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Dover boss Andy Hessenthaler expects weekend opponents Stockport to win the National League this season.
It is top against bottom on Saturday as Whites aim for a first away win of the campaign, having beaten Eastleigh 1-0 last Tuesday for their first victory this term, before they lost 1-0 to Southend at the weekend.
Stockport sat 10th in the table when former manager Simon Rusk left in October - but Dave Challinor is now at the helm and has steered County to seven successive league wins.
“We’ve got a real tough one coming up and, personally, I think Stockport will win the league,” said Hessenthaler, who wants his troops to put on a better showing than they did in their previous away match, which they lost 5-0 at Solihull Moors.
“Listen, all the onus is on them. They are expected to win, aren’t they?
"They are playing Dover and their fans will expect to turn us over.
“But we have to make sure we do a lot better than we did in our last away trip, and have a real go and make it difficult for them.”
Whites looked much more assured at the back against Southend last weekend, only to concede in the second half, with ex-Dartford midfielder Noor Husin scoring in front of a crowd of 2,657 at Crabble.
But Dover’s defence will be heavily tested again at Stockport, with County having won 5-0 at Barnet last time out - in total, they have scored 20 goals in six games in all competitions so far in 2022.
They also bolstered their ranks on deadline day as they brought in winger Myles Hippolyte on a free transfer from League 2 Scunthorpe.
Whites have also not won away in a competitive match since a 2-0 success at Stockport in February 2020 when Inih Effiong, now at Woking, struck twice.
Hessenthaler, who also gave first starts to midfielder Arjanit Krasniqi and forward Michael Gyasi against the Shrimpers, stated: “All the time we stay in games, we might nick a goal - like we did the other night (against Eastleigh).
“That was the plan again on Saturday but, unfortunately, we didn’t take our chances when we had the opportunities.
"We hit the post and missed other opportunities, and they took their one real chance.”
Hessenthaler also explained the reasoning behind striker Ben Williamson’s departure, with the former Gillingham man joining National League South Concord and starting in their 5-1 home defeat to Maidstone.
“He would still be here but he has got a bit of compassion from me,” Hessenthaler explained.
“I’m a family guy and he was just finding it very difficult with the travelling.
“He asked me if he could leave because of family reasons and we will always do that. We need to help players.”
Hessenthaler also gave an update on the injuries suffered by teenagers Noah Carney and Alex Green last week while they played for the Academy.
“Noah has fractured his toe in midweek and Alex has just rocked his ankle again,” commented Hessenthaler, who would have been without striker Carney for the Southend game anyway due to his England under-18s Schoolboy commitments.
“It’s a shame for Noah. He’s got his England Schoolboys stuff as well so, hopefully, it’s not too long.
“Hopefully Danny Collinge could be available this weekend which will be good. TJ Bramble is not too far away but he’s still really struggling with his muscle problem.
“James Caton is working outside and Reda (Johnson, Dover’s player-coach) is getting closer. We are, hopefully, getting some back.
“The one missing is Travis Gregory at the moment but we have Will Moses back out there for us.”
Striker Alfie Pavey, on loan from Maidstone, has had his stay extended for another month. His existing loan expired at the end of January.
When Dover played Stockport at Crabble in October, goals from Williamson and Koby Arthur were not enough for Whites who fell to a 5-2 defeat.
