TWO draws from their opening two matches represents a satisfactory start to the new season as far as Dover Athletic manager Clive Walker is concerned.

And the fact that no side has collected maximum points from their opening two matches, underlines Walker’s belief that the opening few weeks of the new campaign are likely to produce a number of surprise results.

“The thing at the moment,” Walker said, “is that nobody knows what teams they are going to be up against because of all the players who have changed clubs this summer.

“Two draws isn’t a bad start and we look like scoring goals, but we are also conceding a few which is unlike us.”

The damaging impact of Danny Chapman’s six-match ban has become apparent during Whites’ first two matches, when his solid presence at the back has been sorely missed, but the good news for Walker is that Mark Patterson might be ready for a starting role soon after coming on as a late substitute in Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with Crawley.

The Whites’ boss is also keeping his fingers crossed that Tommy Tyne (hamstring) and Matt Carruthers (shin) will be fit to face Weston-super-Mare at home on Saturday after both missed the Crawley game.

Dean Readings (ankle) and Tony Browne (calf) collected knocks on Tuesday but Walker is hoping that they will not rule them out for Saturday.

On Monday, Whites make the short trip down the coast to meet Eastbourne Borough (kick off 3pm).