We are all desperate to do well, says Dover Athletic boss Chris Kinnear

DOVER ATHLETIC manager Chris Kinnear says he was satisfied with his team’s efforts after battling to a 2-0 victory over Maidenhead United last night.

The Whites are in eighth-place in the Skrill South table with 37 points from 24 games, three points adrift of fifth-placed Sutton United.

Second half goals from Jeff Goulding – his seventh in four games – and a first from left-back Tom Wynter ensured Kinnear was a happy man afterwards.

“I thought we played better in the games where we dropped points and should have won,” Kinnear told www.doverathletic.com.  

“We looked nervous at the start, but the lads are under pressure and myself, Jake (Leberl) have been a little bit uptight as we are all desperate to do well.

“It was very, very important that we won and nice to keep a clean sheet as well. It was not long ago they only lost to Grimsby 2-1 in the Trophy.  They play open football and make it difficult. I thought we were super organised.”

Kinnear added: “There was only going to be one winner. We could have had a hatful again. It was a good home win and hopefully it is the start of many more.”

Kinnear was full of praise for in-form striker Jeff Goulding and a real collector’s item from Wynter from a free-kick sealed the victory.

“We have a lad who is popping goals in and we have him here for next season,” revealed Kinnear.

“He is scoring a goal a game at the minute and we were talking to him for a long time. I am surprised Chelmsford let him go. Though we are always looking to strengthen, the squad is shaping up nicely.”

Discussing Wynter’s first goal for the club, Kinnear added: “I am really pleased for Tom, as for the last few weeks he has been really focused.

“We had a chat about next season and where we are looking to go and it seemed to put his mind at rest.

“He’s 23 and with all the young lads, we want them to stay and move up with us so we can build a team and I can’t see any of the young lads wanting to leave at the moment.”

Kinnear paid tribute to the club’s groundstaff to ensure that last night’s game went ahead.

“I thought that there would be no way the game would be on but the pitch was great,” he said.

“Everyone helped clear the surface water and though it was a bit heavy, it was nice and firm and well worth getting the game on.”

Fourth-placed Bath City – who have won their last three games - are the visitors to Crabble on Saturday and Kinnear revealed chairman Jim Parmenter watched Bath’s 3-1 win over struggling Whitehawk last weekend.

Kinnear said: “The chairman was in Bath with his wife on Saturday and offered to watch them so I asked him to write a report. He scanned it over and it was decent to be fair.  It was really nice of him to do that but we have known each other a long time and I always ask him for his opinion. If we win 4-0 though, Jim will say it was down to him!”

Visit Dover Athletic’s website: www.doverathletic.com

Dover Athletic  v  Bath City
Skrill South
Saturday 15^th February 2014
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Crabble, Lewisham Road, River, Dover, Kent CT17 0JB