Whites pitch-in to get their home games played

Dover Athletic have this week invested in hiring a verti-draining machine to ensure Crabble does not get hit by any further postponements, writes Justin Allen.

Chairman Jim Parmenter and the board gave groundsman Dick Peters the go-ahead to hire the machine, which provides state-of-the-art technology to improve the quality of the pitch.

Tuesday's Westview Cup semi-final clash with Cray Wanderers was Dover Athletic's first major home postponement of the season - and the club are determined not to get hit by heavy fixture pile-ups which will face many of our promotion rivals as we enter the run-in.

Mr Parmenter told www.doverathletic.com  : "We don't want to let the fixtures pile up and have invested several hundred pounds to hire a verti-draining machine, which should clear the pitch of excess water and ensure that the Tooting game will go-ahead on Saturday.

"In fact, we're hopeful that by verti-draining our pitch, all remaining home matches will not be called off - and by doing this we are protecting our playing surface from further damage."

English professional football clubs are encouraged to use verti-draining on their pitches, as part of the FA's ground-grading system.

Poor drainage is one of the major factors limiting the use of sports turf facilities in the UK today. Most soil, particularly in winter, has great difficulty in transmitting excess water away from the surface to retain an acceptable playing surface.

This problem combined with the effect that play has on soil compaction, produces a rapid deterioration of the playing surface, and often results in waterlogging and severe damage to the turf plant.

The damage caused by such conditions will, at best, mean games being called off on a regular basis during periods of rainfall. In the worst case scenario complete re-construction of the playing field is required.

But the club have acted to ensure this scenario does not happen - and that Clive Walker and his team will have yet another advantage as we enter the business end of the season.

Mr Parmenter said: "The plan is to keep the pitch in top shape until the end of the season. We're still sitting in a reasonably good position. Other clubs are having games called off and the fixtures are going to be piling up.

"Everyone has got to play each other. So many points still to play for. No-one here is giving up even on the top spot.

"In hindsight, last Saturday's reserve game should have been called off. Although the pitch was playable, the game just ended up damaging the pitch."

Verti-draining offers a quick, short-term solution for excess surface water, allowing it to penetrate through the topsoil layer into the ground or drains below.

It promotes healthy growth and short-term drainage benefits by relieving compaction from the surface and providing deep aeration in to the root zone.

Mr Parmenter and the board believe it is money well-spent - especially if it gives us an extra advantage of not having a heavy fixture schedule going up to the end of the season.

The Whites chairman would like to thank fans for listening to his recent appeals for calm, patience and to trust the board in taking the club forward.

He said: "I'm so pleased to hear more talk from supporters of getting behind Clive and the team until the end of the season.

"The fans are rallying around. The reality is now getting through to people. People realise that stability is the base for success.

"We’re keeping our heads during tough times and success will eventually come. I am delighted that the majority of people can see this.

"There is a difference between ambition, desire and reality.

"We've no divine right to win this league or get promoted - and it's going to take a lot of time and effort. We've got to pull together to make it happen. If we can do this, we'll eventually reach our goals

"The financial side of things are on schedule. The club's running costs are being met and the overdraft is being reduced.

"We just need to keep crowd figures up until the end of the season, and that will ensure we can invest more funds in hopefully helping to make next season more successful.”

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

www.kentishfootball.co.uk have chosen this game as our main match.

Dover Athletic v Tooting & Mitcham United
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 10^th March 2007
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Crabble Athletic Ground, Lewisham Road, River, Dover, Kent CT17 0PA