we got off to the worst possible start. A corner from the left by Maloney proved to be the undoing of us early on as Wassall rose up at the back post to nod in for what was the only goal of the game after 13 minutes. In the second half, we were given a vital penalty, and the ball was given to a man who's normally safe from the spot, Adam Porter. Aiming to place it into the corner, he stuck it narrowly wide of the post. Kandi was then ruled out of an equaliser for offside, with the lines on top of each other in the replay. It happens, it hurts and it probably means we're spending another season at this level. 

Youth intake time! Better than most but will make my decisions after the trialists match.

Monday 10th April 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dartford 0-1 Dover Athletic (Alfie Pavey 76')

Our first clean sheet since the 4th January occurred in a game against one of our biggest rivals in Dartford, after we picked up a 1-0 win against the promotion hopefuls. Dartford had the better chances, with several flying over the bar. But they weren't clinical enough when they had those chances, and we punished them against the run of play with 14 minutes to go. Wanadio played a long diagonal ball over the top from his own half into the path of Pavey, who kept composed in a one-on-one situation and rifled into the roof of the net to give us a much needed 3 points away from home. I'm so delighted with this result, in a match of high stakes, and one Dartford had to win to confirm the play-offs today, we came out on top and showed so much composure in this game. 

Saturday 15th April 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 2-2 Oxford City (Alfie Pavey 8', Reece Grant 83'; Joe Iaciofano 47', Josh Parker 86')

An entertaining game for the neutral between two teams chasing a play-off place finished with honours even as neither team were quite strong enough to hold on to win the game. Evans made a clever run into midfield for the first goal, playing a ball into Pavey on the edge of the area, he tried to feed Grant but he was tackled, and as the ball rolled back to him, he hit the ball so perfectly into the top corner. We held on until half time but Oxford City woke up in the second half. Hylton played a simple ball forward to Lowe, who played it across goal in the area for Iaciofano to score the leveller shortly after half time. We retook the lead with 7 minutes to go, an opportunity to go on the counter attack with lovely passing play, saw the ball go out left to Paxman, who played a daisy cutter ball through to Grant inside the area and he slid the ball in the near post to give us what looked like being the winner. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be. A ball from Dudzinski went all the way through our defence annoyingly enough, and Parker caught it sweetly on the volley for Oxford City to leave Crabble with a point. 

Saturday 22nd April 2023

Vanarama National League South

Farnborough 1-0 Dover Athletic (Kenny Davis 52')

Farnborough took the win to officially knock us out of play-off contention, in a game we could only win to have any chance of taking it to the last day. A game of few chances was won by a Kenny Davis free-kick just outside the box which hit the bar on it's way in after 52 minutes. We had the chance to make it 1-1 at the death after Wanadio was brought down in the area. Porter blazed the resultant penalty over the bar. It's been a good season which has seen us in the race for 7th till the end. We play the last game with no pressure and go again next season. 

Arjanit Krasniqi has ended up out of the team because I couldn't really find any way to fit him in. He has signed for Prishtina in his home country of Kosovo. He played 20 games this season, scoring 1 goal, and had an average rating of 6.69. I wish him luck for the future and I feel like he will be happier in his home country. 

Saturday 29th April 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 1-1 Weymouth (Alfie Pavey 54'; Enock Asante 73')

A point would have been good enough for Weymouth to make the play-offs, and a point is what they left here with in our last game of the season. A 1-1 draw is a fair result for a game Weymouth dominated from start to finish, but they had to come back from behind to take a point. A long kick from Donaghy went all the way through to Pavey on the edge of the area and his strike went in off the crossbar at the near post to give us a 1-0 lead no one saw coming. Harrison played a ball along the floor for the equaliser, out on the wing, he played it in centrally to Asante who finished off from 6 yards out. All in all, it was a good point but a quiet end to the season which saw us battle at both ends of the table, but in the end, we finish firmly in 14th place, 9 points off the play-offs, and 24 points clear of relegation.

This is the final Vanarama National League South table for 2022-23, and Ebbsfleet United go up as champions and return to the Vanarama National League after a 3-year stay in this league. Bath City and Dartford make their way to the play-off semi-finals, while Havant & Waterlooville, Farnborough, Dulwich Hamlet and Weymouth will play in the elimination matches. At the other end, 3 of the four teams who came up to this level last season (Farnborough being the fourth) are relegated straight back down to their respective leagues, in Taunton Town, Cheshunt and Worthing. Slough Town have also been relegated, 4 points from safety. The play-off eliminators will be Farnborough vs Dulwich Hamlet, and Havant & Waterlooville vs Weymouth. I'll keep up to date with the results on this blog as I can keep myself up to date as well. 

Will Moses has signed for Grays Athletic after being here for 3 years from youth team onwards. He didn't play much for me and the drop down may help him improve as a player.

Our new budget for next season. Both have gone up slightly, albeit not by much. We've got just under £200 to play with when it comes to wage budget. At this level £6,000 makes us one of the richest in this league, and we're 6th in the current financial table when it comes to Salary per year.

I mean, imagine losing 379 social media followers after that season. I know it was lower than our pre-season prediction, but I saved this club. 

Manager's Thoughts On the Season:

I joined this club in October with no hope and little chance of surviving the drop. Over the last 8 months, we kept going, kept firing, scoring goals and finding ourselves in a play-off battle without having the consistency to jump up into the top 7. All in all, I'm happy in general with how we've improved over time but there are some things I'm a bit cranky about and will attempt to change up for next season. The ultimate one is we only kept 2 clean sheets after New Year, one on 4th January and one on 10th April which is completely unacceptable. I always change my formations during pre-season and I will be doing that as we go through this one. The aim for next season is to improve and become a top half team. Keep on knocking on the door next season, and be as close to the top 7 as we were for some of this season, but properly start to worry them. The hard work starts now. In the upcoming updates, I'll be letting you know how we do in pre-season with signings, departures and friendlies, take you through the play-offs and who secures promotion out of our league, and then once it's all over, we will see who we will face in the new season. 

May 2023

Jake Goodman is the first player to sign a new contract this Summer. An important part of our season in the season just gone, he signs on for next season, with his contract running out next June. 

Our scouting budget is at £95,000 this season, we've got a good scouting team, all have signed new contracts, so we carry on our work from last season. 

He has returned to the club from a loan at Lowestoft Town, so we signed Harrison Byford on a game-by-game contract, receiving £120 every time he plays for us. It'll be worth having a look at him during the summer. 

Another future prospect under lock and key for now, Alex Green is another CB who has signed a new contract. 

Congratulations to Bath City, who join Ebbsfleet United in the National League next season, after a convincing 3-0 victory over Dartford in the Play-Off Final.

Looking at the National League table, it'll probably be Maidstone, Dorking and Torquay joining our league so it will be very difficult next season. Waiting to see what league Boreham Wood will join as I've seen them in National League North on several saves. 

We've ended up signing 11 youth candidates. All names, including ones not on the screen are Nicholas Toner, Jesse Pigott, Ian Ingham, Mark McParland, Jacob Martin, Jack Patterson, Javen Pointing, Stuart Palmer, Darin McLennan, Morty Wort and Andrew Crawford. 

This is our first official signing of the Summer coming in from a different club. He's a West Ham United youth graduate, who's been without a club since he left QPR in 2022. He'll probably be our top striker in the new season. He's 22 years old, he's best as a AF or a Poacher. Dribbling, finishing and first touch are all good qualities for this level. Welcome to the club, Sean Adarkwa. 

Alex Green has left the club. He only made 6 appearances for us all season, including 5 off the bench.

My sub keeper has retired at the age of 41 years old. He's had a long and distinguished career in the Football League, but only played once for me before I signed Donaghy on loan. He was happy to be part of the squad, but couldn't get a game in so he's decided to call it a day. Thank you Stuart Nelson for everything. 

Chike Kandi has also left the club at the end of the season. He did a great job for us this season, making 45 appearances, scoring 8 goals and providing 2 assists, with an average rating of 6.63. We just couldn't agree a deal for next season. 

We've released these 7 players as we couldn't agree deals with any of them. They've been a major part of the team this season and I want to pass on my thanks to each and every one of them for this season. 

And we also say goodbye to Kieron Agbebi, who is joining Tonbridge Angels's youth setup.

Manager's Thoughts:

This month is the start of a Summer of change for Dover Athletic Football Club. We've let go of quite a few players, some who we wanted to keep, but all wouldn't agree to decent contracts so unfortunately they've had to go. We've got all Summer to find some handy replacements, and we made one signing already in Sean Adarkwa, which is a massive coup for this football club, having been in Premier League clubs academies. He will hopefully be the talisman we need to move up the table. We've retained a number of players as well, so they'll be the lynchpins we fall back on as we sign brand new players for this new look football club. In June, we'll find out who we face in the league in what order, we will find out who joins our league from all directions, and we'll see what the pre-season odds are for the league. 

June 2023

A new deal for Francis Ameobi has gone through, he's a future prospect and a decent one at that, now he's 17, he's signed a contract for the foreseeable. 

