Danny Wright set to start as Hawks aim to improve on dismal record against Dover Athletic

The 37-year-old striker will benefit from the fact Jason Prior starts a three-game ban as a result of his straight red at Braintree last weekend.

Prior was dismissed in the 19th minute for retaliation after two home defenders had landed on him - a red card that Hawks boss Paul Doswell branded ‘soft’.

Wright, like Prior, was among the new faces at Westleigh Park this summer. So far, he has come off the bench in all three National League South games and, according to his manager, ‘has made a difference.’

His latest action was as a second half sub in Tuesday’s superb 2-1 win at a Dartford side who had won their opening two NLS fixtures.

It was Hawks’ first ever three points at Princes Park, while they aim to end another long winless run this weekend.

Hawks have not beaten Dover in their last 12 league or cup fixtures. That’s a run which includes two FA Trophy exits, the last in 2018/19 when Alfie Pavey scored Dover’s replay winner at Westleigh Park.

Pavey began that season as a Hawk and scored against Dover in an early-season National League game in Kent - a match the visitors lost 4-3 after leading 3-1.

By the time the FA Trophy came around in December, Pavey was a Dover player - and scored in both the 2-2 home draw and the replay.

Pavey subsequently moved onto Maidstone, but returned to Dover on loan last season, a move made permanent in the summer.

Dover endured one of the most torrid National League campaigns of any club in history in 2021/22. Starting the campaign on minus 12 points, after being found guilty of refusing to play due to a funding crisis the previous season, Athletic only picked up two wins in 44 games, losing 35 times.

They had to wait until late January for their first win, Pavey’s goal beating Eastleigh - and getting Spitfires boss Ben Strevens the sack shortly after.

Dover - who have only ever lost three of their 20 league and cup games against Hawks, though half have been drawn - have already picked up one win this term, beating Hungerford 1-0 - with Pavey again on target.

Dover had started the season with a 1-1 draw at newly-promoted Worthing, with a debut strike from Lee Martin.

The one-time Manchester United and Glasgow Rangers striker was a summer signing from NLS rivals Ebbsfleet.

Full back Josh Passley returns to the Hawks squad for this weekend’s Westleigh Park fixture after missing the win at Dartford for family reasons. He started on the bench at Braintree.