Ashford Town (Middlesex) will take a small but vocal following with them for the long trip to Dover Athletic.  The match is undoubtedly the "Match of The Day" in the Ryman League, pitting as it does the "Davids" of Ashford - the highest placed side in the country to still have a 100% record - with the "Goliaths" of Dover who have invested heavily both on and off the pitch and lie just three points behind Ashford in the table.

The match will undoubtedly attract a crowd well into four figures to Crabble, but Ashford's squad will be travelling in confident mood, as boss Mark Butler confirmed when speaking to the Official Website after training on Thursday. 

We started by asking Mark whether he had thought he might take his side to Kent at the top of the table:  "I thought we could have a good start, we organised our pre-season correctly to peak at the right time.  I remember saying that after the defeats against Bromley and Fleet.  I think we got our pre-season right and we've approached every game really, really well.  We've deserved to win them all.  I feel that even in the games that have been quite close recently, we've taken the initiative and gone in front." 

Mark's positive mood continued as he pondered the next challenge.  "I'm pleased with the start and everyone knows that - it's been well documented with lots of press coverage.  We've got a big game against Dover.  It would have been a big game if we'd gone there in eighteenth or twentieth, never mind first.  They're a big football club, probably not as high in the Pyramid as the club and the support could be.  But they find themselves in our league and it's our job to give them a tough game and we will.  Of course we'll respect them but we'll be going there having won six out of six and if you can't be confident then, you never will be."

Mark was in bullish mood after the hard-earned win over Heybridge:  "The Heybridge result was excellent.  Not only did we have to travel on a Tuesday night, there was the "curse of the Manager of the Month" and they had a new manager.  Those are all things that have been known to be side issues but perhaps more importantly we didn't have Scott Harris or Warren Harris available so we had some team changes and we handled them quite well.  I think if we'd managed to get the second goal we might have gone on to get a few more.  It's a great result.  I don't care what anybody says, to go to Heybridge on a Tuesday night from where we are in terms of the journey and nick three points - I'm delighted with that."

Mark confirmed that he has no injury concerns ahead of the trip to Crabble.  "It's a full squad, with only Adam Logie suspended.  I've got some quite interesting decisions to make, but everybody's keen and eager and raring to go.  I've got to ponder things tonight.  I pretty much know what I'm going to do, but I always sleep on it on a Thursday night then give one last call to Rory on a Friday morning while we're both at work.  We'll do the fine tuning but then the messages will go out and we'll be ready for Dover."

A coach is travelling to the game and supporters are welcome to travel on it.  Departure time is 10.45am and the cost is £10 Adults, £5 Committee Members and OAPs, Children travel free.  A guide to Dover Athletic, including directions for anyone travelling independently is here.  

If you can't make it to the First Team game, the Reserves would appreciate your support as they take on Metropolitan Police at Short Lane Stadium.  The Boys in Blue defeated Ashford three times last season, including a heartbreaking late goal to steal the Surrey Premier Cup.

Glynn Stephens is unavailable for the match, so Youth Team Manager Mick Snowden steps in and can be expected to field a young side, as usual.  Kick Off is 3.00pm and, as usual, Season Ticket holders will be admitted free of charge.