We have a brand new assistant manager. His name is Dean Milton, he has spent all his career as player and manager at Dorking Wanderers who are actually coming back down to this level, so I'm interested to see what he can add to the football club.

Both Turgut Unal and Michael Cox are going to sign brand new contracts when they both hit 17, and both should be proud of their efforts in the youth team. 

Dave Johnson, who also signed last season, has signed a pre-contract agreement for when he is 17 years old. 

Mark Daly is the latest to sign a pre-contract agreement, so very happy for him to be involved. 

Lee Marshall is the latest in a long line to have signed a pre-contract agreement for he turns 17.

We say goodbye to Lewis Brass who played a handful of games before I arrived last season, he leaves for Hendon at the level below us, he's 26 so coming up to prime age for a goalkeeper. Hope he does well there. He played a lot for the U18s after I arrived. 

Our second signing of the Summer is 23-year-old Centre Back Jaydn Mundle-Smith. He's a player I've had on my radar for a little while. He actually played in the National League for Wealdstone last season, and in fact played over 40 games in the league so haven't really got any idea why they let him go. I'm hoping he will show some of that National League quality in this team this season. 

And my latest licence has been worked for. Now got a National B Licence ahead of this season. 

Two more young players getting their 17-year-old contracts. 

Matt Duckworth has also signed a new deal at 17 years old so happy for him as well.

So this is what the board are after for Season 2. I'm wanting a decent top half finish as well, trust me. I think we can do it with the right signings. Be competitive could mean anything but I think we can get past the earlier rounds with the right draws.

These are the teams that make up the Vanarama National League South for 2023-24. The teams that come into it this season are Dorking Wanderers, Torquay United and Maidstone United coming down from the National League. The 4 teams that have come up are Billericay Town, Hayes & Yeading United, Salisbury and Truro City.

Pre season Odds

1. Maidstone United                                   5-4
2. Torquay United                                       3-1
3. Havant & Waterlooville                          10-3
4. Dartford                                                    9-2
5. Dulwich Hamlet                                       11-2
6. Weymouth                                                6-1
7. Oxford City                                               9-1
8. Dorking Wanderers                                 10-1
9. Dover Athletic                                          10-1
10. Eastbourne Borough                               12-1
11. Hampton & Richmond Borough           14-1
12. Chippenham Town                                  15-1
13. Chelmsford City                                        16-1
14. Hemel Hempstead Town                        16-1
15. St Albans City                                            25-1
16. Concord Rangers                                      33-1
17. Welling United                                           33-1
18. Truro City                                                   33-1
19. Salisbury                                                    50-1
20. Hungerford Town                                     100-1
21. Billericay Town                                          100-1
22. Farnborough                                              150-1
23. Tonbridge Angels                                      150-1
24. Hayes & Yeading United                           500-1

Our fixtures have also been released and we face 2 of the relegated 4 teams in our first 3 games in Maidstone United and Torquay United so been thrown in at the deep end a little bit. We start our season at home to Chippenham Town and then complete the month with games at Concord Rangers and then at home against Hungerford Town. If we can aim for 10 points in those games in August, then that'll be great.

So I'm now going on my National A Licence course, hoping by the end of the season, I'll be getting those Continental Licences. 

Javen Pointing, Jesse Pigott and Nicholas Toner all have pre-contract agreements for when they're 17 years old. 

Our first player from last season heading back to his parent club is Will Trueman, he did wonders for us last year. He made 37 appearances, scored 3 goals and assisted 9. He heads back to Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship.

Both Alfie Paxman and Paul Kabiru have left the club after their contracts expired as well. Kabiru never appeared in the team last season but Alfie Paxman played 50 appearances, scoring 1 goal and assisting 3.

And the final three players to go back to their parent clubs are Adam Porter, Tom Donaghy and Jordan Scanlon, who are going back to Salford City, Fleetwood Town and Rochdale respectively. Adam Porter made 38 appearances, scoring 6 goals and assisting 3 with an average rating of 6.86. Tom Donaghy made 39 appearances, conceded 55 goals, but kept 7 clean sheets with an average rating of 6.87. And Jordan Scanlon made 45 appearances for the club scoring 1 goal and assisting 1, with an average rating of 6.77. Thank you to all three of these players for their work. 

Manager's Thoughts:

Not much to think about really, it's been all about renewing contracts, letting some go, and bringing in new players. The fixtures to start with could have been kinder as we face the 2 favourites for the title in Maidstone United and Torquay United. I can't believe Torquay had that bad a season anyway. They'll be like a shark in a pond this season as the only professional club in the league. We have arranged 4 friendlies which start in July with Bury Town, AFC Hornchurch, Cardiff City Under 23s, and Folkestone Invicta on the agenda. We'll wait and see how those go and will cover them in the build up to the season. I really hope we can sort out some decent signings in the near future. July 1st is the day to wait for as we take a look at the free agents. Let's see who we can get.

July 2023

So the squad is coming back this month from topping up their tans. Let's get them back, get them training and get prepared for this brand new season.

We have four youth team players progressing from the youth team contracts. They are Ben Wickenden, Akeem Calvin, Nicky Moxey and Gary Lane. The reason why I'm bringing all these youth team players up is purely because we'll have less players in the squad this season, I think, so home grown talent will always show more love for the club anyway. A little bit of energy at this level is very much needed. 

I could have sworn I've just given him a new contract. That's a case of a bigger club poaching but Ameobi is going up to the Championship with Preston North End so fair play to him.

Michael Cox has also gone to Eastleigh, so that's another youth team player gone up a level.

Loyiso Twigg has signed a new contract at 17 years old. Appearance fee of £130.

Matt Dibley-Dias is a New Zealand Under-20 international who graduated from the Fulham academy. We've signed him for £300 and he is seen as a star player in this team and will be straight in to the squad. He's good at dribbling and passing which we need for his position so am very excited to see him play.

I have found my new number one goalkeeper, Matthew Hall who we bought from Southampton for £300. We only had a 16-year-old otherwise we were in trouble. This guy I reckon could play decent level League Two. He'll probably make decent catches in the box from crosses, and with good positioning, Rushing Out and decent one-on-ones, I'm looking forward to him.

I've found another goalkeeper who'll probably be our second goalkeeper. Jonah Gill is one that's worked his way up through non-league rather than be at a Premier League club so it'll be about building up his reputation. We're his first sixth-tier team so I'm looking forward to helping him progress. 

Two more players have signed their new deals, in the form of goalkeeper Leighton Coughlan, and winger Jack Payne.

Saturday 22nd July 2023

Friendly

Bury Town 0-6 Dover Athletic (Sean Adarkwa 24', 37', 60', 62', Jake Goodman 73', Matt Dibley-Dias 81')

Our first friendly was up in Suffolk against Bury Town of the Isthmian League Division One North and it was a convincing win to kick off our friendlies which was our first chance to see our new signings in action. A long ball from his own half by Ibrahim found Adarkwa, he made a run into the area and chipped the keeper for 1-0. It was 2-0 before half time, a ball in from Judd and Adarkwa got his head on it, to pop into the top corner for 2-0. In the second half, we made it 3-0, and Adarkwa showed his free kick capabilities by smacking one into the top corner from 20 yards. It was 4-0 just two minutes later, Judd played down the wing to Carney, who played it into the near post and Adarkwa volleyed home to get his 4th. It was 5-0 from a free kick into the box by Grant, and Goodman produced a looping header over the keeper. And it was rounded off with a 6th, Adarkwa setting up this time from the left, rolling it back and Dibley-Dias got his first goal in a Dover shirt in this friendly by rolling it into the corner. 

Charlie Farr is a new signing, he plays down the right, and he came from Brentford. He's got 13 crossing, 12 first touch, 11 passing. He's got yellows in a number of things which again is good for this level. 

Saturday 29th July 2023

Friendly

AFC Hornchurch 2-1 Dover Athletic (Freddie Moriarty 25', Matthew Reed 69'; Sean Adarkwa 71')

A rather disappointing pre-season loss as we lost 2-1 to AFC Hornchurch of the Isthmian League Premier. Sheridan found Moriarty just behind the defence when he looped it over, Moriarty attempted to chip Hall and Hall got a touch to it, but it was rather a weak one for 1-0. It was 2-0 on 69 minutes, a long ball being cleared only as far as Summers, who fed Reed one-on-one and he slid it in for 2-0. Judd played a long ball from the halfway line to the area for Adarkwa who added to his 4 in the first friendly, and slotted home into the corner for 2-1.

Squad Numbers for the season: 

1 Matthew Hall

2 Stephen Crowley

3 Myles Judd

4 Jaydn Mundle-Smith

6 Jake Goodman

7 Matt Dibley-Dias

9 Sean Adarkwa

10 Ben Wickenden

11 Jake Payne

12 Charlie Farr

13 Jonah Gill

14 George Wilkinson

16 Iestyn Evans

19 Noah Carney

20 Leighton Coughlan

22 Loyiso Twigg

23 Matt Duckworth

24 Stacy Wadsworth

25 Reece Grant

26 Akeem Calvin

27 Dave Johnson

28 Gary Lane

29 Turgut Unal

30 Lee McDermott

Two players leaving on the same day: Harrison Byford is going to Needham Market and Nicky Moxey has gone to Aldershot Town.

