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Dover Athletic manager Mitch Brundle says some under-performers won’t play for the club again after 3-1 defeat at home to Weymouth in National League South

05:00, 10 September 2023

updated: 09:30, 10 September 2023

Manager Mitch Brundle has vowed some of Dover’s squad won’t play for the club again.

Second-bottom Whites are winless in seven matches after they lost 3-1 at home to fellow early-season National League South strugglers Weymouth on Saturday.

Substitute and Dover scorer Roman Charles-Cook on the ball in their 3-1 weekend home loss to Weymouth. Picture: Stuart Brock
Substitute and Dover scorer Roman Charles-Cook on the ball in their 3-1 weekend home loss to Weymouth. Picture: Stuart Brock

Brundle said: “It’s difficult because we’re not a million miles away. It’s crazy to say after today.

“But put it this way, there won’t be many people in that team that will play again for me.

“It’s down to me because I pick the team - that comes with the job. But there’s too many players under-performing in certain elements and it’s around the basics.

“I’m not asking for world-beaters every week, we know what we’ve got to work with, but we have to do something to make it right.

“I’ll never stop fighting and trying to make sure this goes right.

Report: Dover 1-3 Weymouth

“I believe I’ve got the capabilities to make it right.”

It’s firmly now Brundle’s squad after wholesale summer changes - but the boss concedes some of those brought in have shown they’re unable to perform consistently to the level required.

He explained: “At the minute, with some of the players that we’ve signed from lower levels, they’re not consistent enough to play six or seven games in a row to a good level.

“They have one good game, two bad games, and then you think about changing it. You can say about tinkering with the squad [too much] but it’s about having that consistency basis.

“I’ll take full responsibility because, yeah, they are my signings. The only way we get it right is if I go and get some who are consistent.”

Goalkeeper Billy Terrell, pictured getting presented with his player-of-the-month award, was at fault for Dover’s second goal. Picture: Stuart Brock
Goalkeeper Billy Terrell, pictured getting presented with his player-of-the-month award, was at fault for Dover’s second goal. Picture: Stuart Brock

Brundle refused to be drawn much on the decision made by referee George Laflin which saw midfielder Johl Powell sent off for a second bookable offence in first-half stoppage time.

He stated: “Is it a red card? No.

“But I don’t want to go into that. I’ll only get myself in trouble!

“He’s gutted in there - it’s not a red card - but that knocked the stuffing out of us.”

While Powell was making his home debut, former Ramsgate and Maidstone defender Jacob Mensah came in for his bow, with his arrival having been announced before the game.

Johl Powell winning a header before he got sent off. Picture: Stuart Brock
Johl Powell winning a header before he got sent off. Picture: Stuart Brock

“You can see he’s got quality,” noted defiant Brundle, who saw substitute Roman Charles-Cook add an 87th-minute consolation goal after Weymouth, 3-0 up, had, had skipper Tom Bearwish sent off themselves.

“He’s very calm, cool and collected.”

With Mensah coming in, centre-back Charlie Naylor was left out of the squad altogether.

Brundle explained: “Charlie’s not played that many games in a row.

“I felt his performances were slowly creeping down. It was just performance-based.

“I just decided to go with a back five, and a super strong and offensive bench.

“Sometimes, that one game out can boost them to have another big spell.

“As I think about it now, maybe I should have just left it, but that’s football."

But Brundle defended 20-year-old Bournemouth loanee goalkeeper Billy Terrell after his attempted clearance cannoned against two-goal Weymouth striker Ezio Touray for his second.

“Bill’s made a mistake but he’s kept us in a lot of games this season,” he said.

“He’s made two errors for two goals [this season] but, when you’re a goalkeeper, that’s what happens.

“Is it his fault for the second goal? Yes of course, he has a bad touch, goes to go on his left, then his right, but he’s kept us in loads of games.

“He has performed fantastically. That’s the hardest part of being a goalkeeper - if you make a mistake, it’s a goal.

“But the three centre-halves in front of him didn’t help him.”

Whites host Isthmian Premier Hastings in the FA Cup Second Qualifying Round next weekend.

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