LIVE COVERAGE: Dover Athletic 1-0 Burgess Hill Town (RESULT) DOVER ARE CHAMPIONS!

Dover Athletic chairman Jim Parmenter starts to walk across the pitch towards the dressing room, do doubt to congratulate his team.

Dover Athletic players receive a rousing reception from the delighted directors in the main stand, after being swamped by jubilant fans on the pitch.

SIGNING IN THE RAIN

Dover fans run onto the pitch at the final whistle, despite the rain starting to fall from the grey skies at Crabble.

GOING UP: DOVER ATHLETIC 1-0 BURGESS HILL TOWN

Mission accomplished. Boss Andy Hessenthaler seals promotion in his first season at Crabble as Dover Athletic get the win they needed to win the title. Dover Athletic will be playing Ryman Premier League football for the first time in three years as James Dryden’s bullet header sixteen minutes from time was enough.

85 MINUTES

Former Gillingham striker Hamilton, recently on loan at Folkestone Invicta, cuts in from the left into the middle and from sixteen-yards his right-footed drilled shot was turned around the post by May.

LATEST SCORE: CRAY WANDERERS 4-0 HORSHAM YMCA

Goals from Morris and Royston make it 4-0 to the Wands.

LATEST SCORE: CHATHAM TOWN 2-1 KINGSTONIAN

GOAL: 28:11 INTO SECOND HALF - DOVER ATHLETIC 1-0 BURGESS HILL TOWN

Dryden scores his 19^th goal of the season, sending a bullet header from six-yards into the top left-hand corner following Matt Fish’s cross from the right. This sends the Whites fans wild as they know they’re minutes away from winning the Ryman League Division One South title.

71 MINUTES

Cloke heads John Keister’s floating cross past the near post.

ATTENDANCE

The crowd has been announced as 1,154.

70 MINUTES

Substitute Hamilton cuts inside the full-back and his right-footed drilled shot is turned around the post by May.

Moments later Rogers’ left-footed drilled shot from 25-yards brings a comfortable low save from May.

DOUBLE SUB

Andy Hessenthaler and debutant Marvin Hamilton enter the fray as Dover go in search of that title winning goal. Making their way are Pouton and Simmonds.

GOAL: MAIDSTONE UNITED 1-2 ASHFORD TOWN (MIDDLESEX)

Paul Johnson nets in the 55^th minute to give Ashford Town the lead.

LATEST SCORE: POTTERS BAR TOWN 1-0 DARTFORD

LATEST SCORE: WINGATE & FINCHLEY 0-1 AFC SUDBURY

56 MINUTES

May jumps to make sure the ball doesn’t bounce over his head after James Simmonds’ heads on Cloke’s cross from deep.

GOAL: MAIDSTONE UNITED 1-1 ASHFORD TOWN (MIDDLSEX)

Ben Lewis levels for the Stones just three minutes into the second half.

52 MINUTES

Cloke sends a right-footed shot high over the bar from the edge of the penalty box after Wallis’ free-kick was hooked on by Pouton, who then mis-kicked the ball which gave Cloke a sight on goal.

49 MINUTES

The Dover faithful try to raise the spirits of their nervous looking team as the second half gets underway.

HALF TIME: CRAY WANDERERS 2-0 HORSHAM YMCA

Cray Wanderers, with the best form in Kent, are 2-0 up at half-time, courtesy of goals from George Fenwick (3 minutes) and Jamie Kempster (41).

HALF TIME: MAIDSTONE UNITED 0-1 ASHFORD TOWN (MIDDLESEX)

According to Paul Parkinson, Maidstone United are dominating but are punished by a defensive mistake as Ricky Wellard’s tenth minute goal separates the two sides.

HALF TIME: POTTERS BAR TOWN 1-0 DARTFORD

George Wakeling, the joint-manager of Tooting & Mitcham United, is here at Crabble. His side could only draw 1-1 at Walton Casuals last night, meaning victory for Dover Athletic today will secure the Kent giants the title today.

HALF TIME: DOVER ATHLETIC 0-0 BURGESS HILL TOWN

44 MINUTES

James Rogers’ shot at the far postis beaten out by May as Dover apply pressure towards the end of the first half. Nervous Crabble, meanwhile, is silent.

38:01

Collin’s hook shot agonisingly bounces on top of the bar and out for a goal-kick as Wallis’ free-kick causes problems in the Hillians’ penalty area.

33:50

Dryden is denied by a stunning point-blank save from May after the former Folkestone Invicta striker cracked a right-footed volley from James Rogers’ cross from the left.