Manager Thoughts:

So, we are reaching the end of pre-season and the plan is to sign a few more players so we're not completely laden with kids when the season starts although I'm not disappointed with how the players are coming along. We're always going to be shaky early on, and I don't see us having the best of starts to the season, as we're trialling a new 4-3-3 system at the moment. Will it come off? No idea, but I can always change it. In the next update, we'll play our last two pre-season games and then we kick off our first full season in charge of Dover Athletic. I'm very excited for the new season, and hopefully you are too.

August 2023

We start a brand new season at this level today, and I'll bring you the updated odds on the first day of the season, as there's been quite the change when it comes to teams signing new players. As for us this month, it's about bringing in the right players before we play Chippenham Town on the opening day, but also having the right blend of youth and experience to take us forward. We have two more friendlies to try out our new systems, and we're going to see if our cautious approach works today, as we play Cardiff City Under 23s before taking on Folkestone Invicta in our final pre-season match. I'm just looking to see if we can cope at both ends this season, after our struggles with defending for most of last season.

Mark Daly is another 16 year old, who did sign a contract, but has decided to move up the leagues (well, one) and he will play for Eastleigh for the foreseeable future. 

Dave Johnson has signed a new contract with the team, if he plays for the team, he will receive £130 if he plays for the first team. 

Wednesday 2nd August 2023

Friendly

Dover Athletic 2-0 Cardiff City Under-23s (Sean Adarkwa 1', 63')

A very nice convincing win over a Championship Under-23 side in Cardiff City, as Sean Adarkwa boosted his confidence a little more with 2 goals. Dibley-Dias picked up the ball on the halfway line, and played a lovely defence-splitting pass through to Adarkwa, and he tucked it into the left bottom corner with fantastic accuracy after 53 seconds of the game. It was 2-0 after 63 minutes, when Grant received the ball on the left, played it into the centre with a lovely cross, and Adarkwa's header proved too hot to handle for the goalkeeper. Our 2nd win this pre-season, and it's great to see different systems working out. 
 

Saturday 5th August 2023

Friendly

Folkestone Invicta 1-3 Dover Athletic (Jack Holden 23'; Sean Adarkwa 20', Reece Grant 67' (pen), Noah Carney 83')

A very nice victory in our last pre-season game, against local side Folkestone Invicta. Sean Adarkwa opened the scoring after 20 minutes, a long ball forward over the defenders by Goodman provided the striker to loop a header against the oncoming goalkeeper, off his line, and it hit the back of the net. Ludovica provided a similar ball for Folkestone's equaliser three minutes later, this time Holden with a looping volley over our keeper for 1-1. In the second half, we were given a penalty which Reece Grant duly converted by waiting for the keeper to dive and sending it the other way. And then it was 3-1 as another long ball over the top by Goodman found sub striker Noah Carney, and he duly converted the one-on-one to round off a commanding victory.

So, I've always been a massive fan of these fan days, especially if you do well on the day, and you get more fans coming through the gates. I'm just happier that it's for the Chippenham match and not the Torquay match two weeks later.

We have a brand new signing on the morning of the opening game of the new season at home to Chippenham Town so someone to start in the team this afternoon. His name is Callum Nicolson, he's 20 years old and was part of the Luton Town academy until last season. He plays as a CM and can play as a Mezzala. The reason why we brought him in is purely because we were running dangerously low on CMs after this Summer, and we needed someone quickly after pre-season because we were playing greyed out players at one point. What a signing he is though! Good at tackling and Technique. His decisions and determination are at 14, and good work rate. He's quick as well. Very excited to start him this afternoon. First, let's take a look at who the bookies now think will go up and go down, and then we'll let the league season prove them wrong.

Pre-Season Odds (Matchday 1)

1. Maidstone United                                 Evens
2. Torquay United                                     6-4
3. Dulwich Hamlet                                     4-1
4. Dorking Wanderers                              9-2
5. Havant & Waterlooville                        9-2
6. Dartford                                                  5-1
7. Dover Athletic                                        10-1
8. Oxford City                                             11-1
9. Welling United                                       14-1
10. St Albans City                                         16-1
11. Hampton & Richmond Borough         18-1
12. Weymouth                                              20-1
13. Eastbourne Borough                             25-1
14. Hemel Hempstead Town                      33-1 
15. Hayes & Yeading United                       50-1
16. Chippenham Town                                50-1
17. Truro City                                                50-1
18. Chelmsford City                                     50-1
19. Farnborough                                          100-1
20. Concord Rangers                                   150-1
21. Hungerford Town                                  150-1
22. Billericay Town                                       150-1
23. Tonbridge Angels                                   200-1
24. Salisbury                                                  450-1

The board and the fans wanted me to go cautious and direct so that's what I've done to start this season. We need more players and I get that, maybe we'll bring some youth players up, but we have 5 on the bench, we're playing with 6 players on defensive mentality, and who knows? Maybe we'll be better at the back this season. We have 6 players making their competitive debuts today in Matthew Hall, Jaydn Mundle-Smith, Matt Dibley-Dias, Callum Nicolson, Charlie Farr and Sean Adarkwa. Ian Ingham gets the number 21 shirt and Callum Nicolson has the number 8.

Saturday 12th August 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 1-0 Chippenham Town (Charlie Farr 70')

A good start to our season, as we picked up a well-earned 1-0 win over Chippenham Town at home on our fan day. Both teams had chances in the first half, both coming from corners. Ours coming from a header straight into the keeper's hands, and theirs hitting the crossbar. We then turned the screw in the second half and our winner came 20 minutes from time. Adarkwa played a pass out to the right looking for Farr just inside Chippenham's half, but King intercepted it. Unfortunately for him, he didn't do much else with a heavy touch, which gave Farr the freedom of Dover, ran into the area and fired across the keeper for a goal on his debut. Chippenham didn't threaten after that and we pick up a good 3 points on day 1.

Leighton Coughlan is now 17 years old, so he has his new contract with the club.

And we now have 9 more season tickets sold than last season, 509 to be at every game this season. I'm very excited that the fan base may continue growing in the next few years.

Tuesday 15th August 2023

Vanarama National League South

Maidstone United 0-0 Dover Athletic

There wasn't a single key highlight in this Kent Derby as we defended for our lives against our bigger rivals and took away a 0-0 draw from the Gallagher Stadium. With no action to speak of, I'm going to say it like this. We haven't kept back to back clean sheets since December of last season. The fact we've gone into this season, some might say with boring games, but with two clean sheets, 4 points from our opening 2 games, to avoid defeat against our rivals, I couldn't be happier right now. We have another test against Torquay United at home at the weekend, but our rearguard already has become amazing. Hall making some saves not on screen, but giving him a 7.3 in this game. I'm absolutely buzzing. 

Saturday 19th August 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 2-1 Torquay United (Sean Adarkwa 50', Noah Carney 87'; Danny Elliott 64')

Another league favourite today in Torquay United were our opposition, after only picking up 1 point from their first 2 games, but we still had to be on it because they are a strong side. I didn't see this result coming though. A 0-0 scoreline at half time gave me as a manager all the confidence in the world that we could get something after our first two results. 5 minutes after the break, we took the lead. Farr picked up the ball on the halfway line, and slid the ball through the eye of a needle into the path of Adarkwa. He still had to shake off the defenders on a mad run, which he did, and he went through on goal and slid it across the keeper into the corner to give us a miracle lead. A Torquay throw in led to the Devoners equalising after 64 minutes. Wyatt played a one-two with Craske and he flew it into the box for Danny Elliott to rise above the defence and make it 1-1. But the unthinkable happened three minutes from time. Dibley-Dias laid it off to Wilkinson on the halfway line, who played a long ball forward to Noah Carney, who brought it down, went through one-on-one and fired straight through Hughes, who got a touch to it but couldn't stop it. A big win, a big three points, and proof that this tactic works.

Saturday 26th August 2023

Vanarama National League South

Concord Rangers 0-2 Dover Athletic (Sean Adarkwa 16', 81')

Another three points came in today away at lowly Concord Rangers, and we hit the 10 point mark that I wanted us to hit by the end of August. Our defence have been absolutely on it so far this season and another clean sheet was very much welcome. Evans had the ball on the halfway line for the first goal, and played a crossfield ball over to Grant on the left hand side. His ball was aimed towards the far post, and Sean Adarkwa got his second goal of the season by heading it in off the crossbar for 1-0. We confirmed the win with 9 minutes to go, Mundle-Smith picking up the ball on the left, lofting the ball forward to Grant, who played it across goal and Adarkwa was virtually on the line when he received the ball and tapped in for 2-0. 10 points from 4 games has been a fantastic start to the season.

First injury of the league season was for Matt Dibley-Dias, who has twisted his knee after sprinting, definitely seems painful, he had to come off during the game, but didn't affect the result. 

