Dover Athletic v Ramsgate

RAMSGATE visit Crabble on Boxing Day in an important game for both sides’ promotion chances.

And to add some festive spice to the occasion, new signing Jimmy Dryden is set to make his home debut for Dover.

The biggest gate in Ryman League Division 1 this season is expected to watch the clash, more than the 1,248 who saw Whites entertain Tonbridge in October.

Dover have slipped off the pace after a string of postponements and poor results, but Tuesday's 2-0 win at Whyteleafe has put them back on track.

Ramsgate, in contrast, come into Monday’s game in prime form on the back of three wins by a three-goal margin. The Thanet side have made a good start to the season after winning promotion from the Kent League last term and are in fourth place.

Dover chairman Jim Parmenter said: "It’s a massive game for the town and for the club. I’m sure there will be a lot of people there, there always are on Boxing Day. But it’s probably one of our most important Christmas fixtures for a long time.

"I’m calling on everybody to get behind the team and get to the game because you know what a difference a big Dover crowd can make; the more intimidating the better as far I’m concerned."

Ramsgate boss Jim Ward told the club's official website: "If you’d told me two years ago that Ramsgate would be going down to Crabble on Boxing Day, nobody would have believed you - they would have put you in the looney bin."

For Dover, long-term injury victims Craig Cloke and Daniel Braithwaite are close to a return but the festive games have come too soon. The visit to Dulwich Hamlet on January 7 is a more realistic target for the pair.

Festive fixtures and results