Boss Andy Hessenthaler is demanding more from his team ahead of a big midweek challenge.

Defeats at Deal Town and Margate in the last two pre-season games have left Hessenthaler with much to think about in terms of team shape and an eventual best XI.

The door’s wide open at present and next up at Crabble tonight (Wednesday) is a match against Brighton & Hove Albion’s under-23s.

Hessenthaler said: “You are trying to get players fit, trying to get minutes into their legs, as well as wanting to get the best shape for the group of players we have got. That is what we have to find and we will find that come the start of the season.

“There are always times in games when you have to be flexible in shapes, but we need to nail one, work with that, find the best 11 and the best 11 after Saturday I wouldn’t know because we didn’t do enough.

“I said to them pre-season is for fitness but it is also to get into the team and after Saturday they have quite a lot of work to do.”

Dover lost 2-0 to Margate, missing Lee Martin because of suspension and George Wilkinson and Reece Grant through illness.

On that game, Hessenthaler said: “It wasn’t particularly good but there was a lot of disruption to the squad. I expect us to do a lot better.

“We did okay first half without really causing them any problems, then made the changes we did. [There’s] lots to improve on.

“We just have to find the best for the group of players in terms of shape and how to win football matches. Pre-season is what it is and we are trying to find that and also we want all the players to get minutes in their legs, like anyone will tell you, pre-season is pre-season - we are just getting ready for August 6.”

Martin - suspended following his red card in last week’s 1-0 defeat at Deal - will be available for the Brighton game while Wilkinson and Grant should also be back.

Brighton have just returned from a camp in Spain where they were narrowly beaten by Hull City’s first team. They are managed by former Gillingham player Andrew Crofts, who was handed his Football League debut by Hessenthaler two decades ago.

“It will be a tough game but that is what we need,” said the Whites boss. “We need to be chasing after the football, they are going to be passing it and there won’t be many teams in National South who are going to play like Brighton.

“It is good for us but it also gives us an opportunity to look at maybe a couple of different shapes and there are still two and a half weeks to go before the start of the season. We will be ready come August 6.”

Kick-off tonight at Crabble is 7pm.