We have another player joining Preston North End, Turgut Unal is joining the Championship club so the best of luck to him. 

One brand new signing before we play Hungerford Town is another player who can play at the back. He was on loan at Chippenham Town last season, and has the potential to become a League Two standard defender. It means we have a lot of players at the club who can play at the back, but the fact we've got competition at the back for places could mean we're properly fighting for clean sheets every week. Welcome to the club, Will Tizzard! Tizzard will wear the number 5 shirt this season.

Tuesday 29th August 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 3-0 Hungerford Town (Sean Adarkwa 47', 52', 65' (pen))

A second half hat-trick from Sean Adarkwa takes him to 6 goals for the season, and gives us another three points towards our total for the season, which goes up to an impressive 13 points from 5 matches. Hungerford went into this after an appalling start to the league season, and they've lost their first 5 matches. A wonderful spell of possession ended with Carney providing a through ball to Adarkwa who slotted home to score in his third consecutive match. It was 2-0 just 5 minutes later, Goodman playing the ball into the left hand side of the area for Nicolson, who played it across goal for a tap in for Adarkwa to double the advantage. He completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot, sending the keeper the wrong way, and confirming the three points. 

This is a major blow for the team. Reece Grant will be 2 weeks after suffering from a pulled hamstring in our game against Hungerford Town. He will be tough to replace as he fills a major part of our squad. During last season, we never had this trouble, but we've lost two players to some form of injury already, and Grant was not one I wanted to see.

A first look at the National League South table for the 2023-24 season has Oxford City in the lead on goal difference, ahead of Dorking Wanderers, Hampton & Richmond Borough, Dulwich Hamlet and Dover Athletic, with all teams on 13 points. Dartford and Havant & Waterlooville have also made impressive starts to the season, both on 10 points and in the top 7. Another notable team is Eastbourne Borough, who are still unbeaten but have drawn 3 of their first 5 games, on 9 points. The bottom of the table and Hungerford Town are rock bottom after conceding 18 goals in only 5 games and only scoring 1, with 0 points. Torquay United are struggling with the favourites tag. They've made an atrocious start to the season, level with Chelmsford City on 1 point. Welling United complete the bottom 4 on 2 points, but there is a long, long way to go this season. 

Manager's Thoughts:

First month of the season is done and dusted, and over the Summer, we've become a different team. We were conceding 1s and 2s every single game, sometimes going up to 3s. We've conceded 1 goal this month, and that was in a 2-1 win over Torquay. We've become so strong defensively, and that's what I've been working on all Summer. Our influx of defenders and defensive minded players are probably the best purchases I've ever made. Matthew Hall has already kept 4 clean sheets, more than half way to the total of what Tom Donaghy reached last season. We've only played 5 games. Iestyn Evans has returned this season, really on it as well with impressive displays at the back. At the other end, a very shrewd bit of business in bringing Sean Adarkwa into the club, is potentially the best striker for this level I've ever signed as well. He's got 6 goals in his last 3 games, including a hat-trick against Hungerford Town. We're in such a good way, I really hope it continues.

September 2023

Our brand new season continues here after we were unbeaten in our first five games in the league this season, we're currently joint top with 4 different teams and hopefully this good form will continue with a double header against Hayes & Yeading United and Farnborough. The aim is still going to remain a top half finish despite our good start and getting incredible results against the favourites to go up. We also start our Emirates FA Cup journey this month, as we try to progress into the First Round proper after missing out last season. Can we do it? Stay and find out. 

Our first departure of this month is Leighton Coughlan, who leaves his youth contract here to play for York City, who are now a Sky Bet League Two outfit after being promoted via the play-offs last season.

Saturday 2nd September 2023

Vanarama National League South

Hayes & Yeading United 2-0 Dover Athletic (Hassan Jalloh 53', Mo Bettamer 54')

Unbeaten runs cannot last forever, I just wish it'd lasted a little longer than less than a month into the season. We lost to Hayes & Yeading by 2-0. We just weren't at the races in this one and Hayes punished us with 2 goals in a minute. Cole played forward a long ball over the top to Jalloh, who was all of a sudden one-on-one with the keeper, and he got the ball in the goal at the near post to give them the lead. We didn't recover and a minute later, it was 2-0. Cole set this one up as well with a dinked ball into the area, Bettamer was on the turn and slotted home to give the newly-promoted side the three points in this one. We can't allow this to take over us, especially as we play again in just 48 hours. 

Monday 4th September 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 0-1 Farnborough (James Gody 54')

Well, that was a weekend from hell, after such a good start to the season. A James Gody goal, early in the second half, condemned us to our second defeat in 3 days, and has left me wondering what I can do to change our fortunes already. The only goal was scored after Gody nodded the ball down to the right wing for McKnight, and he played Gody back through. He fired across the keeper to give Farnborough the all-important goal to win them the game. The disappointment is real after such a good start in August. We've been brought back to earth with a major bump. We need to turn this form around… Now.

Saturday 9th September 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dartford 1-0 Dover Athletic (Samir Carruthers 78')

After having been unbeaten all the way through August, only conceding one goal, September is seeing all that hard work fall apart at the moment. Our third defeat in a row came at rivals Dartford, and it was all because of a spectacular goal from Samir Carruthers 12 minutes from time. The ball was cleared as far as Statham just inside our half, and he played the short pass to Carruthers. He took one touch, steadied himself, and then hit the ball from 30 yards out which flew past the keeper before he even thought about it. Three defeats in a row has got me sweating and thinking. Something needs to change soon. Anything that can go wrong, has gone wrong this month, and now we need to take action to stop this slump. 

Nicholas Toner is the latest youth player to join a higher academy, Southend United the destination for this 16-year-old. 

It's nice to have youngsters planning on staying at the club as well, I don't mind players going to bigger clubs to improve themselves, so I hope Mark McParland stays to improve here. 

Saturday 16th September 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 0-0 Chelmsford City

We got our first point of September in what was a dire game for both sides, not much to report on at all. Chelmsford had the slightly better chances, and were probably unfortunate not to take the win after a shot narrowly went over the bar as one of their players spotted the keeper miles off his line. We head into our FA Cup game next week not in the best run of form at all, and we must improve. We keep our 5th clean sheet of the season though. It finished 0-0. 

Saturday 23rd September 2023

The Emirates FA Cup Second Qualifying Round

Wingate & Finchley 0-3 Dover Athletic (Charlie Farr 15', 22', 90')

The FA Cup provided a nice break from our current poor form in the league, as a hat-trick from an inspired Charlie Farr sent us through into the Third Qualifying Round by beating Wingate & Finchley 3-0. A Grant corner started the ball rolling, as Farr connected with it at the near post, and despite the keeper's best efforts, it went across the line. Seven minutes later, we had a second goal, Grant was the provider again, this time from the left hand side, but the same result as Farr literally used his head to put us firmly in control. He'd have to wait until the last minute of the regulation 90 to grab the match ball. A long ball was completely missed by the defenders, Carney latched onto it, fired it across the area, and Farr hit a beautiful volley from the opposite corner of the box that went flying into the top corner, to score the pick of the bunch. A much needed win, albeit against lower league opposition. We're in the hat for the next round. 

Dave Johnson, the latest youth player to go to a full-time club, he's on his way to Torquay United.

Please welcome to Dover Athletic, 21-year-old midfielder Adam Leathers. He's going to be a fringe player in this squad but it needed filling out. He was on the books at Wycombe Wanderers but has only ever played one first team match, and that was for Dulwich Hamlet in the 2021-22 season.

Saturday 30th September 2023

Vanarama National League South

St Albans City 2-0 Dover Athletic (Sam Unwin 17', Shaun Jeffers 65')

Well, this month in the league for us has been atrocious after our amazing start to the season. At this rate, it could be another season of struggle I'm afraid. The defenders are very lackadaisical at the moment and they were again for both goals. Unwin played a neat one-two with Jeffers for the first, receiving the ball in the area and slotting it past the oncoming keeper for 1-0. Niemczyk then played Jeffers in for 2-0 after the break, no defenders picking up Jeffers which made me furious. We need to be tightening up like we were at the start of the season. Not a single goal in the league this month. I'm ashamed of this team at the moment and they're not listening no matter what I do. 

Here's the league table for September after the worst month in FM I've ever had. Dulwich Hamlet have the lead after 10 games, they're the only team unbeaten in the league on 24 points, they're 2 clear of both Dorking Wanderers and Havant & Waterlooville. Oxford City are a further point back, the rest of the top 7 after that have 20 points in Dartford, Hampton & Richmond Borough and St Albans City. The gap inbetween 7th and 8th is already at 3 points with Tonbridge Angels being the nearest challengers. At the bottom, Hungerford Town have made a torrid start to the season with 3 points from 10 games, -23 goal difference as well. Billericay Town are the only team who came up in the bottom 4 at the moment, and joining them are Welling United, and still somewhat surprisingly, Torquay United who have been given a baptism of fire this season after their relegation last year. 

