Dover Athletic v Hampton & Richmond

AFTER just one win in their last six games Dover Athletic should be dead and buried by now.

But the faltering form of the sides above them in the Ryman League Premier Divison relegation dogfight means they still have an outside chance of staying up.

Whites face play-off contenders Hampton and Richmond at the Hoverspeed Stadium on Saturday. All Dover's games recently have been must win, and this is no exception. In fact, nothing but a win will do.

Saturday’s 1-1 draw at fourth-placed Braintree leaves Clive Walker’s men needing to win each of their last four matches to have a realistic chance of avoiding relegation, but the situation has now deteriorated to the point where Dover are depending on others’ results to go their way as well.

Bottom side Kingstonian’s demotion was mathematically confirmed on Saturday, while Folkestone’s 1-0 win over Harrow leaves them on 45 points and virtually safe.

Draws for Tonbridge and Cheshunt left Whites still six points from safety and praying that neither Cheshunt nor Harrow win more than one of their last four games.

Walker said: "It’s amazing we’re still in there. Other teams are on a bad run and it’s hard to get out of it. It’s the same when you’re winning sometimes, you can’t stop winning. Fate will take a hand. It won’t be easy on Saturday as Hampton & Richmond are a hard side."

Assistant player-manager Paul Hyde said: "The pressure is on everyone now. I believe that if we get results, other results will go for us. We have now got some belief back."

Managed by former West Ham United player Alan Devonshire, the Beavers are on good run and won 1-0 at Slough on Saturday.

While they are strong at home, their away form should give Whites encouragement as they have lost nine times in 19 outings on the road.

With no significant injuries incurred at Braintree, Walker will finally have a full squad to choose from. Striker Victor Renner and defender Craig Cloke both return from suspension, and Dean Readings’ two match ban runs from Monday so he is available for Saturday.

If Whites can keep themselves afloat by beating the Beavers, the following Saturday’s trip to Tonbridge promises to be a really desperate scrap, which will surely send the losers down. Folkestone can, meanwhile, do Whites a huge favour by taking three points from their trip to Cheshunt on Saturday.

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