Dover Athletic face Hemel Hempstead at Crabble Athletic Ground, Dover, Kent on Saturday, Dec 5 at 4:00 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). Hemel Hempstead travel struggling badly (1W 3L in last 5), which may hand the initiative to the hosts.

Head-to-head records offer little separation — Dover Athletic and Hemel Hempstead have split their 6 meetings almost evenly (2W–3D–1W). Their last encounter ended in Hemel Hempstead won 1–2.

Verdict: Little separates these two on form or history. Home advantage could be the deciding factor — a narrow Dover Athletic win or a draw looks most likely.