We will take the game to them, promises Hessenthaler

Wednesday 28th April 2010

DOVER ATHLETIC boss Andy Hessenthaler promises his side will attack Woking from the very first whistle as he bids to overhaul a single goal deficit at Crabble on Saturday, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Kent club played their part in a pulsating Blue Square South semi-final play-off first leg at Woking last night, going down to a 2-1 defeat in front of 3,080 fans at Kingfield Stadium.

Kick-off was delayed fifteen minutes until 8 o’clock and Dover drew first blood when Olly Schulz met Nicky Southall’s third minute corner to thump a header into the back of the net.

But Woking responded and goals from Moses Ademola and substitute Matthew Wright in the first half may give the Surrey side the advantage - but Hessenthaler, who was speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk last night, insists the tie is well and truly up for grabs.

“Two-one is a good score for us,” he said. “We’ve got to take them back to our place and we’ve got every chance.

“If they play the same way that they played tonight, then we know we’ve got to defend better from that long ball, put pressure on the football a bit quicker to stop that delivery because they were very good at it.

“It’s still a very even game but we know what we’ve got to do. We’ll take the game to them. I thought when we passed it we caused them a few problems but at times we didn’t pass it well enough and that’s something we’ll be looking to do at our place, get the ball down and pass.”

This will be the third time that Hessenthaler has been involved in play-off’s and on each occasion Gillingham were away in the first leg.

The 44-year-old hopes history repeats itself.

He said: “I’ve been in this position before in play-off’s. I remember the Stoke game. We came back and won the game at home so let’s hope that’s a good omen for me.

“I’ve been in two play-off finals before and it’s only been a goal in it in the first leg so I hope it’ a good omen for myself and we can win the game on Saturday.”

Hessenathler calls on the passionate Crabble faithful to be that all important 12th man.

A total number of 413 fans made the pilgrimage to Woking last night and made the atmosphere electrifying and the Dover boss insists fans will play a big part in the second leg at Crabble.

“It will be a decent atmosphere whatever happens but it’s a good game,” he said. “They’re a good side, we’re a good side and it will be an interesting game.

An early goal on Saturday will raise the Crabble roof and bring scores back on level terms on aggregate - away goals do NOT count double in these play-off’s.

Hessenthaler who has guided the club to back-to-back Ryman League titles and second place in the Blue Square South said: “Where is the advantage? Woking have the advantage obviously because they’re winning the game 2-1 but we’ve got the advantage of a home tie now and there’s only one goal in it and if we can get a goal then who knows.

“We know what we’ve got to do now, to stop them hopefully because we didn’t do it well in the first half, but we had enough possession second half and we created a couple of decent chance.”

One player that Dover will have to stop showing his talents is winger Nicky Nicolau.

Hessenthaler said: “Nicky Nicolau, who I know quite well from Barnet, he’s got a great delivery and that’s one thing where we have to be careful at the weekend that we don’t give any silly fouls away.”

“We know what we’ve got to do. We’ve got to take the game to them and we’ll certainly will do and we’ve got to make sure we don’t let them game pass us by and just fall away and fall out of the play-off’s.

“I know my players are right up for it, you can hear them in the dressing room today and they’ll be ready for it.

“It will be exciting and the atmosphere will be good and we will definitely not sit back. We have to take the game to them.

“We’ve given ourselves a good chance, it’s only half-time but Woking are in front and we know what we’ve got to do. We’ve got to be positive and we have to take the game to them.

“They’re a good side, don’t get me wrong, they’ve just come out of the Conference National and we’ve just come up from the Ryman Premier so you have to put that into context and it just shows you how well we’ve done.”

Hessenthaler wants his side to score an early goal to put Woking on the back foot - in front of a partizan Crabble crowd.

“Next goal, if they get it leaves us with a mountain to climb,” he warned. “Mountains can be climbed but can we get to the top? That’s the key. We don’t want to give ourselves a mountain to climb. We want to start the game like we started tonight and who knows?

Extra time and even penalties may even decide who makes it through to the final, which is scheduled for Thursday 6th May - the date of the General Election!

“We always practice penalties but I don’t want it to go to that because it’s a cruel way to finish a game with two good sides trying to get promoted,” added Hessenthaler, who lost a cruel penalty shoot out to Manchester City in a Wembley play-off final whilst playing for Gillingham.

“If it happens, it happens. I’ve been through it, been on the end of it. Let’s hope it doesn’t happen again at the weekend.”

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

Dover Athletic v Woking

Blue Square South Play-Off Semi-Final Second Leg

Saturday 1st May 2010

Kick Off 3:00pm

At Crabble, Lewisham Road, River, Dover, Kent CT17 0JB