DOVER Athletic will hope to make the most of the first of their two matches against the bottom clubs in the Dr Martens League Premier Division when they take on second-from-bottom Chelmsford at the Hoverspeed stadium tonight (kick off 7.45pm).

Whites, who defeated Hednesford 2-1 at home last Saturday, are away to bottom club Moor Green this weekend.

In Saturday's match Dover battled their way to a valuable three points against a physical Hednesford side.

Whites were on top for the best part of the first half, but just couldn't find their touch in front of goal. Chances came and were missed, and it seemed that Town 'keeper Ryan Young had all the luck going.

Matt Carruthers, twice, and Lee Spiller were unlucky not to score as the Hednesford goal seemed to have a charmed life. The visitors took the lead against the run of play on the half hour when Craig Cloke's clearing header fell to Steve Palmer and he curled in a shot from 20 yards which went into the top corner of the goal.

It seemed only a matter of time before the equaliser came, and four minutes into the second half Craig Wilkins headed his tenth goal of the season, meeting Matt Carruthers's corner at the far post.

Whites continued to dominate the match, with Hednesford only having the odd counter-attack. Jamie Day and Simon Glover came on for Dover, replacing the limping Lee Spiller, the target of many of Hednesford's foul tackles, and Tommy Tyne. Glover crossed from the left with 17 minutes left, and Young failed to hold Wilkins's header, and Carruthers put Dover in front from a narrow angle.

Dover could well have increased their lead, but had to be content with a 2-1 win.

Hednesford finished the match with only ten men, as the experienced Steve Anthrobus was sent off with a quarter of an hour left, following two bookings.

He was lucky to escape the referee's notebook in the first half, following a late clattering of Dean Readings and kicking Lee Spiller as he lay on the ground, but in the second half he was booked for another late 'challenge' on Readings, and also for a bad foul on Paul Hyde.

Town had a further four players cautioned, and Dover's Dean Readings also went into the ref's notebook for handball.

Dover: Paul Hyde, Tony Browne, Kenny Dyer, Dean Readings, Craig Cloke, Danny Chapman, James Rogers, Lee Spiller(Sub: Simon Glover 71 min.), Craig Wilkins, Tommy Tyne(Sub: Jamie Day 65 min.), Matt Carruthers. Subs. not used: Nicky Dent, Darren Davies, Simon Postma.