Andy Hessenthaler is calling on Dover’s players to have more belief in themselves ahead of their trip to Woking.

Winless Whites will hope to earn their first victory of the season in their 21st league fixture of their 2021/22 campaign at the Kingfield Stadium today as they aim to bounce back after their 2-0 home defeat to Dagenham & Redbridge on Boxing Day.

Woking are 14th in the National League - 10 points clear of the relegation zone but also 10 points adrift of seventh-placed Notts County.

A late Max Kretzschmar penalty earned the Cards their 1-1 draw at 10-man Aldershot on Boxing Day.

With just 48 hours between matches, Dover manager Hessenthaler admitted: “They come thick and fast over Christmas, don’t they?

“There’s lots of Covid going around and lots of games getting called off, and disruption and that could continue.

“But all we can do is dust ourselves down and prepare - keep believing, keep working and, hopefully, things will change.

“It’s a nice ground and a nice pitch. The onus is on Woking.

“They got a point at Aldershot so they will be looking at playing us as a great opportunity to get three points - and we have got to be able to deal with that.

“But I just wish the boys would believe in themselves and play with a bit more freedom.

“They look tense at times and, when we concede, it’s very difficult to come back from that.”

Hessenthaler also confirmed he expects to be without top scorer Aaron Cosgrave once again as he continues to recover after a positive Covid test. He is on loan from Wimbledon for the season - but the League 1 club can recall him in January.

On four-goal Cosgrave, Hessenthaler said: “He will be missing against Woking.

“I do need to have a conversation with Wimbledon because he’s on loan.

“Whether they will call him back, we will have to wait and see so there is a conversation to be had there.”

Hessenthaler is also due to make decisions on fellow loan players Junior Tiensia, of Millwall, Crawley's Harry Ransom and Henry Woods, of Gillingham, with all those players due back at their parent clubs at some stage in January at present.

Among those out injured for National League bottom side Dover of late have been player-coach Reda Johnson (thigh), goalkeeper Adam Parkes (hip), TJ Bramble (back), Travis Gregory (knee), Alex Green (ankle) and Will Moses (ankle).