Andy Hessenthaler says there’s no point trying to play down the importance of Dover’s National League match at Havant & Waterlooville on Saturday.

The Whites will travel to Hampshire sitting 19th, behind their hosts only on goal difference, with both clubs three points above the relegation zone.

Their meeting will be the third in six weeks, with Whites 1-0 victors in the most recent, an FA Trophy replay at Westleigh Park on January 8.

Both starting line-ups are likely to look a lot different than they did on that occasion and because of that Whites boss Hessenthaler says the Trophy result will have little or no bearing on the league match.

He explained: “There’s a long way still to go whatever happens on Saturday but I think it’s a massive game for both clubs just because it’s so tight down there.

“I’ve told the players I think it will be just as hard as the games we’ve had had against Fylde (fourth), Orient (top) and Wrexham (fifth) because of they position we’re in, and the position they’re in.

“They’ve had some good results of late beating Barrow at home (2-0) and Boreham Wood away (3-1) and they’ve also made a couple of loan signings so they’ll be a bit stronger.

“I don’t think you can bring the Trophy win into it at all, there’s far more at stake on Saturday.”

Saturday’s 1-1 home draw against Bromley – achieved after Whites had been reduced to nine – means they have only lost once in 10 league matches, and Hessenthaler admits he has every confidence is his squad.

He added: “Other than the second half at Barnet (where they lost 2-0 on December 22) our performance levels have been high.

“We’re not going into games thinking ‘What are we going to get today?’ We know exactly what we’re going to get from the players once they cross that white line. They are giving everything to make sure we stay in this division.”

Defender Kevin Lokko will be available after his red card against Bromley was overturned, but Whites will be without midfielder Bedsente Gomis, who was also sent off in that game.

Right-back Josh Passley continues to be troubled by a hamstring problem and on Wednesday Hessenthaler signed 20-year-old full-back Danny McNamara from Millwall on loan to provide cover.