There's not many teams that can compete with us in this league, says Nicky Forster

DOVER ATHLETIC boss Nicky Forster says it is healthy to have more than one team challenging for the Blue Square Bet (Conference) South title.

The Whites’ came back from being 1-0 down at half-time to storm to a 4-2 win away to Hayes & Yeading United on Sunday afternoon.

The Crabble outfit leapfrogged over their Kent rivals Welling United into second place in the table, on 40 points from 20 games and are now only a couple of points behind long-term leaders, full-time outfit Salisbury City.

But Dover Athletic have played more games than the side’s in and around them in the title race and Forster said after his side’s impressive second half showing in the Woking rain yesterday that there is plenty to play for.

Forster said: “We’re where we want to be.  Salisbury were the early pace setters and ourselves and Welling are chasing them and pushing them hard but there’s other teams who can really close the gap.

“If Boreham Wood, Chelmsford and Farnborough win their games in hand, they are not far away as well so it’s certaily not the three of us, there’s others, there’s certainly other teams who will have a say in this.”

Forster says both his club and Salisbury City are looking over their shoulders.

He added: “It’s nice to see there’s a few other clubs chasing because you don’t want just a one-horse race.

“You only need the Chelmsford’s, Farnborough’s and Boreham Wood’s to win their games in hand and we’re looking over our shoulder as well so we’re not just looking above us, we’re also checking below us as well but there’s still a lot to play for.”

Yesterday’s win stretched Dover Athletic’s unbeaten run away from home in Blue Square Bet (Conference) South to an impressive 21 games.

Dover Athletic were last defeated on the road in Dartford on 3 December 2011 when Tony Burman’s side won the big Kent derby by three goals to one at Princes Park.

Dover Athletic are next in action on Saturday when midtable AFC Hornchurch visit, but it’s the double header with Tonbridge Angels that is capturing the imagination.

“I think all the games are tough,” said Forster.

“For one reason or another, I’ve not come across a game where the lads’ have thought it was easy.  You’ve got to roll your sleeves up and work hard, out work them.  You’ve got to win your individual battles.

“It’s a tough, physical league. We’re lucky to have a good squad, strength-in-depth and we’re going to need that because there’s a lot of games and the Christmas period is a key period.

The Whites travel to Longmead Stadium for a Boxing Day clash (Wednesday, 26 December, 3pm), before the two Kent sides face eachother at Crabble on New Years’ Day.

Forster said: “The derby games level themsevles out.  Both teams are really up for it, rather than one team a litlte bit flat. It’s a big game all off a sudden.

“Form goes out of the window a litlte bit but as I’ve said if these boys play like that as they did in the second half at Hayes & Yeading United there’s not many teams that can compete with them in this league.

“The challenge is to just keep pushing ourselves and getting oursleves up and make sure that we are performing to our maximum levels.”

Visit Dover Athletic’s website: www.doverathletic.com  

Dover Athletic  v  AFC Hornchurch
Blue Square Bet South
Saturday 22^nd December 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Crabble Athletic Ground, Lewisham Road, River, Dover, Kent CT17 0JB