Manager's Thoughts:

If that had been our first month as well, I'd be on the sack list by now. That was the most appalling month in my managerial history on any FM game. I don't remember a worse one. We didn't score a single league goal. I haven't changed anything barely, I've tinkered a little bit when we weren't scoring. I was nervous in the FA Cup as I didn't think we'd have the confidence to go through, I really didn't. That was the one glimpse of light this month. We have to go again. We need to find what really made us click at the start of the season, and find it again for October. Heading towards my first anniversary in charge of this team, it's been frustrating, but we go again. The fans have to get behind us, have to cheer the team on because they're bereft of confidence at the moment. Let's hope we start back in the FA Cup with a new mentality.

October 2023

Coming out of the worst month in my time in charge, we go into my birth month, and then the first anniversary of me taking the Dover Athletic job, back when we were struggling in the relegation zone. We need to find the form we had right at the start of the season. I think we can, but we need to do the talking on the pitch. We start away at Dorchester Town in the FA Cup, before we play a couple of favourable home games in the league on paper. We need to make it count on grass. Here goes nothing.

Saturday 7th October 2023

The Emirates FA Cup Third Qualifying Round

Dorchester Town 2-3 Dover Athletic (Nick McCootie 18', 64'; Sean Adarkwa 2', 21', Noah Carney 90'+5)

We are through to the FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round for the second year in a row after a dramatic late Noah Carney winner saw off a determined Dorchester Town side. We took the lead after 2 minutes, Mundle-Smith tossed a short throw-in back to Evans who thumped the ball up to Adarkwa and he slid the ball under the keeper to make it 1-0. It was 1-1 16 minutes later when Evans made a huge howler, which allowed McCootie in and he fired into the corner to square it up. We retook the lead 3 minutes later, Nicolson this time with the long ball to Adarkwa, who chested down this time, before he put it in the corner for 2-1. It looked like we were going to have to do this all again when a ball cleared to Matwasa went straight back into the area and McCootie got above two defenders for his second of the game at 2-2. But in the 5th minute of 3 added on, Tizzard received the ball on the left hand side of the area and found an unmarked Carney who headed home into the top corner to put Dover one game away from a First Round appearance. 

Saturday 14th October 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 1-1 Welling United (Sean Adarkwa 21'; Will Dawes 70')

Such a disappointing result against a team at the bottom of the table but I wasn't expecting any different. We've scored our first goal in the league for a month, but we somehow managed to let Welling back into it. Mundle-Smith played a long ball forward into the path of Adarkwa and he passed it into the corner to make it 1-0 after 21 minutes. A passing move for Welling's equaliser ended up finding Dawes in the area and he volleyed it into the bottom corner to make it 1-1 and frustrate me even more in the league. It's a point, it's a goal but it's not good enough. 

A new arrival at the football club and we needed it just for the depth. Henry Landers will be a good back up striker, has played at this level, played last season for Banbury United in the National League North. Good finishing and heading, good penalty taker. Determination, leadership, acceleration and pace also stand out. 

Saturday 21st October 2023

The Emirates FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round

Dorking Wanderers 2-1 Dover Athletic (Alfie Rutherford 16', Ruaridh Donaldson 89'; Reece Grant 60')

We've been knocked out at the Fourth Qualifying Round of the FA Cup for the second season in a row after a last minute penalty was rebounded in to put Dorking Wanderers through to the First Round. Taylor, on the right side of midfield, broke our defence with a slide rule pass, and Rutherford cut inside and gave the home side the lead. A Dibleuy-Dias cross completely evaded everyone at the back post but Reece Grant tucked it away unmarked, and he got his first of the season. Hearts were broken and FA Cup dreams crushed in the 89th minute when we gave away a penalty, Donaldson's shot was saved by Hall but he got a second bite of the cherry, and he tapped in to knock us out and keep us dreaming of that elusive first round tie. 

Tuesday 24th October 2023

Vanarama National League South

Oxford City 2-2 Dover Athletic (Klaidi Lolos 34', Gerald Muchechetere 36'; Sean Adarkwa 33', 65')

We got an important point away from home at Oxford City as we got a creditable 2-2 draw. There were 3 goals in 3 minutes in the first half in a mad run of play. We actually took the lead after 33 minutes. A mistake at the back allowed Adarkwa a free run at goal, one-on-one and he found the back of the net with aplomb for 1-0. It was 1-1 seconds later, a ball down the right found Ashby, who played it across goal to an unmarked Lolos who made it 1-1. It was 2-1 when a Babic free-kick found the head of Muchechetere at the far post and Oxford City led at half time. That was it until the 65th minute when a short pass by Judd was fed into Adarkwa, he turned his man and went on a darting run into the area, before firing home for that all important equaliser and we took a tough point away from home. It's nice to see some fighting spirit finally. 

We've done it, we've completed all of the national licences. The question now is, will Dover allow me to go continental?

Saturday 28th October 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 3-0 Truro City (Sean Adarkwa 21', Henry Landers 76', 90'+5)

Can you hear that? Can you hear the sigh of relief from me on my laptop? A convincing 3-0 win against Truro City gives us our first win since the end of August. We needed that, and it moves us back into the top half of the table. We also end this month unbeaten in the league, looking at it from a different direction. Evans set up the first goal by lumping the ball up the field into Adarkwa on the left hand side of the area, he held up the ball on the angle and netted into the side netting to put us 1-0 up. Two goals in the final 20 minutes sealed the three points. New striker Henry Landers came on and scored them both. Mundle-Smith made the run down the left hand side, and he took a shot from the angle which was saved, but parried out to Henry Landers, and despite the defender's best efforts, the ball bobbled into the back of the net for 2-0. Mullins provided the third and final goal as he played it along the floor to Landers, who was set through one-on-one and he slotted past the keeper to seal a rare league win right now.

This is our brand new loan signing, he's another forward and he is here to pick up some experience. He comes in on loan from Dagenham & Redbridge in the National League. Welcome to the club, Eden Bailey.

Let's take a look at the table as we reach the end of October and Dulwich hamlet have a 3 point lead, the only club to remain unbeaten so far after 13 games. 31 points for their efforts at the moment. Havant & Waterlooville are their closest challengers, followed by both Hampton & Richmond Borough and St Albans City just a point behind. Dorking Wanderers have dropped off massively and are now 7 points off the lead in their bid to return to the National League. Oxford City and Dartford complete the top 7, but Tonbridge Angels, Weymouth and Chippenham Town are all within 3 points of the play offs. At the bottom, it's newly promoted Billericay Town who sit in last place, 6 points from safety. Hungerford Town picked up their first win this month to move off the bottom, but are still 5 points away. Welling United and Truro City complete the bottom four, with Torquay United climbing out of it for the first time this season. Little shoots of recovery for Chelmsford as well. 

Manager's Thoughts:

A major improvement on last month, but that wasn't going to be hard. We were unbeaten in our league games this month, taking 5 points and scoring 6 goals, which we desperately needed to build up the confidence. Being knocked out of the FA Cup at this stage when we nearly took Dorking to a replay was quite gutting, but we go again in November. We still only sit 4 points off the play-offs so I'm hopeful we will be up there challenging again fairly soon. We're keeping up to our promise of playing counter-attacking, direct football and it's doing us well at the moment. We're also above Maidstone United which will really please the fans. Let's see what we do next but I'm hopeful of a good run of form now. 

November 2023

A brand new month and it's just league matches for us this month after being knocked out of the FA Cup at the Fourth Qualifying Round. But it gives us the chance to build on the 3-0 win over Truro City in the last game, a win that stopped 2 months without a league win. There should be a new life, a new energy in this squad and I feel that we can pick up some important results this month. We've got to target the games against Salisbury, Eastbourne Borough, and Tonbridge Angels for decent points, but it doesn't mean I take the games against Hampton & Richmond and Dorking lightly. We must perform to the levels we set against Truro in all games coming up, and all games ever. 

I'll give Sean Adarkwa a shout out, he ended second in the player of the month stakes for October, picking up a 7.87 Average Rating for the month, and 4 goals this month as well. Hassan Jalloh has been unbelievable this last month though, you're not going to be 8 goal involvements in 3 matches. 

Saturday 4th November 2023

Vanarama National League South

Hampton & Richmond Borough 1-1 Dover Athletic (Tommy Block 20' (pen); Sean Adarkwa 58')

A decent result against a Hampton & Richmond team who's unbeaten league run goes to 7 games without a defeat. I'll take the point here. The goal we conceded in this one came from the penalty spot after a horrendous mistake by Matthew Hall led to a slide tackle by a defender for a penalty. Tommy Block stepped up and sent Hall the wrong way for 1-0. There wasn't much else going on in this one, but we found the equaliser in the second half, Leathers playing the ball over the top this time, and Adarkwa controlled it and did his customary firing past the keeper high into the net to make it 1-1. A good point, and suddenly, we're on a 4 match unbeaten run. But there's three draws in that. Can we get revenge against Dorking Wanderers?

