Whitehawk boss Steven King has warned his players not to freeze on their big day.

The Hawks play in the second round of the FA Cup for the first time in the club’s history when they visit League Two strugglers Dagenham and Redbridge tomorrow (2pm).

A large contingent of fans from Sussex will be making the journey to Essex via coach, minibus and car in the hope of causing an upset.

King knows what his National League south squad are capable of but has told them nothing less than their best will do.

King told The Argus: “We are the underdogs, being two leagues below them, and for us to cause an upset we will all have to play at the top of our game.

“I hope we can do that and I know they are well capable of playing at that level. We need to perform and not freeze on the occasion. I felt in the play-off final last year we didn’t play the occasion well enough, too many players were off their game and that was why we didn’t get promoted.”

King is without captain Lee Hills, who is out for the season with a knee injury, and his replacement at left-back, Belgian defender Bryan van den Bogaert (hamstring).

However, recent loan signing from Ebbsfleet, Craig Braham-Barrett, has been cleared to play and will wear the No.3 shirt.

Dagenham’s loan contingent are all eligible to play including former Hawks loan striker Kyle Vassell (Peterborough) and Portsmouth’s ex-Arsenal midfielder James Dunne.

Former Albion loanee Matt Richards and Zavon Hines are ruled out by injury and experienced defender Nyron Nosworthy is almost certainly sidelined by a knee problem.