MATCH PREVIEW: Dover Athletic vs Chippenham Town | National League South | Saturday 14th March 2026

Our longest trip of the season comes this weekend as we travel to Dover.

After late heartbreak midweek we will make the 182 mile, longest trip of the season, journey to Dover Athletic for the first time since 2023.

The opposition

Football in Dover began in 1894 as the club named ‘Dover F.C’ became a founding member of the Kent League Second Division. But this team were folded a total of four times between 1909 and 1947. The various iterations of clubs were in the Kent league system until 1959, winning the First Division title in 1951.

Their FA Cup history was largely disappointing, with their best only reaching the 3QR, but they were winners of the Kent Senior Cup for the first time in 1952.

Dover FC transitioned to the Southern League in 1959, and they were winners Division One (Tier six of the pyramid) title twice, in 1967 and 1979.

Their Fa Cup runs were better in this period; reaching the First Round three times with who defeats (to Guilford Coty and Oxford United. They beat Colchester United in a replay in 1975 eventually losing to Southend United. Elsewhere in other cup competitions they won the Kent Senior Cup a further six times.

In 1983 Dover FC folded for a fifth time, this time due to their debts. This time Dover Athletic took over the club’s Southern League place.

They became Southern League Champions in 1990, but were not promoted to Conference due to Ground grading. In 1993 another Southern League title came this time they were promoted to the Conference, meaning football in Dover would reach the fifth tier of the pyramid for the first time.

Spending nine consecutive before relegation back to the Southern League, this was the most prosperous period in the club’s history. An FA Trophy semi-final in 1998, defeated over two legs by Cheltenham Town. They also reached the FA Cup First Round for the first time in Athletics’ history defeated by Oxford United.

A switch to the Isthmian League came in 04/05 and a drop into Division One in the mid noughties preceded back-to-back promotions.

2013 to 2015 was Dover’s most successful two seasons in the club’s history, a title winning Conference South season in 2013/14 and and a return to the Conference, while the following season saw the team make the FA Cup Third Round for just the second time. Beating Eastbourne, Morecombe and Cheltenham along the way they were drawn at home to Premier League side Crystal Palace. Despite losing 4-0 to the Eagles, a sell-out crowd helped the club survive finically.

As the National League was born Dover were in playoff places in 2015/16 but failed to reach the EFL as they were knocked out by Forest Green Rovers in the Semi-Final. They slipped down the table in the following seasons, but remained an consistent face in mid-table.

The pandemic and subsequent National League restart hurt Dover Athletic, and due to staff furloughs and missed fixtures the club were fined and docked 12 points for the following season. At the end of the season, in which they returned to Part-Time football, they finished on just once point and returned to Step 2 for the first time in eight seasons.

2022/23 was a close shave, and they were saved from Relegation in part thanks to our victory over Dulwich Hamlet. The following season they weren’t as lucky and were relegated as the bottom side winning just four times all year.

Their first season in the Isthmian Division was a success, winning the playoffs by beating Dartford in the final.

This season Dover sit in 16th place, and are equidistant between the relegation zone and the final playoff position. In the cup competitions they disappointed; losing to Hornchurch in R3 of the trophy and Farnborough in the 2QR of the FA Cup.

Fixture History

We first met Dover in 2003, a 1-0 win as Martin Paul’s penalty grabbed us a win in the inaugural meeting. The following three meetings, all in the Southern League, were 0-0. Our meeting’s were ceased as Dover switched to the Isthmian Divisions and were promoted to the NL before we arrived into the NLS.

Our next meetings came in the two seasons Dover spent in the NLS alongside us post-pandemic.

We visited Kent in November and had to settle for a point despite Will Tizzard’s goal. The return fixture was a comprehensive win for us thanks to goals from Joe Parker, Craig Fasanmade and Owen Windsor.

The following season we were again held by Dover, as Fasanmade netted again and Luke Haines turned into his own net. The reverse fixture was again one by CTFC, as goals from Caine Bradbury and Craig Fasanmade (again) secured all three points.

Our meeting this season was a 1-1 draw, Tom Owen-Evans netted a brilliant strike, but we were pegged back by Luke Baptiste in mid October.

Dangermen

George Nikaj – Nikaj, a Dover Athletic academy graduate, is Athletics’ top scorer this campaign with ten league goals. He made his Dover debut in April 2022 as a 19 year old, he scored on his second appearance against Woking in the National League.

Now in his third season of National League South football, this is his best scoring seasons having scored 10 this campaign with just four in his previous two.

A right winger, he netted a goal and an assist against Hornchurch in February.

Mitch Walker – Walker is Dover’s goalkeeper and captain and has played every minute in the NLS this season.

Walker graduated from Brighton’s academy in 2009 and began his professional career when he signed for Dover in the 2012/13 season. Spending six years with the Athletic he became their main shot stopper until his departure in 2019.

He joined fellow NL side Aldershot, but his three seasons were short of appearances due to various injuries including a major knee injury that saw his Shots departure.

Signing for Tonbridge as a coach during his injury he yearned for the coast once more and signed for Whitehawk ahead of the 23/24 season.

Following Dover’s relegation last season he was reunited with the Whites. He has played every match for Dover this season and is a clear club legend.

Supporter Information

We will be producing MIXLR commentary, join us live from 2.50pm as Nathan Potter & Riley Newman take you through all of the action.

The Crabble operates as operating as a cashless establishment, so all travelling are reminded that that only card payments are accepted in all catering facilities and bars.

Should any fans not have the facility to pay by card, they do have a ‘Crabble Key card’ available at the reception desk, this enables fans to put an amount on, using cash, to use whilst at the ground. The Reception can be found at the top end of the car park, you must visit here before trying to gain access to the ground.

Tickets are not available online, and are payments on the gate only. These payments are card only, listed at the following prices.

See you in Kent, Bluebirds 💙