Dover Athletic face Ebbsfleet United at Crabble Athletic Ground, Dover, Kent on Monday, Dec 28 at 8:45 PM in a basement battle that neither side can afford to lose. Both clubs are deep in the relegation picture in the National League – South, and defeat here could prove costly come the end of the season.

Dover Athletic come into this fixture out of form (1W 2L recently). Ebbsfleet United travel in mixed form (1W 0D 0L), which may hand the initiative to the hosts. Dover Athletic head into this on the back of a defeat, while Ebbsfleet United arrive off a win — momentum clearly with the visitors.

Despite playing at home, Dover Athletic face a side that has dominated this fixture historically. Ebbsfleet United have won 6 of 10 encounters, with 2 draws. Their last encounter ended in Dover Athletic won 0–4. These two tend to produce goals — averaging 3.0 per game in recent meetings.

Verdict: This looks an evenly matched contest. Home advantage gives Dover Athletic a slight edge, but Ebbsfleet United are capable of causing problems. A draw would be a fair result.