We must focus on finishing in play-off places, says Dover stars

Craig Cloke is using the experience of last season’s play-off final heartbreak to make sure Dover Athletic are promoted via the end of season lottery this time around, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Defender was part of the Whites team that lost 3-2 at their Kentish rivals Tonbridge Angels in a thrilling play-off final in front of over 1,800 fans at the Betterview Longmead Stadium last May.

And with leaders Maidstone United picking up four points during the past seven days, the Stones are now eleven points clear of a Dover Athletic side in fifth place and occupying the final play-off berth - two points clear of Tooting & Mitcham United who have three games in hand.

Dover lad Cloke knows the Whites must pick up points in their remaining nine Ryman League Division One South games as Tooting & Mitcham United, Fleet Town and Horsham YMCA want to grab a place in the play-off’s themselves and all have games in hand over Dover and Dartford.

“I’m still young and learning the trade and playing in last year’s final is going to be good for me to get another one and I’ll have the experience to hopefully win and get promoted,” Cloke told www.kentishfootball.co.uk after last week’s 1-1 draw with Tooting & Mitcham United.

“We need to up our game a lot and start getting some three points because I think we’ve only had three points for the past four games now.”

Dover Athletic travel to Walton Casuals on Saturday, a side that stunned the Crabble faithful in December with a 2-0 win.

And winger Byron Walker insists the Surrey side will not roll over and die at Franklyn Road.

“You can never asses a team by where they are in the league,” he said.

“Normally the teams at the bottom of the league put in really good performances because they really want to stay up.

“You can never judge a team before they come (to play you). Never judge a book by its cover I’ve been told.”

And the former Chatham Town winger, 20, insists concentration is the key during these high pressure games at the business end of the season.

He said: “You’ve got to take every game as it comes. If we look too far ahead you lose concentration what your actual aim is.

“I’d love to win every single game but sometimes that’s the case, sometimes its not the case.”