Dover Athletic manager Mitch Brundle hopes FA Cup Second Qualifying Round clash against Isthmian Premier Hastings United can give their season a sorely-needed boost

Manager Mitch Brundle hopes a break from league action can give Dover’s season a desperately-needed tonic.

Out-of-form Whites have taken just two National League South points from seven league games since they collected four from their first two fixtures of the campaign.

They lost 3-1 at home to Weymouth last weekend.

Dover will host Isthmian Premier Hastings in the FA Cup Second Qualifying Round this Saturday after the Sussex side won their replay 2-1 at home to Erith & Belvedere last Wednesday.

But Brundle, who had midfielder Johl Powell sent off for a second bookable offence on his home debut at the weekend, said: “No game is kind at the minute, nothing is kind to us as a football club.

“Is it a massive game? Yes, of course. I want to have a cup run.

“The FA Cup has always excited me as a player and, as a kid, I watched it.

“It will be a long, hard week for us to make sure we get it right.

“We went to watch them [Hastings] play on Wednesday against Erith & Belvedere. We’ve done our research.

“They scored two late goals on Saturday [to secure a 2-1 win over Haringey].

“But it’s about us turning up on the day. We want to have a good run, of course we do.

“Hopefully, it’s a good break from the league. You’ve got to look at everything positively.

“You’re going to get negatives from people who have come to watch and not seen their team perform. They have their right to say what they say.

“But me, personally, and my team will be going into that game with a positive mindset. It’s a break away from the league.

“It’s a one-off game and you want to go as far as you can in the FA Cup.”

Brundle, 28, insists he’s old enough to turn it around and be a success as Dover’s boss.

He said: “A couple of weeks ago, it was all positive.

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