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Dover Athletic boss Andy Hessenthaler on Kevin Lokko's Crabble return with Farnborough, an injury update on player-assistant manager Mitch Brundle and Arjanit Krasniqi and their win over Slough Town

05:00, 19 October 2022

updated: 16:17, 19 October 2022

Former Dover skipper Kevin Lokko is preparing to return to Crabble with Farnborough but Whites manager Andy Hessenthaler hopes to catch him on an off day.

Whites, who beat Slough 3-0 last weekend, host Boro in National League South this Saturday before they complete a run of four successive home league fixtures against Concord next Tuesday night.

Dover Athletic's Luke Wanadio celebrates during their 3-0 win over Slough Town. Picture: Stuart Brock
Dover Athletic's Luke Wanadio celebrates during their 3-0 win over Slough Town. Picture: Stuart Brock

A four-game unbeaten run has seen Dover move up to 10th.

But they are now preparing to come up against a Farnborough team which hammered Biggleswade Town 7-0 on Saturday to progress to the FA Cup First Round and will visit League 2 Sutton.

“He was excellent for me,” Hessenthaler said. “He was a great lad, I have got a lot of respect for Kevin.

“I gave him the captaincy. He was a big part of us staying up [in the National League in 2018/19].

“It will be good seeing him but, hopefully, he has a bit of an off day!”

Dover Athletic's Luke Baptiste in the thick of the action. Picture: Stuart Brock
Dover Athletic's Luke Baptiste in the thick of the action. Picture: Stuart Brock

Lokko signed for Dover in 2018, making more than 50 appearances, before he left for Football League club Harrogate in the summer of 2020.

The Kent club's latest success saw frontman Chike Kandi score in the first half - his third goal in as many games - before Luke Wanadio and top scorer Alfie Pavey, with a penalty, were on target after the restart.

Hessenthaler reflected: “I thought we started pretty slowly, I’ve got to give Slough some credit.

“They didn’t deserve to go 1-0 down when they did, but we got the goal against the run of play and we made an adjustment at half-time.

“So, overall, on Saturday, we were not at our best but we got a clean sheet, three goals and three points so I can’t complain. In the end, we could have got four or five.

“It keeps that little unbeaten run going. It’s small steps but we are getting better.”

Having joined in the summer, ex-Dartford and Folkestone man Wanadio has already made quite an impact.

Hessenthaler said: “We play him as a number 10. I think he prefers to play wide and, second half on Saturday, we put him out wide.

“But he’s a player that can create. He can finish as well. I watch him in training and he scores.

“He has been one of our most consistent players this year.”

Dover defender Myles Judd on the ball. Picture: Stuart Brock
Dover defender Myles Judd on the ball. Picture: Stuart Brock

Whites are now only three points outside the play-offs and their boss is looking to maintain the momentum they have generated.

“We have got to continue that,” he said. “We cannot take our foot off the gas.

“It’s nice we have had a couple of home games and we have a couple more on Saturday and Tuesday. Farnborough will be a tough game. To score seven against anybody is a good achievement.

“We have got the fixtures up in the changing room and we want to keep ticking them off. But we cannot get too carried away with three wins out of four.

“But we have had a tough couple of years, so it’s nice to be winning games, and we want to continue that.”

Dover Athletic's George Wilkinson looks for options. Picture: Stuart Brock
Dover Athletic's George Wilkinson looks for options. Picture: Stuart Brock

Farnborough are 19th in the table, just two points outside the relegation zone.

But Hessenthaler said: “They are probably disappointed with how they’ve started the season but they will make it difficult for us.”

Dover’s manager also gave an injury update on versatile midfielder Arjanit Krasniqi and player-assistant manager Mitch Brundle, who has been sidelined with a knee injury.

“He will be fine, there's nothing major in that,” Hessenthaler said of Krasniqi.

“Brunds has a slight fracture to his tibia. He will be out for a few weeks.

Dover Athletic's Chike Kandi on the attack. Picture: Stuart Brock
Dover Athletic's Chike Kandi on the attack. Picture: Stuart Brock

“But I don’t think it will be a majorly long one.”

Captain Lee Martin also misses the Farnborough encounter as he serves a one-match ban.

Dover’s Academy have been drawn at home to Langley in the First Round of the FA Youth Cup.

The match will be played at Crabble on Tuesday, November 1, kick-off at 7.30pm.

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