THE honeymoon is over now and it is time to get down to business, says new Dover manager Steve Browne.

Browne’s tenure opened with a 3-2 defeat at Yeading, which leaves Whites with just nine points from 15 Ryman Premier games.

However, a radically altered Dover team deserved a point after a strong second-half comeback, and Browne heads into Saturday’s home game with Tonbridge with optimism.

Browne said: “We started sloppily on Saturday and conceded a penalty after two minutes.You can’t fault anyone for their third goal. I changed it at half time and the players showed a lot of character. It was very encouraging.”

Despite the club’s on and off-field struggles Browne said: “The players are buzzing. You only have to look around here and you can see it’s a special little stadium and a first-class pitch. A lot of people are envious of us.

“I think the supporters will start coming back when they see my team playing attractive football and when we start getting results.”

Browne has given all the players at the club a month to prove themselves. He brought in several new men in his first week in the job but none have signed contracts yet.

“Everybody’s got to prove they want to play for Dover Athletic,” he said. “Only time will tell if that’s the case. Some of them will have to go.”

Two experienced players have already left the club in the past week. Nick Humphrey has returned to Tonbridge Angels, while veteran keeper Paul Hyde has been released.

While one long-time Crabble favourite departs, another has returned - albeit temporarily.

Central defender Lee Shearer is spending a month at the Hoverspeed Stadium on loan from Nationwide Conference outfit Gravesend & Northfleet.

Browne is still looking at players and was running the rule over two new defenders in training this week.

Irish Under-21 international Tim Clancy, who has been at Millwall, is a right back, while Browne is sizing up an unnamed left back as well.

Billy Bone has been relieved of his duties as youth development officer pending a decision on his long-term future at the Hoverspeed Stadium, and Brown explained: “The situation with Billy Bone is more complex. I needed him to get fit and work hard. He’s paid a decent wage.”

Browne is almost injury and suspension-free for the Tonbridge game, only Matt Carruthers being unavailable with his leg injury. Carruthers is expected to be out for a further two to three weeks.

Whites have rearranged their home game with Leyton for Tuesday, November 30.