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Andy Hessenthaler says Dover's players have to show they are prepared to go in where it hurts if they are to improve their modest goalscoring record.
The Whites boss was disappointed with Saturday's goallesss draw away to fellow strugglers Havant who played a man short for 55 minutes.
Dover hardly forced a save from home keeper Ben Dudzinski after defender Chris Robertson's 35th minute dismissal and Hessenthaler felt his side did not show enough desire in the last third.
Whites remain unbeaten in six but have scored just six times during that run – three of which came in the 3-1 home win over Maidstone on Boxing Day.
Hessenthaler said: "We keep going on about the run we're on, one loss in 11, but there's a lot of frustration because we should have got the three points. It just looked like we didn't believe we could score.
"There were a lot of balls going in there but I think I it was more so we didn't have that desire to go in there and score.
"I said to them I want to see people putting their heads in and getting cuts across their faces.
"That's the way I was brought up. As a player if I get a kick in the face, or a lump on my head I get it stitched up and I get on with it, but it didn't look like we wanted to get hurt, or get our heads in there and you've got to.
"We did that last week against Bromley (in the 1-1 home draw when Dover were down to nine), we defended for our lives, and Havant have done that today.
"The players been told, I can't be nice to them all the time. They've been fantastic, the run continues but it was a missed opportunity today."
Saturday's result left Whites19th, still behind Havant on goal difference, and Hessenthaler says it's imperative they make the most of the next two matches – both of which are at home where they are unbeaten in six league games.
They start with a game against Gateshead on Saturday before hosting Harrogate a week later.
Hessenthaler said: "A win at Havant could have got us closer to the people above us and put a bit more distance from the ones below us.
"It could have given us a little bit more daylight but it's gone now. We'll go again we'll get their heads up. We've got two home games and we've been good at home lately so we've got to go try and see if we can can get maximum points."
