There will be an anxious wait for Dover to see if they’ll be without defender Tyrone Sterling this weekend.

Sterling was dismissed in the early stages of Saturday’s 1-0 loss at fifth-placed St Albans in National League South - Whites’ fourth straight defeat.

Dover battled bravely despite their numerical disadvantage but went down to a first-half goal in front of a crowd of more than 2,000 before right-back Myles Judd received a second booking towards the end as they finished with nine players.

Manager Mitch Brundle was unhappy with 35-year-old Sterling’s dismissal, a decision they are appealing, while he felt Judd was unlucky to get a second yellow card.

On Sterling’s red card, Brundle said: “We just think it’s right [to appeal], between all of us, because it’s very soft.

“It’s a touch of the arm and there’s two down in the box so it’s not a goalscoring opportunity. At the minute, the luck isn’t going our way.

“What can you do when you go down to 10 men after 15 minutes to a side fighting for the play-offs? It’s hard.

“But to be fair, at least we kept the scoreline down.”

If their appeal is unsuccessful, 17th-placed Whites will be without Sterling, as well as Judd, for this Saturday’s trip to play-off chasing Braintree.

Despite midfielders Lee Martin and Jordan Higgs returning from two-game bans, centre-half Jake Goodman went off with a hamstring injury at St Albans so he’s also a doubt. But Brundle doesn’t think there is an issue with discipline in their camp.

“I would not say it’s a discipline issue,” he said.

“The cut-off used to be a lot earlier. Some should not be yellow cards so I wouldn’t say it’s an issue.

“To ask someone to play nearly 40 games and not pick up 10 yellows is a big ask.

“It’s mainly in the midfield. It’s Juddy, as well for us, but he doesn’t let people turn him.

"It’s a very hard ask and I think a lot of teams have had suspensions rescinded. It’s just one of those things.”

Dover’s losing streak came after a six-game unbeaten run in which they didn't concede in four.

“That’s the ups and downs of being a manager,” said Brundle.

“I think I’m learning them all too quickly!

"Martin and Higgs strengthen our midfield and you’re going to lose players but, hopefully, people stand up.

“Once you bring players into the first-team, including from the Academy, it’s only right that you use them. Some of the boys step up, like Freddie Oliver has done.

“Sometimes, you find little gems underneath your noses that you didn’t know about.”

Braintree have only lost once in the league at home this term - albeit that was to Taunton on Saturday - but Brundle denied it was a free hit.

He said: “People might think that but, personally, do I think that? No.

“I don’t think it’s right to say it’s a free hit. They’re a fantastic side.

“I played there so when you go back you always want to beat them. But they have been fantastic at home and only lost once.

“That was at the weekend which, hopefully, is a blessing in disguise. They’re not holding onto that unbeaten run now.

“We just need to get as many points as we can get between now and the end of the season.”

Dover won’t come up against striker Alfie Pavey, who joined Braintree from Whites in early February, as he serves the final game of a three-match ban for a red card earlier this month.

“People might not know but me and Pavey have been friends for a very long time,” Brundle revealed.

“He’s a fantastic player. When you play to his strengths, his goalscoring record speaks for itself.

“He would have wanted to play against his old team.

“Personally, I’m not going back there as a player, I’m going back as a manager.

“I loved it there, it’s where I broke through, really, but we’ll try to earn three points.”

Whites are after a photographer for the 2023/2024 season.

Email enquiries@doverathletic.com or john.mcnicoll@doverathletic.com if you are interested or for more information.