Dover boss Andy Hessenthaler has explained how they will cope without him in the dugout ahead of their season opener this Saturday.

Hessenthaler has a touchline ban to serve as his side head to Woodside Road to face Worthing.

The manager said: “We have got Mike Sandmann who works for the academy.

“They are on their break so Mike will come in for a couple of games. He has come in for training.

“It’s good that he can help out. He has already been in, in pre-season, and done a couple of games.

"He knows a lot of the young players, as well, which can only help.”

The encounter will be the Rebels’ first at National League South level after they last season were crowned Isthmian Premier champions.

Hessenthaler thinks Adam Hinshelwood’s men will be favourites for the fixture, saying: “[They are] a good footballing side.

“We have watched them already, they overplay at times, but they are very good. It’s going to be a difficult game on the plastic pitch, which I’m not a great lover of, but there’s a lot in football now.

“I would say they are favourites, without a doubt.”

Dover this week have been working on bringing in a goalkeeper after ex-Gillingham stopper Stuart Nelson injured his hamstring in their 1-0 loss at Folkestone at the weekend.

On Nelson, Hessenthaler commented: "It looks like he's going to struggle [for Saturday]."

Whites have endured a nightmare end to pre-season, losing three successive games to lower-league opposition.

They had been beaten 1-0 by Southern Counties East Division 1 Larkfield & New Hythe before a 3-0 loss at 10-man Ramsgate last Wednesday, three days before their latest reverse.

Hessenthaler, however, felt it was a much-improved display by his side against Neil Cugley’s men.

He said: “We were better Saturday, I’ve got to say. There were improvements there, we were better. The only major concern is we have not scored again.

“There was an improvement but there needs to be more improvement. I just don’t think we have clicked yet.

“Everyone says about pre-season ‘does it mean anything?’. It does because it allows you to get your fitness. I actually don’t know my team for Saturday at the moment, which is a worry.

“But once Saturday comes when we know three points are on it, hopefully, we will go out and perform.”

Young midfielder George Wilkinson is suspended anyway but has a knee injury which is due to be assessed too.

Dover will play either Ashford or Chatham away in the second round of the Kent Senior Cup.