32:30

Crabble is nervous, except from the fans behind May’s goal, and Hill’s giant central dendender Danny Gainsford glances Stuart Tuck’s free-kick from the left just past the near post.

27:19

A flying save from Whitehouse, tipping Watts’ right-footed angled shot from 30-yards, prevents the west Sussex side taking the lead.

26:20

Wallis’ right-footed shot sails high over the Burgess Hill crossbar from 15-yards after Pouton played in Collin down the right and Collin cut the ball back to Wallis in the middle, only to waste the good chance.

25:35

Burgess Hill’s best chance arrives when Harper got in behind the Dover defence and was thwarted by Whitehouse who advanced off his line to block the shot from the edge of the box.

24:40

Collin drives a shot into the side netting from an acute angle, although keeper May has his near post covered.

24:02

Shaheen Sadough scoops the ball over Whitehouse’s crossbar following Harper’s flick on.

21 MINUTES

Watts’ handball gives Dover a free-kick from 28-yards just on the left of the D. Dryden runs over the ball for Jon Wallis to touch to Collin, whose right-footed driven shot takes a deflection past the left post, although referee Mr David Buck awards the Hillians a goal-kick.

16:40

With home fans in full voice, a half chance goes begins as Jimmy Dryden’s glancing header just evades Frannie Collin sliding in.

GOAL: MAIDSTONE UNITED 0-1 ASHFORD TOWN (MIDDLESEX)

The Middlesex side are 1-0 up - totally against the run of play - through Ricky Wellard’s tenth minute goal.

11:14

Another shot reigns in on Whitehouse’s goal as Lloyd Cotton wins the ball of Alan Pouton before unleashing a right-footed drive, which sails over from 30-yards.

10:45

Home grown Dover defender Craig Cloke glances a header straight at May when he should have started the promotion winning party.

7:47

A shot from Neil Watts drops just past Whitehouse’s far post.

5:10 HARPER ISSUES WARNING

The Hillians’ first chance arrives just after five minutes through former Welling United and Tonbridge Angels striker Steve Harper.

The tall striker, wearing the number seven shirt, sent his shot from the right-hand side onto the roof of the net at the far-post as fans thought the ball had dropped into the top far-corner of John Whitehouse’s net.

TWO EARLY CHANCES FOR DOVER

Dover Athletic called Burgess Hill Town goalkeeper Chris May into action inside the opening three minutes as he advances off his line to block Frannie Collin’s shot from eight-yards on the angle.

Then Alan Pouton’s left-footed drive flies over May’s crossbar from 25-yards.

KICK OFF

Dover Athletic’s public address announce urges both fans to make as much noise as possible for their sides as the Kent side get the game underway.

TEAM NEWS: MAIDSTONE UNITED v ASHFORD TOWN (MIDDLESEX)

Paul Parkinson will be keeping us posted with today’s Ryman Premier League game at Bourne Park today.

Maidstone United’s line-up is: Steve Northwood, Nathan Paul, Craig Roser, Ben Lewis, Lee Shearer,Aaron Lacy, Ian Selley, Mark Saunders, Mo Takaloo, Jacob Erskine, Alex Tiesse.
Subs: Marc Cleary, Sam Tydeman, James Peacock, Conor Hagan, Pat Mullin.

TEAM NEWS

Andy Hessenthaler makes three changes to the side that lost 1-0 at Worthing seven days ago - only their third league defeat.

Sam Gore, Matt Bourne and Shaun Welford are replaced by James Rogers, Alan Pouton and James Simmonds.

Dover lad Craig Cloke is therefore expected to drop back to the heart of the Whites defence.

14:30

A crowd of over 1,200 is expected at Crabble today.

14:05

Dover Athletic players begin their warm-up, knowing a win will seal the Ryman League Division One South title.

KEEP US INFORMED!

Clubs can text us when goals are scored in their games by texting us on 07979 418 360.

VISUAL HIGHLIGHTS

Dave Shirley will bring you video highlights of today’s game on his website www.dafctv.co.uk.

WHAT A RECORD!

Dover Athletic have played a total of 55 games this season, including pre-season friendlies and the only sides to beat them are Gillingham, Eastbourne Borough and East Thurrock in warm-up matches, Chatham Town (twice) and Worthing in the league and Hythe Town (FA Cup); Eastbourne Town (Ryman League Cup); Sutton United (FA Trophy) and Dartford (Kent Senior Cup).

