Dover Athletic goalkeeper Andy Rafferty will be a man on a mission at Crabble on Tuesday.

A determined Rafferty is keen to put a “frustrating” start to the Vanarama National League season behind him and recapture the No.1 jersey, one he wore so impressively last season.

Rafferty will start his first league game of the season when third-placed Dover host seventh-placed Eastleigh at 7.45pm.

He gets his chance after Mitch Walker's red card in the FA Cup first round defeat against Stourbridge at the venue last Saturday.

Rafferty came off the bench to replace Walker and the former Hartlepool United man, who kept 13 clean sheets in 28 league and FA Cup appearances after arriving at Crabble last season, cannot wait get out there again.

He said: "It's been so frustrating so far this season, it really has. I don't think I could describe it in any other way

"I missed out on selection for the first three league games and then I had my appendix removed - nothing was going my way.

"But football is a funny old game - it can change in an instant and now it has after what happened to Mitch.

"I've been waiting a long time to get a chance again and I intend to take it.

"I am not someone who enjoys being on the bench and If you ask any goalkeeper up and down the country they will say the same.

"I am not here to make up the numbers, I want to get back in the side and play.

"It felt great to be back out on the grass on Saturday from a personal point of view and now I've got to play well to keep it that way.

"You've always got to back yourself and I do."