Dover extended their unbeaten run to five games but will be disappointed they could not turn one National League point into three at Crabble on Saturday.

Inih Effiong's towering header had Whites ahead inside five minutes and they should have been further in front before Solihull's first shot at goal brought them level courtesy of Jamey Osbourne's superb 25-yard free kick.

Effiong and Jai Reason both missed good chances after that to earn the points but in an open contest Dover keeper Yusuf Mersin needed to be alert to deny Osbourne a second while visiting substitute Nathan Blissett hit the post three minutes from time.

Dover boss Andy Hessenthaler made just the one change, with Reason returning after suspension to replace Nassim L'Ghoul who dropped to the bench.

The other substitutes included FA Cup matchwinner Ruel Sotiriou who was back after international duty with Cyprus under-21s, and Ricky Modeste (hamstring) and Will De Havilland (ankle), both available again after injury.

Dover, buoyed by successive home wins, made a vibrant start and were ahead inside five minutes.

Jack Munns delivered a teasing free kick and Effiong, given a vote of confidence by Hessenthaler before the game, climbed superbly to direct a looping header into the top right hand corner.

Whites could and should have increased that lead in the next 10 minutes as they created several good openings

Two minutes after the goal Munns was again at the heart of things, robbing Jake Beesley and then teeing-up Reason whose shot was just wide from the edge of the area.

Effiong then burst clear only to drill his shot against Ryan Boot's legs, and, after Reason had fired straight at the Solihull keeper, Effiong had another sight of goal but blazed over.

It was all Dover at this stage with Solihull's frustration leading to an early booking for top scorer Paul McCallum.

The visitors had not created a single opening but with 27 minutes played Dover skipper Michael Woods fouled Beesley 25 yards out and Osbourne curled in an absolute beauty to equalise.
Whites should have regained the lead on 36 minutes when Oscar Gobern crossed but Reason, unmarked and six yards out headed over.

The final incident of the half saw Solihull's James Ball booked for clattering into Gobern when some felt it could have been a red

• Inih will come good
• Simpson happy to play anywhere

Whites would have been disappointed not to have gone in ahead, and they had another great chance at the start of the second half but Steven Rigg's low effort failed to extend Boot.

Solihull's Ball fired well over in a rare opening for the visitors, before Dover threatened again through Effiong who was denied by Callum Howe's superb sliding block.

Solihull scorer Osborne almost pulled a second goal out of nowhere from the edge of the box but home keeper Mersin did well to turn it aside.

The visitors were now seeing more of the ball than at any other time but apart from a header over by Howe chances were few and far between.

Whites replaced Munns with Sotiriou with around 20 minutes remaining and he almost made an instant impact heading over from Rigg's deep cross.

Reason then flashed a low across the face of the Solihull goal and immediately at the other end Ball had an excellent chance for the visitors but failed to make a contact in front of goal.

Scott Doe did just enough to hamper McCallum as he homed in on goal and with nine minutes remaining Effiong could have won it when Sotiriou's pass sent him clear but Boot did just enough to turn his shot aside at the near post.

Solihull went even closer to a winner on 87 minutes when sub Blissett ball hit the Dover post from a corner which bounced in the penalty area.

The result moved Whites up one place to ninth while Solihull remain third.

Dover: Mersin, Simpson, Taylor, Doe, Rooney, Munns (Sotiriou 68mins),Woods, Gobern, Reason, (Modeste 78mins), Effiong, Rigg (L'Ghoul 78mins); Subs: Jeffrey, De Havilland.

Solihull: Boot, Vaughan, Reckford, Howe, Gudger, Ball, Gunning, Osborne, Beesley (Blissett 73mins), McCallum, Wright (Storer 54mins); Subs: Williams, Hawkridge, Yusuff.

Attendance: 1,027

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