Boss Andy Hessenthaler has joked Dover Academy manager Mike Sandmann must be dreading his phonecall at the moment.

Whites, who lost an incredible 11-goal thriller to Wrexham at the weekend, head into this Saturday’s home fixture against King’s Lynn with a depleted frontline.

Top scorer Alfie Pavey has been recalled by parent club Maidstone this week while Michael Gyasi - on the back of scoring a hat-trick at the Racecourse Ground - is unavailable to face his parent club.

Several players who came through the club’s Academy system featured at second-placed Wrexham, including midfielder Luke Baptiste - who made his full debut - and more could be in the squad as Dover return to action at Crabble.

“Ryan Hanson is still probably another couple of weeks away. Nobody else is coming back before (Saturday),” said Hessenthaler, who hopes Will Moses will recover quickly, having come off at Wrexham as he struggled with fatigue.

“I have already spoken to the Academy manager. I think Mike Sandmann must be dreading my call at the moment because he has fixtures to fulfil in the week as well, and I’m taking players off him, but I have to do it.

“It’s a great opportunity for them.”

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Against Phil Parkinson’s men, Dover were quickly 2-0 down.

But a stunning strike by George Wilkinson sparked a Whites comeback, which saw Gyasi net a 12-minute hat-trick in the second period after Pavey had levelled the scores.

Back came Wrexham, though, who drew level before Jordan Davies’ stoppage-time goal secured a dramatic victory in front of a 8,572-strong crowd.

Hessenthaler could only remember one match which was anywhere near as dramatic.

He recalled: “There was a 5-4 game when I was at Gills against Hereford (in 2012) when they missed a penalty and we went and scored at the other end, but I can’t remember too many other than that.

“In the end, we just ran out of legs.

“We were up against a very good side going for promotion and 8,500 fans - credit to them. Yes, we could have defended better but I cannot be too critical of the boys.

“The decisions didn’t quite go for us. Where the ref got nine minutes (of second-half stoppage-time) from, I’m not sure. (From) my players, there’s two starting and one on the bench who are not getting paid.

“The goal George Wilkinson scored was good enough to have graced any game. I feel sorry for him and Michael Gyasi.

“He got the matchball and still found himself on the losing side.

“I think it just showed the difference between being full-time and part-time at this level.”

King’s Lynn, like Dover, are facing the prospect of relegation.

But the third-bottom Linnets did boost their survival chances last weekend with a 2-0 home win over fourth-placed Halifax.

Hessenthaler said: “They had a great win at the weekend, beating Halifax. But we are not going to do anyone any favours.

“Even though we are down, we are still going to make it as hard as possible for the sides we face in the last 10 games.

"If we show what we showed on Saturday - yes, we have lost players and four goals out of our attack - but that will give an opportunity to those coming in and we should be all right.

“We have not really turned up in our last couple of home games, so we will be looking to address that.”

Academy striker Noah Carney was an unused substitute as England under-18s Schoolboys started their Centenary Shield campaign with a dramatic 2-1 win against Northern Ireland on Friday night. Jack Beerling, of Cray Valley, started.

England will host Scotland this Friday at Spennymoor.