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PAST TIMES: Dover Athletic

Last updated : 10 July 2009 By Jaybee
On Saturday, the Bees travel to Dover to play in a pre-season friendly, the first this summer that will be open to the fans. Dover are, of course, managed by former Underhill favourite Andy Hessenthaler who played for the Bees between January 2006 and May 2007. He made 40 league appearances for Barnet scoring two goals. Barnet and Dover have met many times before. The first time was back in April 1966, when both sides were playing in the Southern League 1st Division. It was Barnet's first season in the Southern League after turning professional and they won the 1st Division, gaining promotion to the Premier Division at the end of that first season. The match at the Crabble ended goalless but a Les Eason goal was enough to give the Bees a 1-0 win at Underhill.

The following season, 1966/67, the two clubs met in the 3rd round of the Southern League Cup at Underhill and Barnet won 3-0 with goals from Eason, Don Whyte and Roger Figg. At the end of that season, Dover were promoted and league fixtures resumed in 1967/68. Barnet won 4-2 at Underhill with goals from Figg, Tony Turley and two from Gerry Ward. The match at Dover ended 1-1 with Figg scoring for the Bees.

In 1968/69, both matches were drawn, 1-1 at Dover, Figg scoring for Barnet and 2-2 at Underhill with goals from Figg and Billy Meadows. In 1969/70, the match at Dover ended goalless and Barnet won 1-0 at Underhill through Ward. In 1970/71, Eason and Lou Adams scored in a 2-0 Barnet win at Underhill, while the match at the Crabble ended in a 1-1 draw, Dickie Plume scoring. At the end of that season, Dover were relegated

The next time that the two clubs met was in January 1972, when they were drawn together in the 1st Round of the FA Trophy. Barnet won 6-0 at the Crabble with Adams getting a hat trick, Colin 'Paddy' Powell scoring twice and Eason once. Barnet went on to reach the final of the tournament that season, losing 3-0 to Stafford Rangers at Wembley.

By this time, Dover were back in the Premier Division and the game at Underhill ended in a 1-1 draw, Adams scoring for Barnet, while Dover beat Barnet for the first time in the return winning 1-0. In 1972/73, the match at Underhill ended goalless while Dover won the return 2-0. In 1973/74, the two matches took place within 15 days of each other and both ended in draws, 1-1 at Underhill, Plume scoring for Barnet and 2-2 at the Crabble with Barry Silkman and Dave Bibby scoring for the Bees. In 1974/75, Billy Holmes scored in a 1-1 draw at Dover, while the game at Underhill saw a rare victory for Barnet that season; Ricky George, Paul Blackaller, Holmes and Bibby scoring in a 4-0 win for Barnet but at the end of that season, the Bees were relegated.

It wasn't until 1977/78 that the two clubs met each other again following Barnet's promotion back to the Premier Division in 1977. Barnet did the double over Dover that season, winning 4-0 at the Crabble, Les Eason, in his second spell at Barnet, grabbing a hat trick and Jimmy Greaves scoring the other. Barnet won 3-1 at Underhill with two goals from John Fairbrother and one from Greaves.

In 1979, Barnet were elected to the newly formed Alliance Premier League and the next time that the two clubs met was in January 1989 when Dover were now Dover Athletic. Barnet won a 3rd Round Club Call match 5-1 at Underhill with goals from Nicky Ironton, Dave Sansom, Paul Shinners and two from Nicky Evans.

In 2001/02, the two clubs met in the Nationwide Conference following Barnet's relegation from the football league in 2001. Dover had been promoted to the Conference from the Southern League in 1993, two years after Barnet had won the Conference and promotion to the football league.

Barnet's first home match of the season was against Dover Athletic and the Bees won 2-0 with goals from Ben Strevens and Neil Midgley. In the return at the Crabble, the match ended 2-2 with Barnet's goals coming from an own goal and Frazer Toms. At the dnd of the season, Dover were relegated.

The last time the two clubs met was in January 2004 in the 3rd Round of the FA Trophy. Barnet won 3-2 at Underhill with two goals from Geoff Pitcher and one from Lee Roache, but were subsequently thrown out of the competition for fielding an ineligible player, Adam Campion who had already played for Aylesbury in the FA Trophy that season.