MANAGER Neville Southall insists that now is the time for everyone connected with Dover Athletic to get up and fight for Conference survival. With 15 games left and Whites bottom of the table, Southall’s side are clearly staring relegation full in the face.

But the Dover boss is refusing to countenance the possibility and is asking everyone connected with the club to get behind the team, starting with Saturday’s visit to Northwich and Monday’s home derby with Margate (7.45).

Southall’s short tenure in charge since taking command at Crabble just before Christmas has been somewhat disjointed, due to postponements and gaps in the fixture list. But it has enabled him to look at several players in hastily-arranged friendlies, and Southall feels the signings he has made will help to turn the club’s fortunes around.

He said: “I am quietly confident that we can do something in the next two games, and if we can get a good crowd against Margate that will obviously help our finances and perhaps enable me to bring one or two other new players in.”

Southall is still interested in Luton’s Jude Stirling and Graham Mathie of Bournemouth, who both played in a friendly at Gravesend last Saturday. But his immediate focus is on the Northwich trip.