Hessenthaler tells Dryden to shape up

Andy Hessenthaler will delve into the loan market next week - if Dover Athletic strikers Lee Browning and James Dryden fail to recover from injuries picked up against Eastbourne Town, writes Justin Allen.

Dryden and Browning were the only two first-team regulars who played in the low-key Westview Cup game on Monday night against a side that were comfortably hammered 4-0 away in the league with a full line-up last week.

And, ironically, both players got crocked during the 3-2 defeat (after extra-time). Hessenthaler told www.doverathletic.com: "Playing the pair of them has backfired on us. Lee has picked up a knee injury while Jimmy has turned his ankle. Now we will have to wait until the weekend to see how they are.

"If both of them are injured, it leaves us with just Frannie Collin and Mark Lovell up front - with Craig Wilkins, who can play there.

"We certainly can't go back into the vital league matches short in numbers up front so I will be making calls to bring someone in on loan.

"Lee will certainly be a big miss because, at Eastbourne last week, he was outstanding - and is very important to the way we want to play."

Hessenthaler revealed he held a meeting with Dryden for clear-the-air talks. The striker has not produced his best form this term, was dropped to the bench for the league game at Croydon Athletic but then missed training ahead of the game at Eastbourne last Wednesday.

The Whites chief said: "Jimmy has to give us more and I've told him that. He's been off his game a bit. He was superb, coming off the bench against Croydon and I was going to start him at Eastbourne but then he missed training.

“He telephoned our secretary Frank Clarke to let him know he couldn't make it. But we've got lads who come down to Dover on the train from afar for training and work hard all the time.

"We've got a good team spirit and everyone works hard. Jimmy knows now what is required to get into my team. I don't care if a player is a fans' favourite or a superstar. The player has to work hard and, if dropped from the team, he needs to keep working hard in training to force himself back into the side.

"Jimmy knows where I'm coming from and we've had a good chat about it. It's unfortunate for Jimmy that he has now got injured but hopefully he'll recover quickly and force his way back into the team."

Hessenthaler was impressed with a number of the reserve players who stepped up for first-team duty this week.

He said: "I thought Laurence Ball and Graeme Andrews, who played at centre-half, were superb. They worked extremely hard, as did everyone to be honest, and looked a good pairing.

"Graeme was playing his football at Bearsted and we got him into training here. He looked impressive and it was unfortunate that he had to come off before the end with a calf injury.

"Liam Quinn and Tom Hickman were out on their feet at the end - as were a lot of the lads. I felt sorry for the team because they'd worked incredibly hard, ran their socks off.

"Naivety at the end ultimately cost the kids what would have been a well-deserved win. They dropped too deep, inviting Eastbourne to attack, when they should have squeezed the play. But, hey, they will learn from that, I'm sure. It's a learning curve for these youngsters.

"Eastbourne celebrated like they'd won the FA Cup Final at the end - even though only one player was in the side that started in our 4-0 win at their place last week. But that just goes to show how any win against Dover Athletic, whatever side we field, is seen as a big scalp."

Hessenthaler is desperate to see the team get back to winning ways at Potters Bar in the FA Trophy on Saturday.

He said: "Losing to Hythe in the FA Cup on Saturday was a blow to us. I'm still gutted by it but sometimes you have to take these things on the chin.

"The pitch was a leveller. Hythe played to their strengths, while we didn't. Had we got the first goal, I think we'd have killed them off. But there's no point dwelling on that.

"Hythe deserve an enormous amount of credit for the way they played and I genuinely wish them the best of luck in the next round.

"The league is the priority but I did want a run the FA Cup because it's the best competition in the world. I've many fond memories of my time playing in it - having reached the quarter-finals with Gillingham.

"But we really do need to win (against) Potters Bar on Saturday. That will give us a good lift before returning to league action against Whyteleafe the following week.

"We're still unbeaten in the league and have set targets each month for ourselves. We're currently on target and, going on form, we're set for 100 points. Tooting are also set for 100 points. Of course, that will only happen if the form is maintained throughout the entire season."

Hessenthaler is only too aware of what has happened to Whites' form during the autumn and winter months of the past two seasons.

And he has warned: "There can be no winter hibernation this time."

He said: "We simply cannot afford that. We've got to keep the momentum going - that's the only way you will win the title. That's what we've got to concentrate on.

"The team owe the fans a good performance now and hopefully we can deliver."

Craig Cloke will not see a specialist until next Thursday about his injury and may require surgery while Hessenthaler does not believe midfielder Alan Pouton will be fit again until December.

Byron Walker has picked up a groin injury and will be out of action for two weeks - but Hess will promote Jack Tanner to the first-team squad this weekend from the reserves.

Article courtesy of Justin Allen - www.doverathletic.com