Tuesday 7th November 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 2-1 Dorking Wanderers (Jaydn Mundle-Smith 9', Henry Landers 81'; Sean Tarima 38')

The answer to that last question was yes. In the tightest of games, where both teams had similar chances to win the game or at least take something, our unbeaten run now goes up to 5 games without defeat. After knocking us out of the FA Cup last month, there was an element of wanting revenge in this one, and we took the lead after 9 minutes. A short throw-in from Judd was played to Landers on the right. His ball to find Grant was cleared, but only as far as the oncoming Mundle-Smith, who took a touch into the area and hit the shot that was deflected to deceive the goalkeeper, and put us in front. Just before half time, the promotion hopefuls were level. A free-kick from Taylor on the right reached Tarima and he headed in at the far post despite Hall's best efforts. Hall had a mental game and produced a fantastic close range save in the second half to keep it at 1-1. And thankfully for us, he did that because Landers scored the winner with 9 to go. A good move found it's way to Goodman on the right of the area, who played it across for Landers to have the easiest of tap-ins. Great result, and all of a sudden, we're confident in our abilities. 

Tuesday 14th November 2023

Vanarama National League South

Salisbury 2-3 Dover Athletic (Dewain Sewell 55', 78'; Sean Adarkwa 35', 90'+4, Adam Leathers 43')

One thing I wish FM told you, was how many points you win after 90 minutes because we've won a few this season and we've done it again in this game, but it should have never been this close in a game of 2 halves almost. After Salisbury had a couple of chances early on, we took the lead 10 minutes before the break, Crowley receiving the ball back from his own throw-in, before sending in a cross in which that man, Adarkwa, got his head to it to find the top corner. It was 2-0 two minutes before half time. Adarkwa was the one holding the ball up this time, laying it off to Farr on the edge of the area, he played it across and Leathers unleashed just inside the area which wrong-footed the keeper for 2-0. Dewain Sewell turned it on after half time, to put Salisbury on the brink of a point. Play down the right by Salisbury ended up with Hussein on the right wing, and Sewell was quicker than the defence to slot home. It was 2-2 with 12 minutes remaining. Roast played the long ball forward, and as Hall tried to come off his line to meet the ball at Sewell's feet, Sewell tapped it past him to level up. The winner came after a spell of decent possession, Evans launched a desperate ball forward and Adarkwa met it with his left foot on the volley for a spectacular goal that beat the keeper at the near post. 

Saturday 25th November 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 1-1 Tonbridge Angels (Charlie Farr 7'; Joe Turner 54' (pen))

This Kent derby ended all square as both sides intended to try and show their play off credentials. Mundle-Smith started the move for our goal from a throw-in he played to Leathers. Mundle-Smith made a run into the area, the ball was played back to him, he ran to the byline, and played a cross over to Farr who planted a header into the corner to give us a good start after just 7 minutes. Tonbridge got a point from this one as we gave away a penalty and Turner virtually fired it down the middle after the keeper had moved for 1-1. Another point makes it 7 unbeaten.

Tuesday 28th November 2023

Vanarama National League South

Eastbourne Borough 1-0 Dover Athletic (Leone Gravata 61')

A disappointing result here unfortunately for us this evening. The game lacked real quality from both sides, real tempo. We both had our fair share of chances, but it was the most disappointing of mistakes from Matthew Hall that gave Andy Carroll's Eastbourne Borough all 3 points. Bioletti played a lofted ball into the D for Gravata who headed a tame header at Hall that he should have caught, but he parried in front of him into the path of the oncoming Gravata, who couldn't believe his luck, and he tapped it in from 2 yards out to take the 3 points. They probably were the slightly better team but not by much. Not the best game at all.

After that matchday, that's all the games played in the league for this month and this is how the table stands. Dulwich Hamlet hold a 2 point lead on 41 points over Havant & Waterlooville, but the latter have a game in hand on the leaders. A further 5 points back are Oxford City, with Hampton & Richmond Borough and Dorking Wanderers a further point back. St Albans City sit on 30 after dropping off a little bit, and Weymouth are the last team in those play off places. The 6 teams between 8th in Dover Athletic and 13th in Tonbridge Angels are separated by just 1 point. At the bottom, Billericay Town are on 6 points after 18 games, and already look doomed. They're 12 points from safety. Hungerford Town are second bottom on 10, with Welling United and Salisbury much closer to Chelmsford. The relegation battle looks interesting heading into December and still anything can happen. 

Manager's Thoughts:

We had a good start to this month, and to be fair, had a good month all in all. I can't even blame the players really for dropping off. We had a break of 11 days after our two wins, and although we were in a good run of form, when you don't play for 11 days, your sharpness and your consistency goes off the boil if you have such a long time without playing. The reason for that was Eastbourne calling the original game off against them because they have international players and that game was right in the middle of a top flight international break. I would say we just need more conviction in the final third which we do, we've only scored 21 goals in the league, but we also didn't keep a clean sheet this month. I don't want to go back into that rut we went on for the second half of last season. I think we'll be fine this time as I'm more familiar with the club and the squad is mine as well. Let's just wait and see what Christmas 2023 has in store for this club.

December 2023

2023 has been a year of transition for this football club as we attempt to be a proper top half team for this level. We're only 2 points off a play off spot and having a decent season so far, but I hope we can make this month a successful month as we go into the second half of the season. Sean Adarkwa has been on it more often than not this season up front, so I'm glad I bought him in when I did. In fact, he's got over 60% of our league goals. I do remember saying I needed to build from the back and we have a smaller squad than last season, but consistently at the back we've been performing well so I'm going to applaud myself and the players for that one. We start this month in the FA Trophy which we got to the Fifth Round of last season. Today we start with Cray Wanderers, a game which we should be winning comfortably.

Saturday 2nd December 2023

The Isuzu FA Trophy Second Round

Dover Athletic 1-0 Cray Wanderers (Reece Grant 64')

A game where we had several chances, but were very wasteful was won by a wonderful free-kick after Cray Wanderers shot themselves in the foot by being reduced to 10 men. Dallaywaters was sent off after 63 minutes by absolutely lunging into Adarkwa with two feet, and you really can't expect to get away with that with just a booking. Reece Grant put the ball down for the free-kick just outside the box, and he curled it over the wall beautifully into the top corner, to take a win that we weren't convincing in at all, but it's the win that matters and we're in the Third Round draw on Monday. 

Saturday 9th December 2023

Vanarama National League North

Hemel Hempstead Town 0-1 Dover Athletic (Sean Adarkwa 48')

A very good rearguard performance means we climb back into the play-off places for the first time since the middle of September, an Adarkwa goal being enough to pick up three points at a decent Hemel Hempstead side. The game came alive in the second half after a very tight first half, and within 3 minutes of the restart, we took the lead. Adarkwa won the ball in an advanced position but had defenders all around him, so played it back to Farr. He played a nice ball into the area, but Adarkwa still had a tough task as he was at an angle facing a defender right in front of him. It didn't matter as he hit it, and it sneaked into the far corner for his 16th goal of the season, and an important three points.

An early look at the youth intake for this season, Full-backs and attacking midfielders are both showing as A at the moment. B on strikers as well, but for me, they all see excellent in December. Let's wait until March.

Tuesday 19th December 2023

Vanarama National League South

Billericay Town 1-2 Dover Athletic (Sam Sebagabo 57'; Henry Landers 14', Reece Grant 54')

We absolutely dominated this one despite what the scoreline says at full time, against the team being used as whipping boys this season. Both our goals came from well taken corners as well. Billericay just couldn't deal with us at the set pieces. Farr was on both, the first one being parried after a Leathers header, but Landers was basically on the line to smash it in for 1-0. We double our advantage on 54 minutes, Farr this time playing a near post corner, and a flick on style header by Reece Grant looped over the keeper and went in for 2-0. Billericay got a goal back 3 minutes later, the ball from the right by De Silva finding Sebagabo in the middle and he steered past Hall for 2-1. That's how it finished, and all of a sudden, the confidence is continuing to ooze through the team. 

Saturday 23rd December 2023

The Isuzu FA Trophy Third Round

Dover Athletic 3-1 Chatham Town (Reece Grant 6', Eden Bailey 47', 66'; Charlie McGlashan 71')

This Kent clash between two teams separated by two divisions, went the way it was always going to, as we knocked a brave Chatham Town out of the FA Trophy. The ball broke to Dibley-Dias in the 6th minute, he dinked the ball over the defence for Reece Grant and he dispatched it beyond the keeper for 1-0. Eden Bailey got his first goal for the club just after half time, Mundle-Smith played the ball into the area from a throw-in, Bailey went with the head. It was saved but the ball rolled to him and he popped it into the corner for 2-0. Bailey got his second for the club, a ball from Farr on the right found Bailey near the penalty spot, and he looped his header towards goal, the keeper got a touch to it but he didn't keep it out, and that made the game safe. Chatham got one back 5 minutes later to take something out of the game. Batchelor chipped the ball over the defence from deep to find McGlashan, and he went through on the keeper and chipped it over him into the net for 3-1. We go through into the next round, and it'll be a happy Christmas for our players. Comfortable. 

