More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Manager Andy Hessenthaler insists Yusuf Mersin could still have a future at Dover despite placing the goalkeeper on the transfer list.
Former Crawley man Mersin joined Whites on a two-year contract last May but he has been replaced between the sticks by Ashley Maynard-Brewer, who signed on loan from Charlton last week, in Dover's last two matches.
But when asked if the door was completely shut on Mersin's time at Crabble, Hessenthaler replied: "No listen, players go on the transfer list and come off them, don’t they?
"I just felt I needed a change.
"With Lee (Worgan) out injured, I wanted to do something different and I brought the young lad (Maynard-Brewer) in.
"He brings the whole package and I’ve made a call.
"It was a tough one."
Having made his first Dover start in their 2-0 victory at Stockport on Saturday, Maynard-Brewer made his home bow in their 2-1 home success against National League leaders Barrow on Tuesday night.
The 20-year-old could not keep out Barrow captain John Rooney's second-half penalty but a goal in either half from Will De Havilland and Michael Woods earned Whites the points as the Cumbrian club's 15-match unbeaten league ran came to an end.
Hessenthaler said: "Listen, they are a very good side.
"I thought, in the first half, we were the better team. In the second half, because of the way we pressed the ball, we had more opportunities which we need to do better (with).
"But the work-rate was fantastic. We stopped them from playing.
"We had a game plan to stop them from playing because they are a good footballing side and they pushed us back in the second half, to be fair.
"Their shape, with the three centre-halves and the wing-backs, it was causing us problems.
"They were taking risks because they had to because they were losing the game."
Referee Savvas Yianni gave Barrow their spot-kick after left-back Shadrach Ogie had been adjudged to have fouled fellow substitute Byron Harrison.
"I’m not sure it’s a penalty anyway because the linesman didn’t give it," Hessenthaler admitted.
"It was bouncing around and there was a coming together, and he’s gone down.
"If he’s given that one, could he have given Inih’s one (for a challenge on Effiong with the score at 1-1)? But listen, I thought even that one wasn’t a penalty.
"So, we kept going and we found a bit more belief in the end and we got the winner."
