Steve Brown laughed off the terrace abuse he received from Dover fans on Tuesday night but admitted he was relieved to have got his Crabble date out of the way.

Whites supporters aimed derisory chants at Brown on his first return to the club since leaving in the summer to take the Ebbsfleet manager’s job.

But the 41-year-old shrugged it off on a night when the Fleet were handed a 2-1 defeat.

Brown said: “I’m not bothered. You’re concentrating on the performance so much that you’re not really aware of what’s being chanted. You’re trying to get messages out to your players.

“It was interesting, when it went 1-1 and we were on top, there wasn’t a peep out of any of them.

"I could hear chanting but you can’t quite make out what they’re saying. I’m sure it wasn’t complimentary but – and I’m sorry to disappoint them – I didn’t hear much of it, to be honest."

Brown’s side travel to Eastbourne Borough on Saturday with just a point from their first two games in The Skrill South.

Billy Bricknell could be fit to start on Saturday but Ben May (back) is still out.