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Ryman League preview

DOVER Athletic can focus fully on league matters following their exit from the Westview Cup at the hands of Bromley at the weekend.

Injuries in cup matches have done their best to derail Whites' promotion push, but they now have a run of five league games this month, starting with Kingstonian at Crabble on Saturday.

Manager Clive Walker said: "It’s all been a little bitty lately what with the cup games and everything, and those two matches against Dartford in the Trophy really hurt us, but we’ve now got the chance to play catch-up on the teams above us."

Leaders Horsham are four points clear of Dover but they have played four more matches, while second-placed Tooting & Mitcham have played two games more.

One of the positives to come out of the Bromley defeat was that Danny Chapman came through the two hours of action without a recurrence of the knee injury that had kept him out for the previous six weeks.

Tommy Tyne also came through a training session on Tuesday, following his recent hamstring problem, and Walker also has Carl Rook and Marc Cumberbatch available again on Saturday after they were both cup-tied for the Bromley game.

Tonbridge Angels, who have been handed a potentially lucrative FA Trophy first round tie against Gravesend if they can overcome East Thurrock United, travel to Tooting & Mitchum on Saturday.

Tony Dolby's side are looking to make up the ground they have lost in Ryman League Division 1 in the past few weeks.

Tooting, currently third, are four points clear of the Angels, having played a game more.

Leroy Huggins is doubtful for the trip because of a hamstring injury and Dolby himself is a worry, having picked up an illness.

He said: "Everyone else is fine but I’m ill. I’ve had this since last Friday and I just haven’t been able to shake it."

Luke Piscina is back after missing the East Thurrock game to attend a family engagement in the USA.

Ashford Town will be looking to build on the impressive point they gained at in-form Leatherhead at home against struggling Banstead Athletic.

A three-hour clear the air meeting between management and players ahead of the Leatherhead match seemed to have the desired effect and joint managers Tim Thorogood and John Cumberbatch will expect their side to carry on where they left off.

Thorogood said: "We played really well on Saturday, and showed a great attitude, and I want us to continue to show the same belief and play as a unit and not individuals.

"The response we got following the meeting no doubt helped our performance on Saturday, and we hope to build on that result against Banstead."

Matty Bower has left the club, but new boys Jamie Smith and Emmanuel Sackey are two latest recruits.

Defender Smith has joined from Billericay, while 19-year-old midfielder Sackey, a member of the Gravesend and Northfleet PASE Academy, started his first game against Leatherhead.

Thorogood plans few changes at the weekend, but goalkeeper Dave Wietecha returns after work commitments forced him to miss the trip to Surrey.

In the same division, Ramsgate entertain fellow league new boys Walton Casuals while Cray Wanderers travel to Newport IOW.

Margate's Ryman League Premier Division clash at East Thurrock United on Saturday has been brought forward to 1.30pm due to problems with the home side's floodlights.

Manager Chris Kinnear will be hoping his team can build on the morale-boosting win against league leaders Hampton & Richmond Borough last weekend and improve on their record of seven points from the last nine available.

Bromley host Slough Town while Folkestone Invicta make the trip to Windsor & Eton.

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