Dover manager Andy Hessenthaler hopes a surprise FA Cup win at Ebbsfleet can help them turn their season around.

On paper, Whites will be up against it this Saturday as they take on Dennis Kutrieb’s in-form team in the Second Qualifying Round.

Whites have lost five of their past six National League South matches, having fallen to a 3-1 home loss to Dartford on Tuesday. League rivals the Fleet, who have already beaten Dover 3-0 in the league this campaign, have a perfect record from their eight league fixtures.

But ahead of the clash at Stonebridge Road, Hessenthaler said: “It could be the turning point of our season, that’s how we have got to look at it.

“We have to go there and try and get through to the next round of the FA Cup.

“The draw could have been a little bit kinder to us. They are probably one of the best non-league sides around at the moment - a side that could top the National League - and rightly so, with the resources they have got. I’m sure they will go up this year.

“It’s a bit of a free hit but we have to work this week now… Could this be the game that turns our season around?”

The winner of the tie will pocket £3,375 while a run in the competition could help put Whites back on the map after a tough couple of years at Crabble.

On the importance of the FA Cup, Hessenthaler said: “It’s massive to us. We are going to play a team that is on fire at the moment and have won eight out of eight.

“We have been there and been on the end of a loss. But the FA Cup means a lot to me as a person, I have been involved in it.

“I have got to the quarter-final in it and I’m sure it’ll be equally exciting for the players.”

Luke Baptiste scored what proved a consolation goal for Dover and he, alongside fellow young midfielder George Wilkinson, were two bright sparks on an otherwise disappointing night for Hessenthaler’s men in midweek.

The Dover boss said: “I thought they both played well.

“Wilko, we took him off because he was getting tired. That’s his first run-out and he did a good job in there. I thought Baptiste was good in there as well.

“He got a good goal and I’d like to see the statistics on him because he covers a lot of ground.”

Dover made four changes for the match and Hessenthaler admitted they may need to look at changing it around again as they try to combat the threat Ebbsfleet will pose.

“We may look at a few changes, we may have a look at a change of shape. We’ll look at that because of the way they play,” he said.

“Hopefully we can make it hard for them. I’m a very positive person. I understand the criticism, I’m the manager, I pick the team. I’ll take that.

“[But] I don’t like seeing the players get criticised. If they want to criticise anybody, criticise me because it’s not for a lack of trying.

“We’ll keep believing in them, they’ll keep believing in each other, and things will change.”

Hessenthaler also explained why young defender Will Moses hadn’t featured in their matchday squad as Dover lost to Dartford - their third successive Kent derby defeat this season.

He said: “I just left him out, he was lacking a little bit of confidence from the game before. But he’ll learn.

“I’m not trying to knock his confidence.

"I didn’t want two defenders on the bench and went with Ty [Tyrone Sterling] and not young Will.”

If the tie is level after 90 minutes, it will be decided at Crabble in a replay.