We have just signed our first player for a couple of months as the team have become settled, but I noticed this guy wasn't getting much football at Gillingham in League Two. We're only down the road from Gillingham so I thought I'd take him on and he could drive us on this season. Seeing 14s and 15s in his attributes are amazing. He can also help in our kind of dilemma on the left, been playing a lot of forwards on that left hand side. Matty MacArthur could take us forward for the rest of the season, and I'm looking forward to playing him. 

Tuesday 26th December 2023

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 1-1 Weymouth (Sean Adarkwa 45'; Miles Judd (og) 50')

A bizarre own goal denied us what would have been a fifth win in a row in December in all competitions, as we drew 1-1 in a vital play-off 6 pointer against Weymouth. We took the lead on the stroke of half time. Hall played a long ball out left to Grant, who in turn found Adarkwa making a run into the area. He rounded the keeper and tapped into the empty net to give us a 1-0 lead at the break. The goal was obviously of our doing. We had stopped a Weymouth attack dead in it's tracks and Judd attempted to play the ball back to Hall, but Hall missed it and it rolled over the line for a horrible own goal. 2 points dropped definitely, and we now have a huge game against the league leaders to end the year. Reece Grant went off injured towards the end, and we went down to 10 men for the final two minutes because of this. We will wait and see how bad he is. 

It's not as bad as first feared for Reece Grant. He'll be out for less than a week with a pulled groin.

I'm absolutely delighted with this. Will Tizzard has been fantastic in our defence this season, and he will stay at Dover for the next 18 months, until June 2025. I'm very excited to see his development here.

Our man between the sticks, Matthew Hall, is also staying until the end of next season. He's been vital with his clean sheets and saves this season, keeping us in games, getting us big points. I'm delighted to keep him for longer.

Saturday 30th December 2023

Vanarama National League South

Havant & Waterlooville 0-0 Dover Athletic

A game with only a couple of highlights against the league leaders meant we kept a clean sheet and took a point against Havant & Waterlooville, but we wasted a massive opportunity to take all three. They had the ball in the back of the net after 15 minutes, but Saunders was offside from a chance from a corner. We were given a penalty in the second half after Evans was shoved in the back in the area. Dibley-Dias stepped up, but it was saved. He got to the rebound, but it was saved again. Unfortunately, that's as good as it got, but if you'd offered me a point at the start of the game, I'd have taken it. 

This is the table after the last matchday of 2023. Oxford City have gone top of the table on goal difference, after Havant & Waterlooville were held by Dover Athletic. Both teams on 44 points, Hampton & Richmond Borough are a point behind, followed by Dulwich Hamlet, who are 3 points off the top, but they have got 3 matches in hand thanks to their cup commitments this season. Dorking Wanderers go into the new year in 5th place, with Dartford and Tonbridge Angels rounding out the top 7. Dover and St Albans aren't far behind the play-off places either, with Weymouth and Eastbourne in striking distance as well. Billericay Town need a big start to 2024 to even have a chance of keeping their place at this level. They're 15 points adrift of safety, on only 6 points for the entire season. Hungerford Town have also struggled all season, they're on 13 points. Chelmsford City are third bottom on 19 and Salisbury 4th bottom on 20 points. Hemel keeping their heads above water, and Welling United are on 22 points. Torquay have firmly moved away from the drop, so no surprise relegation it looks like. Truro are very much dragging themselves away as well.

Manager's Thoughts:

December went really bloody well. We got through two rounds of the FA Trophy and we're in a major hunt for the play-offs. We didn't lose a single game, defensively we were on it, apart from one lapse of concentration against Weymouth. The fans and the board are very happy with where the club are at the moment, but we can't be complacent, we have to remain on it. We have signed two players on brand new contracts until the end of next season, which is fantastic. Matthew Hall has been wonderful between the sticks and I'm so proud of that signing. Will Tizzard is also the main attraction in defence and has been like a man mountain so far this season. Let's see what the new year brings with new contracts and also more play-off pushing antics, and a game against Dagenham & Redbridge in the Trophy.

January 2024

Happy new year everyone in game, and welcome to 2024. We have a busy schedule this month, as we play 7 matches at least, including 6 in the league and a big tie in the FA Trophy. The expectation is that we can keep it tight at the back for a little longer. We were incredible in December with it. Our goals aren't barrelfuls like they were last season, but we're that team where 75% of the time, 1-0 is definitely enough at the moment. I also want to get some contracts for important players sorted out heading into the second half of the season, so they become more settled at this football club. That's all for me to say at this point, so we head into New Year's Day with our first game of the year away at Chippenham Town.

Monday 1st January 2024

Vanarama National League South

Chippenham Town 1-0 Dover Athletic (Tom Mehew 62')

Two games in 48 hours always takes it out of my players. We definitely weren't on it again and we lose 1-0 in our first game of 2024. We always lose our first game of the new year. Adarkwa had a couple of clear-cut chances to take the lead but he wasn't quite on it up front in this game. The only goal was actually a real good strike. Chippenham played a few passes around the box, before it fell to Mehew from 25 yards out, and he struck it straight through the goalkeeper and that was it for this game. We've still got a lot of time to turn it around, I'm not worrying about missing out just yet. 

Our New Zealand Under-20 international, Matt Dibley-Dias, has signed a brand new contract that sees him through until the end of next season, on a £375 per week deal. He commits his future after being an integral part of our play-off push so far this season, and hopefully he carries on in a similar vein of form for the rest of the season.

Saturday 6th January 2024

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 1-3 Maidstone United (Eden Bailey 29'; Solomon Wanjau-Smith 31', Courtney Duffus 38', 75')

It's always crushing to lose a derby to one of your biggest rivals, but when you score first, they get a red card, and you still can't capitalise? It's just disappointing. We took the lead after 29 minutes, Nicolson played a long ball forward to Grant, who played the ball across and Bailey nodded home for his 3rd of the season, and to take a 1-0 lead. It didn't last long. A game of head tennis was won by Maidstone, Karadogan taking the ball down and finding Wanjau-Smith on the left, who produced a sublime finish into the bottom right corner for 1-1. Hall made an absolute howler for the second goal. Roberts made a strong run down the right for Maidstone, who whipped the ball into the centre of the area, and Duffus got his head on it. Hall attempted to palm the ball one way and it went behind him and bounced into the net. We thought our luck had changed when Gonzalez was sent off before half time by committing a malicious foul from behind on Nicolson. Unfortunately, the boys were far too conservative, and it was game over with 15 minutes remaining. A corner from Tiensia found Duffus at the near post and he provided a bullet header past the keeper to confirm the three points for Maidstone. Fuming with that.

Callum Nicolson is the fourth player to have signed a brand new contract recently, staying until the end of the 2025-26 season. The 21-year-old midfielder has played 29 times this season, with an average rating of 6.68, but he can definitely improve with what's left this season.

Tuesday 9th January 2024

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 0-2 Dulwich Hamlet (Tavonga Kuleya 39', Jack Holland 75')

I would say we're now in a slight crisis, similar to the one we had in September, after we lost 2-0 to high-flying Dulwich Hamlet. We have performed better than this against the bigger teams this season, so I'm sort of trying to work out what's actually happening. Another huge mistake from Hall led to the first goal. Wood played the ball in from the left and it met the head of Kuleya who headed straight at Hall, but for the second game in a row, he palmed it into the net for 1-0. The game was over with 15 minutes remaining. A corner from Andrews found the head of Jack Holland at the near post, almost a carbon copy of Maidstone's third in the last game. Fuming again with our defending from corners. 

Saturday 13th January 2024

Vanarama National League South

Torquay United 3-2 Dover Athletic (Ryan Paczkowski 4', Brett McGavin 52', Lewis Brooks 55'; Sean Adarkwa 56', 59')

It's a fourth defeat in a row unfortunately, but we showed a lot of fight after falling 3-0 behind to Torquay United. Paczkowski had the ball on the left before passing it to the edge of the area. He made a run which Lapslie found, and unmarked, he slotted home to make it 1-0. A seven minute mad spell turned this game from 1-0 to 3-2 before we knew it. Brett McGavin scored a free-kick right on the edge of the penalty area at the near post to make it 2-0. And it seemed to be game over when Brisley played a long ball through to Brooks, who smashed home on the volley to make it 3-0. But a minute later, Adarkwa brought a goal back for us. Tizzard played a long ball over the defence which Adarkwa controlled with his first touch, advanced forward with his second and finished with his third to get us back in it. And it was game on just 3 minutes later. Farr played a fantastic through ball from the right which found Adarkwa in the middle and he fired home off the post to make it 3-2. We missed a free-kick which hit the side netting which would have been sensational. If we can show that battling quality in the next few games, I'll feel more confident about the rest of the season. 

