Its Buildbase FA Trophy weekend for Dover Athletic this week and after winning a replay at Havant in midweek, Andy Hessenthaler’s side are getting ready to welcome Harrogate Town to Crabble.
What a week it’s been for Hessenthaler’s side as they extended their recent unbeaten run with a League win at second places Wrexham before the Trophy win on Tuesday.
Hessenthaler admitted to KSN, “It’s been a good week – to go to Wrexham and get a 1-0 win was a fantastic result and a massive performance. We always said that I we could go there and get a result and stay in the game in front of a big crowd (which there was) we could get something out of the game. That proved to be the case – I know it was late on but we’re obviously delighted! We made a change at the break as their full backs were causing us a few problems and we brought off Alfie Pavey and brought on Andy Jeffrey and that helped us a little bit with our shape and then we went and got his goal – he got his opportunity and it was a heck of a finish. To go to a club of the size of Wrexham and put in a performance like that away from home – it a tough place to go and I don’t think too many teams will go there and get the result we did It really h proved how far we have come over the past few weeks to get that sort of result and it showed that!”
Reflecting on the sides latest win in midweek, “It was a great win that kept the win going and took us to Havant for the Trophy replay in good heart and were able to get another 1-0 win. So all in all its been another great week as the boys well and truly kept the momentum going!”
“The game on Tuesday saw us make changes but they were good changes – we’ve built a squad now that’s got a little bit more depth and quality to compete against the better sides. I really can’t wait for the game so that we can keep our momentum going along and I’m looking forward to the game on Saturday… it can’t come quick enough for us really and the boys are getting like that too. I watched them the other night and they were fantastic, and we looked at Stuart Lewis wondering if we should look to giving him a rest as hes been brilliant for us. But he’s getting stronger in every game that he plays…”
Kent football of course enjoyed a Wembley Final with Bromley last season and victory on Saturday will take Dover into the last sixteen and had the manager admitting, game done on the day which is allowed these day’s in the FA Trophy but unfortunately, they don’t want to do that – so unfortunately if needed we’ve got a trip to Yorkshire on Tuesday night which to me both sides could really do without! Let’s hope that that won’t be the case and we can get the job done so that we can get into the draw and have a good week before we face Bromley next weekend. The boys just want to keep playing and keep winning which is fantastic for us and may it long continue…!”