MANAGER Clive Walker says his Dover Athletic team now face a test of character to recover from their unexpectedly poor start to the season.

Strongly-fancied Whites’ lie second from bottom of the Dr Martens League's premier division after collecting just two points from their opening four games, conceding nine goals in the process. The slump marks a 13-year low in Whites’ league standing.

Walker said: “We’ve just got to come through it. I don’t think it matters who we are playing, we’ve just got to get some wins.”

Walker still has to do without defender Danny Chapman for Whites’ next two matches, at home to Tiverton on Saturday and away to Havant & Waterlooville on Monday evening. Chapman is still serving out a six-game ban imposed for offences committed last season.

Walker’s only injury worry for Saturday surrounds striker Tommy Tyne. But experienced defender Mark Patterson is still plagued by the after-effects of glandular fever.

Walker is looking to add two new players to the squad but would not be drawn on their identities.