Dover Athletic v Folkestone Invicta

DOVER Athletic chairman Jim Parmenter believes that Easter Monday’s local derby with Folkestone Invicta at the Hoverspeed Stadium is one of the "biggest games in the club’s history".

When Parmenter and his new board took over cash-strapped Whites in mid-January the club seemed cast-iron certainties for relegation from the Ryman League Premier Division.

But the appointment of Clive Walker as manager, following Steve Browne’s dismissal, has led to a dramatic improvement in Whites’ form, and victory over Folkestone would further enhance their chances of pulling off an unlikely escape act.

Mr Parmenter said: "The team have done fantastically well under Clive and this could be the biggest comeback since Lazarus. We have added a couple of quality players for the final run-in and we think we can do it."

* Tune into kmfm in Shepway and Whitecliffs Country on Monday to hear regular live updates from the match with Simon Watts.

The 2-1 victory over Cheshunt, which dragged the Hertfordshire side into the relegation dogfight, gave Whites a real lifeline ahead of the Folkestone clash.

Daniel Braitewaite, scorer of Whites’ second goal against Cheshunt, hopes Dover can avenge the 1-0 defeat they suffered at Cheriton Road over Christmas and urged the fans to get behind the side for the vital six-pointer.

He said: "I know how bad the fans felt after we lost to them and they make everything worthwhile cheering us on. It would be great to get a result and I am hoping that we can stay on this run and stay up."

Skipper Craig Cloke is having to come to terms with missing the derby match due to suspension.

He said: "Being the skipper of the side it will hurt not to be involved against Invicta and I will be kicking every ball from the dug out, but the spirit in the camp has never been higher and we are confident that we will soon be out of the relegation zone."

Midfielder Anthony Hogg, who knows Folkestone better than anyone after playing nearly 100 games for the Cheriton Road side before being surprisingly released on the eve of the season, is also relishing the derby clash.

He said: "I have a number of friends at the club and I expect some banter will go on in the lead up to the game.Our confidence is good and they must be anxiously looking over their shoulder at the run we are on.

"We will go into the game as favourites but anything can happen in a derby game which will be a typical blood thunder affair, with no prisoners taken in front of what should be a big crowd."