Chris Kinnear says the Easter programme sums up the highs and lows to expect over the course of the climax to the Vanarama National League promotion race.

Whites hit top gear to sweep aside Torquay 5-0 on Saturday before slumping to a 3-0 defeat at lowly Boreham Wood two days later which ended a six-game unbeaten run and saw Whites slip to fifth, clinging onto the final play-off place by goal difference alone.

Kinnear said: “It’s one hiccup in a long space of time but things happen. We won’t get too upset, we’ll just try and put things right in the next game. We didn’t lose too much ground.

“There are still seven games to go and we will have ups and downs like the other teams around us will.”

Kinnear bemoaned the extra 24 hours rest Wood had after their Good Friday defeat at Cheltenham, adding: “There’s no doubt it made a difference.

“Nearly all the teams that played on Friday and had the extra day’s rest won on Monday – and Bank Holiday Mondays are notorious for strange results anyway.

“Premier League teams moan about only having three days of rest – we didn’t even have 48 hours. It’s not the mental side it’s the physical.

“Getting yourself up for it shouldn’t be a problem. It’s just that the mind is willing but the body is weak.”

Kinnear said a hamstring strain picked up by Ricky Modeste at Wood was linked to the scheduling and added: “It’s disappointing to lose him.

“We’re not sure yet how long it’s going to be. We just have to hope we can keep everybody fit now.”

Dover host fifth-bottom FC Halifax on Saturday (3pm) before a testing Tuesday night trip to fourth-bottom Altrincham (7.45pm).

Kinnear said: “It’s more difficult playing teams down at the bottom at this stage of the season than those at the top.

“We tend to do better against disciplined sides and have always found it quite difficult playing against Halifax.

“They are in the Trophy final so they are no mugs.”