We've got to do whatever it takes to win the tie, says Dover Athletic boss Chris Kinnear

DOVER ATHLETIC boss Chris Kinnear says he wants his side to do whatever it takes to win promotion in their winner-takes-all play-off final on Sunday afternoon.

Kinnear takes his side to Salisbury City, with the prize a return to the top flight of non-league football for the first time in 11 years at stake.

Salisbury City were runners-up to promoted champions Welling United and got past Chelmsford City to earn a home tie against Dover Athletic, who got through by winning a penalty shoot-out at Crabble last weekend.

Dover Athletic came back from Hampshire with a 3-1 lead from the first leg, but the full-time outfit fought back and won 2-0 at Crabble to force a penalty shoot-out, which Dover Athletic won 4-2.

“Something to look forward to,” said Kinnear ahead of their trip to Wiltshire.

“To be fair Jake (Leberl) and I only came in at the beginning of January so we’ve really gone from there, which has been great really.

“If you count the semi-final as one game, we’ve only lost one game in 20 games so we’re looking very positive and confident.”

Reflecting on their dramatic penalty-shoot-out win over Eastleigh, Kinnear said: “They were brave and came back.  We could have gone there just to defend and then at home they’ve had nothing to lose and they can just throw things at us, which we said was going to happen before the game.

“You didn’t have to be Alex Ferguson to work that one out!

“But the lads showed great character and looked stronger, I thought, in extra-time and the penalties – there was only one side in it!

“We saw the lads’ strength of character.  Eastleigh did look a little bit nervous.  I said to the lads’ you’ve just got to try and do whatever it takes to win the game.

“They’re all young lads, so it’s all new experiences for them.

“Whatever it takes, whether it’s winning away from home or winning in extra-time or penalties, it doesn’t really matter, you’ve just got to win the tie.

When asked whether he would prefer being away from home for the final, Kinnear said; “Obviously we’ve been there. We went there and I hadn’t been at the club very long and at half-time the game got abandoned because it was totally waterlogged at 0-0. It probably shouldn’t have started.

“We played them about a month ago and we were 1-0 up for a long while in the game and they scored in the 89^th, 90^th minute, actually probably the 92^nd minute.

“We’re not frightened of them. They were a top of the table side for a long, long time and they’re a good side.

“We’re not worried about them. It’s winner-takes-all and hopefully the best side - and that’s us - wins!

“In recent history Dover tend to have done better away from home. We’ve lost the one game since we’ve been there and that was at home. We went away and got a great result at Staines a couple of weeks ago, a result at Bromley, went to Eastleigh and won 3-1.

“We’re quite confident playing away from home, but in saying that they’re very good at home. They’re a good side.  We get on well with their manager and coaches so it’s a club we sort of emphasis with but at the end of the day both of us want to win.”

Kinnear wants to guide Dover Athletic back into the Conference Premier for the second time.

He said: “To be fair I was the last person to take them into the Conference and that was many, many years ago wasn’t it?

“They’ve been going a long time since I left and not been able to get themselves back in there when they fell out.

“The club’s run by a chairman and directors’ very professionally. We get great support. We’ve got the highest average attendance in the league. The club can sustain it if they go into the Conference. When we got promoted there before we got massive gates and one time we hit the top of the table.

“The club wants it. The supporters want it and the players want it, but at the end of the day we’ve got to win games.

“The hardest part was to get there really because there’s been plenty of ups and downs hasn’t there?  The club changed manager, which was nothing to do with Jake or myself. Jake and I were saying after the game on Saturday, at the beginning of the season we were going to get Margate promoted and that was the sole aim and all of a sudden the Dover job came out of the blue and we’re in the position of maybe getting Dover promoted.

“We’re not counting our chickens – it’s a strange game, isn’t it, football?

“We’ve got massive support coming with us, so hopefully it’s a happy ending. It’s been a great journey since we’ve been back.”

Before his trip to Salisbury, Kinnear will be watching his son Chris play for Corinthian against league champions Erith & Belvedere in the Macron Kent League Cup Final at Park View Road (12pm) on Saturday.

The Dover Athletic boss said: “Obviously I’ll be there watching. They’ve done very well Corinthian, they’re on a great run at the moment.  Erith & Belvedere are the top side in the Kent League – that will be a good one!

“The perfect scenario for me is we win, no I’m joking, both of us win. Hopefully he plays well and we win and Corinthian do well as well.

“It could be quite an interesting weekend, well it is an interesting weekend.”

Kinnear is very proud of what his midfielder son has achieved this season – not only helping Corinthian to reach a Cup final and at least a top five finish in the Kent League – without a playing budget!

“He’s captained England universities in Wales two months ago and they won 3-0 and then he played against Scotland up at Loughborough last month so he’s done very well.  He’s the first player from University of Kent to play for the Universities. It’s been quite a good season for both of us.”

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

Salisbury City  v  Dover Athletic
Blue Square Bet South Play-Off Final
Sunday 12^th May 2013
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Raymond McEnhill Stadium, Partridge Way, Old Sarum, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 6PU