CAFC vs Dover Athletic – Preview
Dover Athletic
Following a tough 2023-24 season that saw Dover Athletic relegated to the Isthmian Premier for the first time since 2008-09, when they won the division with an outstanding tally of 104 points from 42 games, the Whites have made a positive start in their quest to bounce straight back up to the National League South.
After a huge squad rebuild over the summer and a successful pre-season with notable victories over Welling United (3-2), Tonbridge Angels (4-2), and Lancing (7-1), Jake Leberl’s side entered the new campaign, first of all, wanting to consolidate and stabilise the club given the years of turbulence and uncertainty thanks to the repercussions of COVID 19.
Prior to the Pandemic, Dover were a club in ascendancy. There was a memorable FA Cup run in 2014-15 where the Whites beat Morecambe and Cheltenham 1-0 to reach the third round, eventually falling to a 4-0 defeat to Premier League side Crystal Palace. The following year, they qualified for the play-offs, eyeing promotion to League Two and narrowing missing out. Consecutive seasons finishing just outside the playoffs ensued before consolidating their position as a mid-table fifth-tier club with 14th and 11th place finishes respectively.
However, like many businesses Dover struggled financially during the pandemic and in the 2020-21 campaign the team could only fulfil 15 fixtures, with none played after 30 January 2021, owing to staff being furloughed. Having all of its results expunged in March, being fined £40,000 by the National League and handed a 12-point deduction for the 2021-22 season, by the 29th of May 2021, the Whites had four part-time players on their books after releasing all its personnel. In all honesty, the next campaign was over before it had even started, picking up just eight points in 33 matches while suffering the points deduction meant a 2-0 home defeat to Yeovil Town confirmed Dover’s return back to the sixth tier after an eight-season absence. Things went from bad to worse when the club experienced relegation again for back-to-back seasons, this time to the Isthmian League.
That being said, Leberl’s side showed no signs of dwelling on the past but rather the desire to spearhead the dawn of a new era when the Whites secured a statement 8-0 opening day victory over Potters Bar Town. Next up was the Kent derby with Folkestone Invicta, which was watched by a huge crowd of 2,495. Suffering an early setback, having conceded in the opening stages and then letting Invicta double their lead against the run of play, George Nikaj halved the deficit on the stroke of half-time. The Whites had a man sent off and played half an hour with ten men, the Seasiders capitalised and extended their advantage to three. Despite Jaiden Drakes-Thomas making it 3-2 with ten minutes until time, the magnitude of the task proved too great and Leberl felt his young side were overwhelmed by the occasion.
Their run of games did not get any easier as a trip to league favourites Billericay Town beckoned; however, they earned a hard-fought 1-1 draw. A home tie against Chichester City proceeded and even though they were not great for the first 45 minutes, largely down to Leberl rotating his team, second-half it became a competition between George Nikaj and Ruben Soares-Junior as to who could get the hattrick first – the Whites ran out 5-2 winners.
A 3-1 bank holiday Monday win over Horsham was grounded by a disappointing display versus South-East side Sittingbourne FC in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup, being beaten 1-0 at home in the replay. Another comprehensive league victory softened the blow. Dover thumped fellow newcomers Dartford 5-1 in front of 1,018 fans, moving to second place in the Premier Division. It marked a first competitive victory over a Kent rival since they beat Ebbsfleet in December 2019 and it also took their goalscoring tally to 24 goals for the season so far, a major boost for their long-suffering fans.
Likely line-ups
Carshalton Athletic
Foley, Sankho, Atewologun, Hamstead, Read, Saraiva, Vose, Bradford, Ifeanyi, Stagg, Goather-Braithwaite
Dover Athletic
Walker, Charles-Cook, Sesay, Tennent, Cocoracchio, Baptiste, Matthews, Nikaj, Soars-Junior, Pont, Wilkinson
Team News
Carshalton Athletic
There was a much-welcomed return for Kwaku Frimpong on Saturday, featuring on the bench for Adeniyi’s side. While, Bryan Ifeanyi, Mason Saunders-Henry, and Andy Somo returned to first-team action for the draw with Lewes. Charlie Kennett, Soloman Baugh, and Sanchez Ming dropped out of the squad for the fixture against the league toppers.
Dover Athletic
Post Dartford, Leberl revealed to the Kent online: “We’re just starting to pick up a few niggles so this break next week has come just at the right time. Hopefully, we can get everyone fully fit before the next game (on September 21).” He had limited numbers at training for the first time this season on the Thursday session before playing the Darts, with six of his players missing training.
Pre-Match Analysis
On criticism that Dover lumped it forward in the cup defeat to Sittingbourne: “I’m not sure if we panicked against Sittingbourne and lumped the ball long,” Dover midfielder Luke Baptiste told the Kent online, “the defenders split against Dartford, we got on the ball and passed it around, and that’s the type of team we are.” Baptiste added: “We won’t make a thousand passes before we score but we can make a few to make something happen instead of just lumping it long.” The 21-year-old academy product is normally deployed in midfield but featured as part of a front-three against Dartford, enjoying the attacking freedom given to him by the Dover boss.
Leberl’s side are extremely free-scoring, having netted 24 goals in just Isthmian Premier games to move up to second. And their free-flowing attacking display overcame a Darts team that had only conceded three league goals before travelling to Dover to be put to the sword. Despite the success of their attacking exploits, there are limits: “Five minutes before half-time [against Dartford], we were 2-0 up and our full-back is making an overlapping run. I’m going mad but having a joke about it,” said Leberl.
He added: “We speak about that [discipline] and game management, and hopefully as we grow we should learn things like that. Although they want to score five, six, or seven every week sometimes 1-0 will do” The 47-year-old’s values centre around togetherness, work-rate, organisation, and spirit, which he believes are “big commodities that you need to be successful in a football team”. One more thing to add is teams constantly lose possession cheaply in dangerous positions against the Whites due to their high press, forcing the turnover.
Key Player
Dover striker George Nikaj tops the Isthmian Premier Division goalscoring charts six games into the 2024-25 campaign, having netted eight times. Nikaj got off to the perfect start when he registered a hattrick in the opening day 8-0 victory over Potters Bar before following that up with goals against Folkestone, Billericay, a brace in the 5-2 Chichester City win, and scoring on bank holiday Monday versus Horsham. On the 21-year-old, Leberl said: “[He’s a] fantastic talent, last season he was getting chances, and it wasn’t falling for him, this season so far it has.” Interestingly enough, the Whites also boast the second top scorer, Ruben Soares-Junior, who has seven goals to his name. The Chichester game, in particular, demonstrated just how dangerous the pair can be when they combine.
The Gaffer
In his playing days, Jake Leberl was known for his versatility, experienced as a centre-half, right-back, and midfielder. Having played for the Whites, Leberl returned in November, initially as then-manager Mitch Brundle’s number two, before he succeeded Brundle the following month alongside Academy boss Mike Sandmann. After a 1-0 home victory over promotion-chasing Chelmsford on Easter Monday, the club confirmed that Leberl would remain in his position despite Dover being relegated to the Isthmian Premier. Chairman Jim Parmenter said at the time (April): “We’re delighted that Jake will be with is next season. He’s passionate about the club and wants us to improve – on and off the pitch.”
Match Details
Date: Saturday, September 21 2024
Venue: Colston Avenue
Kickoff: 03:00 PM
Admission: Admission: £11, £8, £5 (online prices) on the gate is a pound dearer.
Tickets: click here