FANS PUMPED UP

Dover Athletic fans wake up this morning knowing their heroes can clinch promotion into the Ryman Premier League with victory over in-form Burgess Hill Town today. Messages of “let’s do it today boys,” appear on the temporary fans’ forum at on http://www.phpbber.com/phpbb/index.php?mforum=doverafc

TOMMY SAMPSON’S BENEFIT NIGHT

The Green Lion Pub, High Street, Rainham is the venue for Tommy Sampson’s benefit night. Tickets for the fundraiser for the former Tonbridge, Herne Bay, Deal Town, Ashford Town and Dartford manager who suffered a stroke last December cost £10 and the event kick’s off at 10pm. Plenty of Kentish football personalities will be there. The event has been organised mainly by Marc Seager and Simon Halsey (Whitstable Town), Keith McMahon (Thamesmead Town) and former VCD Athletic boss Martin Ford. Halsey, meanwhile, is the landlord of The Green Lion.

WE WANT YOUR VIEWS ON DOVER’S DAY OF DESTINY

Fans can either text or email their feelings on today’s title celebrating day. You can either text us during the match on 07979 418 360 or email before 12 noon on Sunday. Please include your name and your message. Texts are charged at your normal rate and to send an email click on CONTACT US.

COVERAGE

Subject to internet connection and our server, it is hoped that this website will be bringing LIVE updates from Crabble.

You can also listen to Matt Gerrard, who is a Dover Athletic fan, on BBC Radio Kent at 96.7FM.

We shall bring you the reaction from Dover’s day of destiny during the course of the weekend.

Remember our live coverage is subject to internet connection and the server not going down as it did after Ramsgate’s midweek Ryman League Cup Final win over AFC Sudbury.

To sponsor this service please contact Stephen McCartney on 07979 418 360.

TOOTING HAND INITATIVE OVER TO THE HESS EXPRESS

Tooting & Mitcham United could only muster a 1-1 draw at Walton Casuals last night. Striker Paul Vines levelled with eighteen minutes remaining and now it’s time for Andy Hessenthaler’s men to finish off the job in front of a bumper Crabble crowd today.

With a passionate, but nervous, crowd urging the Whites on, the celebrations should start in earnest later this afternoon as the Kent club clinch promotion back into the Ryman Premier League after a three year absence.

This is the reason why the club brought in Andy Hessenthaler and Darren Hare to the club last summer.

Both Dover Athletic and Tooting & Mitcham United have suffered heart-break in the play-off’s in the past two seasons.

DOVER’S DAY OF DESTINY

Dover Athletic will win the Ryman League Division One South title - with a home victory over Burgess Hill Town today.

The Hillians, meanwhile, are eighth place in the table and can leapfrog over Sittingbourne - who got thumped 6-1 at Dulwich Hamlet last night - with a with today.

But the west Sussex club are capable of gate crashing the Whites’ party as they’re unbeaten in their last eight games, winning six of them.

WATCH THE FA CUP BEFORE THE WHITES

Dover Athletic are opening their turnstiles at 12 noon today to enable fans to watch the FA Cup semi-final on the big screen inside the Centre Spot. Portsmouth are favourites to beat West Bromwich Albion in the first Wembley semi-final of the weekend. Remember Barnsley meet Cardiff in the other Wembley semi-final on Sunday at 4pm.

Don’t forget that highlights of today’s Grand National will be screened again on BBC One at 23:40 tonight - so remain on the terraces for the game.

NEW FANS’ FORUM

Matthew Clements has set up a temporary fans’ forum as the usual one has gone down at present. Click on Matthew Clements has set up a temporary fans’ forum as the usual one has gone down at present. Click on http://www.phpbber.com/phpbb/index.php?mforum=doverafc

Dover Athletic: John Whitehouse, Matt Fish, James Rogers, Laurence Ball, Craig Cloke, John Keister, Jon Wallis, Alan Pouton (Andy Hessenthaler 63), James Dryden, Frannie Collin, James Simmonds (Marvin Hamilton 63).
Subs: Sam Gore, Matt Bourne, Dean Ruddy.

Goal: James Dryden 74

Burgess Hill Town: Chris May, Nick Fogden, Stuart Tuck, Dave Piper, Danny Gainsford, Tom Edmonds, Steve Harper, Lloyd Cotton (Kenny Hewitt 85), Shaheen Sadough (Phil Elkins 73), James Martin, Neil Watts.
Subs: Matt Piper, Colin Hunwick.

Attendance: 1,154
Referee: Mr David Buck (Istead Rise)
Assistants: Mr Rob Baker (Maidstone) & Mr Kevin Welsh (Maidstone)