Connor Essam says he is enjoying wearing the captain’s armband for Dover Athletic – and doesn’t want his FA Cup dream to end just yet, writes Jack O'Sullivan

The defender, signed by Chris Kinnear following his release from Crawley Town in September, has been given the responsibility following Craig Stone’s ankle injury against Southport last month and he’s relishing the opportunity.

But it’s a role Essam, 22, admits has arrived a lot earlier in his career than he first thought imagined.

He said: “I’m learning with every game how to help get the most out of the players and it hasn’t affected my game negatively at all – quite the opposite.

“I’m quite young for a captain but I’m grateful to have been given the chance. I am loving every minute of it.”

On Sunday, Chatham-born Essam will lead Dover into his biggest battle yet – the FA Cup second clash at League 2 side Cheltenham Town.

And Essam has belief his players can get a result.

He said: “We are going into the game full of confidence. Our recent form has been good and there is no reason we can’t go there and win. We go into the game against Cheltenham as underdogs but we fancy our chances.

“We have shown over the past couple of months just how far we have come as a team and none of us want to go out at this stage.”

Despite spending three years on the books of Gillingham, Essam admits this is the first time he has been really involved in the competition.

He said: “I was on the bench a few times while at Gills but never really got a chance to play in the FA Cup.

“It’s already been a great season here at Dover in the competition and we’ll take a lot of confidence from how we played against another League 2 side Morecambe in the last round, into Sunday’s game.”