PREVIEW: ALFRETON HOME

PREVIEW: ALFRETON HOME

*BS*Dover Athletic will be looking to secure their first win in four games on Saturday as they host an Alfreton Town side who have taken 10 points from a possible 12.*BF*

*Link1*, with Aaron Downes’ third goal of the season and an own goal from Connor Essam enough for the Gulls to win their sixth consecutive game.

Luton Town loanee Ricky Miller had Dover’s best chance with the game at 1-0. He rounded the keeper but put his effort over the crossbar.

Goalkeeper Mitch Walker missed his first league game for almost two years after an injury he picked up during Dover’s 2-1 defeat at Dartford. He will be on the sidelines for a suspected four weeks with a hand injury.

*Lpic1*Walker’s injury opens the door for new singing Andrew Rafferty, who is expected to keep his place in goal for Whites after making his debut against Torquay.

Ricky Modeste remains unavailable for at least another two weeks with an ankle injury he picked up against Eastleigh on August 23.

Midfielder Solomon Taiwo is hoping to be fit enough to make the squad on Saturday. He last featured on September 10 against Barnet.

Matthew Saunders made his debut coming off the bench during Dover’s defeat to Torquay. He will be looking to get more game time under his belt after moving from Whitehawk last week.

Left back Tom Wynter will be available for selection on Saturday after overcoming injury and availability issues. He has made six appearances so far this season for Whites.

Nicky Law’s Alfreton Town (also known as the Reds) currently sit 18th in the Vanarama Conference, and despite losing their first seven games, they have won their last three against Southport, Telford and Nuneaton.

Law was suspended from the dugout for the first six matches of the season due to an incident last campaign. Since his return, the Reds have only lost one game, which was against Barnet finishing 2-1.

Summer signing Nathan Hicks will miss the game with a shoulder injury he picked up at the begining of this month against Altrincham.

Experienced defender Duane Courtney, 29, has had a toe injury but may be back in time to face Dover. He last featured on August 25 during the 7-0 humiliation to Grimsby Town.

Last week, the Reds extended the loan deal of Sheffield United striker Joe Ironside for a further two months.

Ironside is Alfreton’s top scorer so far this campaign with four goals to his name, including three goals in his last four games.

*Lpic2*Young goalkeeper Cameron Dawson, 19, will be staying with Alfreton a further two months after his loan deal was extended from Sheffield Wednesday.

Dawson has played eight games for the Reds so far this season and has kept two clean sheets. He is expected to start in goal for the visitors to Crabble on Saturday.

Left sided midfielder David Mellor is on a one month loan deal from League one side Oldham Athletic and is due to keep his place in the starting XI. He is a former Manchester United youth team player and has made 46 appearances for Oldham, scoring once on his debut.

Mellor scored the only goal of the game in their most recent win against Nuneaton Town during his second appearance for the club.

Only bottom placed AFC Telford United have conceded more goals than the Reds so far this season. Telford have shipped 30 goals while Alfreton have let in 25.

The Derbyshire club were on the wrong end of the heaviest defeat in the Vanarama Conference to date, which was a 7-0 drubbing against Grimsby town at the end of August.

Last seasons top scorer John Akinde, 24, netted 18 times for the Reds last season, but he moved to Barnet on a two-year deal during the summer.

Alfreton achieved promotion in the 2010-2011 Conference north finishing as champions. They have been ever present in the Conference Premier since.

Last season, the Reds finished in eleventh position, 10 points behind a play-off position.

A win for Dover at the weekend will move Whites onto 10 points, and will see Kinnear’s men out of the relegation zone and onto the same amount of points as Alfreton.

This fixture will be the first time the two clubs have ever met. Whites travel to the Impact Arena on Saturday 15 November.

The match will not be segregated.

The club will be hoping to see lots of supporters turn out for the match on Saturday, but those who cannot make it to Crabble, please follow *Link2* on twitter for regular updates during the game.

*BS*OTHER VANARAMA CONFERENCE PREMIER FIXTURES:*BF*

*BS**IS*Saturday 27th September*IF**BF*

Altrincham v Welling
Braintree v Halifax
Forest Green v Barnet
Gateshead v Aldershot
Grimsby v Chester
Lincoln City v Macclesfield
Nuneaton v Dartford
Southport v Bristol Rovers
Telford v Torquay
Woking v Kidderminster
Wrexham v Eastleigh