DOVER ATHLETIC, who have picked up just two points from their last four matches against lower-league teams, now face a much tougher stint of three away matches in a row, starting at Bath on Saturday.

They then visit highly-placed Tiverton next Wednesday before a daunting trip to leaders Tamworth a week on Saturday.

Manager Clive Walker admitted: “We seem to be in a bit of a lull at the moment, and we have got to try to get out of it as quickly as possible.”

Dover will be without Jamie Day on Saturday as the midfielder starts a two-match suspension, and centre half Andy Arnott has two more games of his four-match ban to serve.

Mark Patterson is still sidelined by a hamstring injury, but on the plus side Lee Spiller and Nicky Dent are both available again after completing their two-match suspensions.

While Walker tries to get his team back on track, Whites financial director Steve Cattermole has admitted his disappointment at the attendances for the Ilkeston (756) and Halesowen (604) games.

Cattermole said: “Apart from achieving a respectable position in the league, we need to optimise our revenues in the remaining fixtures. When we set our forecasts, we figured on gates of between 800 and 1,000, and you don’t need to be Einstein to calculate the affect of being some 400 short through the gate.

“The three away games we now have offer a well-earned rest for the hard core of supporters who do turn up week in week out, and a chance for those not quite so motivated to decide whether they still want a football club in the town.”