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Ryman League preview

DOVER Athletic have a great chance to cement their leadership of Ryman League Division 1 when they face Burgess Hill Town at Crabble on Saturday.

The 5-0 trouncing of Corinthian Casuals in midweek saw Whites move two points clear at the top of the table and with Burgess Hill propping the other sides up in 23rd position, Clive Walker's side won't have an easier game all season on paper.

New signing Marc Cumberbatch will make his home debut in central defence and Walker has high hopes for the 21-year-old former Ashford Town player.

He said: "He caught my eye in the Ashford game. The kid stopped a riot, he really did. The boy was everywhere and I thought 'who is this?'

"Then I started doing a bit of research on him and spoke to a lot of people and got some very good reviews. He's a young bright player with a lot of pace.

"He's certainly quicker than a lot of the lads we have at Dover and I think he'll strengthen us no end at the back."

Cumberbatch will replace the unfortunate Dean Readings, who broke his shin in two places on Saturday and will miss the rest of the season.

Ashford Town, who lost Cumberbatch to Dover, go into Saturday's clash at home to Fleet Town boosted by a fine midweek display against Ryman League Premier Divsion side Bromley.

Although Town went down 2-1 in the John Ullman Kent Senior Cup, the gritty performance will give the players heart as they look to drag themselves further away from the relegation zone.

Loan signing Chris Wright from Dover will be eligible to play, although Tom Adlington and Richard Boorman are both out through suspension.

Meanwhile, past and present Kent League champions Ramsgate and Cray Wanderers renew old rivalries at Southwood on Saturday.

Ramsgate manager Jim Ward is looking forward to the match and is glad his side is back in league action.

He said: "We are already playing catch-up, and it worries me deeply that we are falling behind.

"We could be playing Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday most weeks between now and the end of the season, and I need a bigger squad to help us do that."

Herne Bay midfielder Sam Denly has been signed but won't be available for the Cray game as he has been given permission to turn out for the Kent League side in thei FA Vase tie at Didcot.

Tonbridge Angels will be looking to stay in touch with the other sides at the top when they travel to Walton Casuals.

Bromley manager George Wakeling says his players’ mental approach must change if they are to threaten Billericay in Saturday's Ryman Premier Division clash at Hayes Lane.

With skipper Allan McLeod facing at least a month out with a shoulder injury, the Bromley boss says other players must rise to the challenge.

"The concentration and application wasn’t there on Saturday (against Boreham Wood) and that was a big disappointment," said Wakeling.

"Too many players had a bad day and didn’t apply themselves."

McLeod joins Tutu Henriques and Steve Potterill on the injury list. Des Boateng may return and Wakeling said: "It’s just a case of getting everyone back fit again now. We’ve been getting away with it for a while but got found out on Saturday."

Margate will be looking to bounce back from the disappointment of their FA Trophy defeat at the hands of Dartford when they make the trip to Windsor & Eton.

Neil Cugley's Folkestone Invicta will want to build on the midweek win over Tonbridge Angels in the John Ullman Kent Senior Cup at Braintree Town.

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