Given their woes in the League 1, the last thing Southend United probably need is a trip to a non-league ground in the first round of the FA Cup to take on a side who are more than capable at National League level and will fancy their chances of an upset.
FA Cup Betting at Bet365
Dover Athletic Form and Team News
Dover currently sit mid-table in the National League and recent results echo their position as they’ve won two, drawn two and lost two of their last six matches.
Manager Andy Hessenthaler is in his second spell at Dover – he has also managed Gillingham, Leyton Orient and Eastleigh. But he will need to use all of his experience to mastermind a victory over league opposition at the Crabble. The Whites had no less than seven players out injured for last Saturday’s goalless National League draw at AFC Fylde and Hessenthaler does not expect the situation to improve greatly ahead of the visit of Southend.
Ricky Modeste and Nassim L’Ghoul are the pair most likely to figure against the Shrimpers but the home side will still have an unfamiliar look about it. Midfielder Jai Reason misses the tie through suspension after picking up his fifth booking at Fylde but new loan signing, teenager Ruel Sotiriou, has been cleared to play by his parent club Leyton Orient. However, Dover have won just once at home since August.
Southend United Form and Team News
It’s understandable that Shrimpers’s fans will be nervous ahead of this FA Cup tie.
Many have already accepted than relegation at the end of the season is inevitable. Their team has financial problems and have amassed just five points from 17 matches so far in League 1, winning just once. They have conceded 15 goals in their last four matches. Performances have improved since the appointment of Sol Campbell as manager but results haven’t. They are already eight points from safety and have played at least one game more than the teams above them.
As a former international defender, Campbell will quickly have identified their defensive shortcomings but is powerless to do much about it until January and it may be too late by then.
The FA Cup could prove a nice distraction for the Blues but an early exit would further deepen the gloom around Roots Hall. Southend have not won any of their last nine matches in all competitions. They have already leaked 50 goals since the start of the season, including seven in one match, but will take some heart from the recent form of forward Brandon Goodship and the fact that they have found the net in six of their last seven games. They did win at League 2 Stevenage in the Carabao Cup at the start of the season but also have lost at Leyton Orient in the Leasing.com Trophy, though it’s never wise to take results in that competition at face value.
Dover Athletic vs Southend United Live Stats & Betting Odds
Dover Athletic vs Southend United Head-to-Heads
This is the first-ever competitive meeting between Dover and Southend.
Dover Athletic vs Southend United Current Best Odds
Dover Athletic 15/8, Draw 13/5, Southend United 7/5 (Odds correct at 5.15pm November 7)
Dover Athletic vs Southend United Predictions
This match will be at the top of the list for those wanting to see a giant-killing. But there are grounds for thinking that the full-time professionals of Southend will prevail without need of a replay.
The Shrimpers can be backed at a general 7/5 to win in 90 minutes. They have a couple of decent strikers in Simon Cox and Tom Hopper and they should enjoy themselves against Dover’s inexperienced back line. Dover have drawn a blank in three of their last four matches and Southend can also shut them out at a best 9/2.
