Dover’s battle to avoid back-to-back relegations could go right to the wire – with summer changes on the cards, regardless of the outcome.

A five-match winless National League South streak, which has included four straight defeats, has left Whites just above the relegation zone, ahead of this Saturday’s season-ending home match against fellow strugglers Weymouth.

It’s been a poor run for Dover manager Mitch Brundle, who permanently replaced Andy Hessenthaler in January, and he intends to put his own stamp on things in the close season, even if they stay up.

He said: “I haven’t spoken to the players yet because, obviously, we don’t know where we are.

“Some players have had their cards marked by me, but I will not name names.

“It might come down to finances but it’s more about performances. Those who have performed throughout the season consistently will be offered the chance to stay.

“But regardless of if we stay up, there will be a lot of changes.

“I’m already speaking to people and we have A, B and C player targets.

“They’re not fully done but I have my targets.”

Dover’s latest loss saw them go down 3-0 at play-off chasing Farnborough last weekend.

“It was a disappointing result,” 28-year-old Brundle said.

“Sometimes, the occasion can get to our young squad. I think that’s something that happened.”

Experienced defenders Tyrone Sterling and Jake Goodman were back, only for the latter to come off injured.

A tactical decision to play Myles Judd on the left-side of defence and replace Alfie Paxman with on-loan Crystal Palace player David Boateng didn’t pay off, either.

Brundle said: “Gooders has pulled his hamstring. That was why he came off at half-time.

“But we just had to field whatever team we thought could get something. We had to match their energy and athleticism.

“Going 1-0 down, the goal was really sloppy, and then conceding the second [scored by ex-Dover skipper Kevin Lokko] just before half-time was a right bullet.

“We’ve not been that clinical side at any point in the season.

“We were always chasing the game and the goals came off silly mistakes. At this time of the season, we cannot afford to make them.”

Weymouth, who lost 2-0 to Dover when the two sides met in September, are in deep trouble themselves, though, but they won 3-1 at Taunton on Tuesday to keep their own survival hopes alive.

It means Whites must avoid defeat against The Terras.

Even if they are beaten, Dover could just about survive but they then would need Hampton – due to play tomorrow and then this weekend, four points behind them – and Dulwich, level on points but with a worse goal difference, to both not take advantage of their slip-up in such a scenario.

Weymouth were in the National League last season - and met Whites at Crabble on the final day of that campaign, too, Weymouth winning 2-1.

“It’s the biggest game of the season,” Brundle said.

“It’s a big game for the players and a big game for me.

“From where we were, 14th or 15th, we’re now about where our budget is. Everyone else has invested in their squad.

“It’s a very stressful week for me.

“I have watched their games against Slough and Hampton. We have managed to get that video footage of them.

“But we haven’t performed against certain teams around us in certain games and then we beat someone like Braintree and you just think ‘How?’.

“But we’ll just try and be positive, going into the last game.”