KIDDY HARRIERS NEWS

PREVIEW: HARRIERS VS DOVER AFC

 

 

Harriers preserved their unbeaten start to 2014/15 with a 1-0 win at Dover at the end of August, leaving themselves in 10th and their opponents, who won just one of their opening six fixtures, lingering in 18th.

 

Currently, Harriers remain in the same position, while Dover sit five points behind in 14th.

 

Having beaten AFC Telford United the week after losing to Harriers, a four-game losing streak ensued for the Whites, before they picked up their form and gained 10 points from their next six fixtures.

 

Their 1-0 defeat at Macclesfield Town in mid-October was, remarkably, to be their last in all competitions until the beginning of January 2015.

 

That came in the form of a 4-0 loss at home to Premier League side Crystal Palace in the FA Cup Third Round, after earning the money-spinning tie by beating Eastbourne Borough as well as League Two sides Morecambe and Cheltenham Town along the way.

 

A similarly strong run in the FA Trophy took them to the quarter-finals after victories over Lowestoft Town, Havant & Waterlooville and Woking, before they came unstuck in a replay against Bath City to miss out on the semis.

 

Meanwhile, the Whites’ magnificent run of 13 games unbeaten in the league had taken them from 20th place after the Macclesfield defeat to eighth after a 2-0 victory at home to Wrexham, before the run was ended by Lincoln City at the end of January.

 

And since then, Dover have failed to register three points - it’s now five games without a league win for them after further defeats to FC Halifax Town, Aldershot Town and another to Lincoln, as well as a draw with Southport.

 

With Harriers second from bottom in the form table, Dover don’t fare much better, while their last away win in the league came at Welling United on New Year’s Day.

 

Additionally, the Whites have only registered one victory out of eight trips to top-half sides all season, while Harriers have only lost twice at Aggborough to bottom-half teams so far.

 

Dover have the fourth best attack in the league with 57 goals in 35 fixtures, and on the road they have averaged over one goal per game.

 

However, they have conceded almost as many as they have scored and have the joint-second-worst defence away from home in the league, letting in an average of two goals per game.

 

 

TEAM NEWS

 

Harriers

• -Aman Verma should be available after missing Tuesday’s game against Eastleigh due to illness

 

Dover Athletic

• -On-loan Colchester United striker Dan Holman is expected to be fit after missing last weekend’s game.

• -Forward Jake Reid has signed on loan for Metropolitan Police until the end of the season.

• -Goalkeeper Andy Rafferty is expected to keep his place despite making errors which led to both of Lincoln's goals last week.

 

 

14/03/2015