Tuesday 16th January 2024

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 1-4 Concord Rangers (Sean Adarkwa 66'; James Blanchfield 7', Filippo Roda 10', Szymon Kowalczyk 50', Freddie Pitts 87')

Our heaviest defeat of the season, and I'm just ready to throw my laptop in the bin. Every time, I change it up, the players aren't having it. Concord Rangers have just sacked their manager. I think I'm next at this rate. A cross was cleared only as far as Blanchfield for the first. He shot on the turn from 30 yards out for an unbelievable effort and there's nothing we could have done about that. A mistake from our defence from a Pitts long ball set Roda through on goal, and he slotted home from the edge of the area for 2-0. Leathers was sent off for us after half an hour for a stupid challenge from behind, and then it just got worse. Roda received the ball in the area, held it up on the byline, and played back to Kowalczyk for a tap-in for 3-0. Our only glimmer of hope came with 25 minutes left. A ball from Grant on the left found Landers, who headed on to Adarkwa and he scored his 20th of the season with a first time finish. It finished off with 3 minutes to go. A free-kick from Green on the right found the rising Pitts, who headed into the goal off the post to make it 4-1.

Saturday 20th January 2024

The Isuzu FA Trophy Fourth Round

Dagenham & Redbridge 2-0 Dover Athletic (Harvey Sayer 17' (pen), Paul McCallum 29')

So we're not able to win for love nor money in the league, so we definitely weren't going to beat this lot and we go out of the FA Trophy at the Fourth Round stage. Their first goal came from the penalty spot, Sayer popping it into the bottom right corner despite the keeper's best efforts. It was 2-0 after 29 minutes. Sayer played the near post corner into the box and Paul McCallum put the ball into the far corner to make it 2-0. We deserved the defeat and we deserve everything that is going wrong at the moment. This is now officially worse than September.

Saturday 27th January 2024

Vanarama National League South

Hungerford Town 2-1 Dover Athletic (George Cowmeadow 24', 70'; Matty MacArthur 64')

Our month of absolute woe finished with a 2-1 defeat at second bottom Hungerford Town. Brewer played a long ball into the general path of Cowmeadow, and the keeper came miles off his line, to give Cowmeadow the easiest of finishes to make it 1-0 to Hungerford. We equalised in the second half in the most remarkable way. Farr had the ball down the right hand side of the area, and lofted it across to the onrushing MacArthur who volleyed it into the top corner and got his first goal for the club to make it 1-1. I thought we may even get our only point of the month, but honestly we've been abysmal defensively. i don't resign from jobs, but I'm so close to doing it at the moment. Bansal-McNulty played the long ball through to Cowmeadow, who chested it, rounded the keeper and it finished it off into the back of the net for 2-1. Dibley-Dias had the chance to save a point from the penalty spot, but it was saved by the keeper and that just sums up our month.

I had to walk my dog before uploading this table because I couldn't bring myself to look at it. When it comes to the title race though, we have 4 teams within reach of top of the league, and three are level on 55 points with Oxford City, Dulwich Hamlet and Havant & Waterlooville only separated by goal difference. Dorking Wanderers have fought their way back into title contention in this league. Hampton & Richmond Borough, Dartford and Chippenham Town complete the play-off places at the end of January. At the bottom, it just gets worse for Billericay. They're now 20 points from safety with 18 matches remaining of the season, and they're a full 14 points behind Hungerford Town at the bottom of the table. Chelmsford City are back down in the bottom 4, with Salisbury only in the drop zone on goal difference behind Concord Rangers. Hemel Hempstead Town are only a point clear. 

Manager's Thoughts:

I've got several expletives going through my head about this month. I will actually play a private save in between doing the next month of this one. The players did not stay compact, the players could not attack, the players were god damn awful. I'm changing all my tactics completely for the new month and we need to save our season while we still can. We're now closer to relegation than the play-offs for the first time this season. I will not be surprised if my contract is not renewed at the end of the season. That's all I have to say and I'm sorry for this awful run of form. Absolutely gutted.

February 2024

Well then, how do we get over a month like that? The good thing is we can now re-invent ourselves and try and surprise teams. But I'm not holding my breath right now. We've had a miserable month. We played 7 matches and lost all 7. Our defence literally fell apart. It can't get much worse at least. But we need to get it together, and we start with a home match against Hayes & Yeading United. We're now closer to relegation than play-offs and we need to change that stat sooner rather than later. 

We have a brand new loan signing, who has joined us from Peterborough United until the end of the season. Gergo Janos Bodnar is an 18-year-old Hungarian Right Back, he's good at tackling which is something we could do with right now. He's on the aggressive side which is good to see. His teamwork stats are good as well. Let's hope he can help bring some good feeling to this team.

Saturday 3rd February 2024

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 0-0 Hayes & Yeading United

The first time we've avoided defeat in 2024, but not entirely satisfied following a 0-0 draw with Hayes & Yeading United. Defences were on top for the entire game and not an awful lot happened at both ends. We had a couple of chances but nothing to write home about. The only good thing I can say about this match is we failed to be beaten at the back. Hayes and Yeading tried everything but they couldn't get through. In this situation, we'll take a point as it's more than the entirety of last month, but we need to find where we were before Christmas. 

Jesse Pigott has signed a new contract now he's turned 17 years old, worth £25 an appearance.

Saturday 10th February 2024

Vanarama National League South

Farnborough 2-2 Dover Athletic (James Gody 3', 14'; Eden Bailey 40', Reece Grant 64' (pen))

A spirited fight back from 2-0 down means we take a share of the spoils away at Farnborough. The story felt familiar after 3 minutes. A long ball from deep found Fernandes on the left, he pinged a cross into the box and Gody used his head to divert into the net for 1-0. It was 2-0 11 minutes later. Lokko played the long ball from the back this time, but it went straight into the area and Gody volleyed home as sweet as a nut, and it looked like we were in for another long game. Grant set Bailey up for a goal just before half time, the route one passage working again, Bailey controlled it and fired home on the half volley in the area for 2-1. We got a penalty in the second half. This time, it was Reece Grant who stepped up and powered it into the corner to save us a point. Unfortunately, our winless run is now at 10 league matches.

Saturday 17th February 2024

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 2-0 Dartford (Jaydn Mundle-Smith 33', Sean Adarkwa 45'+1)

Vital! Absolutely bloody vital! What a result! Our first win in the league since a win over Billericay Town back in December. A run of 10 matches without victory, including 6 straight defeats. We beat high-flying Dartford to bring an end to that run. I'm so buzzed right now. We needed a little bit of luck for the first goal. Mundle-Smith made his own run from the left, cut inside and hit it towards goal, and via a massive deflection, it put the keeper on the floor and the ball in the net for 1-0, but hey, when you've been on the run we have, we'll take anything like that. The game was won on the stroke of half time. Goodman made a long ball from the back fall to the feet of Adarkwa. He took a couple of strides forward before hitting it from outside the area, and the keeper could only get fingers to it as it went in the corner and broke the bad run for us. Great result!

Saturday 24th February 2024

Vanarama National League South

Chelmsford City 0-0 Dover Athletic

Chelmsford City were the favourites heading into this one, but we did hold our own and kept an away clean sheet drawing 0-0. They did put us under the cosh for a lot of the game. They had a goal ruled out for offside. Hall made some vital saves to keep us in it. We had our own chances but this one is going to be a short entry. Barely anything happened, we will take the point. 

Tuesday 27th February 2024

Vanarama National League South

Dover Athletic 1-1 St Albans City (Sean Adarkwa 61'; Shaun Jeffers 15' (pen))

A fiery affair between these two ended all square as we came from behind to take another point, taking our tally through February to 7 points from 5 games, but no defeats. Shaun Jeffers put St Albans 1-0 up after 15 minutes from the penalty spot, tucking it into the bottom right corner. They had several chances to double their advantage, Jeffers being the man who took most of them but they couldn't capitalise on our shoddy start. We equalised just after the hour mark. Mundle-Smith played the long ball from the left-back position and found Adarkwa in the area, who then brought it down on his chest, and lofted the ball into the top corner to earn a share of the spoils. He nearly won it late on as well but it wasn't to be. 

The league table at the end of February shows a little gap forming at the top of the league. Havant & Waterlooville are now the league leaders on 67 points, followed by Dulwich Hamlet on 63 and Oxford City on 62 as the league enters it's final 13 games for most teams. Dorking Wanderers are currently 4th on 59, Chippenham 57, Dartford 56 and Weymouth 54 in those play-off places, but Hampton & Richmond Borough are only a point behind Weymouth. Eastbourne Borough and St Albans City are also in strong contention. Billericay Town are still bottom on 11 points, 20 points adrift of safety and in danger of potentially going down in March. The relegation battle is much tighter with Salisbury, Hungerford Town, Chelmsford City and Hemel Hempstead Town separated by just 2 points as that battle spices up.

Manager's Thoughts:

A massive improvement on January. We actually competed in games and no one came away with a victory against us. We just need to turn those draws into wins, but baby steps. Like I said, we were abysmal in January and the fact we came away from this month without defeat shows me the players do know what they're doing, they do know how to stay in games. Now it's just at least to try and carry on what is now a 5 game unbeaten run in the league. My aim for March is to turn draws into wins. Sounds easy, but we all saw January.