Dover's poor form at Crabble continued on Saturday as they were beaten by fellow National League play-off hopefuls Halifax.

Halifax playmaker Cameron King scored the opener as early as the 11th minute and despite creating a host of second-half chances Whites could not force an equaliser.

King then rubbed salt into their wounds by lobbing a spectacular second in time added on.

The defeat was Dover's fourth in seven matches at Crabble this season – in stark contrast to their away form which has yielded six wins from seven.

Dover manager Andy Hessenthaler kept faith with the same side which had won 2-1 at Maidenhead in midweek.

The only changes were on the bench where the newly re-signed Anthony Jeffrey replaced Bilel Hinchiri and Jack Munns came in for the injured Kevin Lokko.

The Halifax side included former Dover forward Tobi Sho-Silva, but Jamie Allen, another former Crabble favourite was ruled out by injury.

Both sides had plenty of incentive ahead of the game – Whites could have gone third with a win – but it had been a scrappy start before King opened the scoring.

Jerome Binnon-Williams picked out Liam McAlinden on the left and from his crossfield ball, King wriggled past Aaron Simpson before squeezing a shot under Lee Worgan.

Dover's first sight of goal came on 16 minutes when Ricky Modeste fired over from the edge of the box but four minutes later they could have been level.

Bobby-Joe Taylor's ball over the top played in Inih Effiong who did well to hold off two defenders only to shoot inches wide.

There were home penalty appeals on 23 minutes when Modeste went down in the Halifax box as keeper Sam Johnson came out but referee Daniel Middleton booked the Dover man for diving.

TV replays suggested there had been contact.

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Dover continually looked to get the ball in to Effiong but the visitors looked good on the counter with King forcing Worgan into a low diving save just after the half hour.

Worgan also had to save from Danny Williams, gathering at the second attempt, while McAlinden, who looked lively out wide, fired over from 20 yards.

Jai Reason had Dover's only other notable effort of the half when he curled wide from 20 yards while there were bookings for Michael Woods and Scott Doe, both for late challenges.

Hessenthaler took Kurtis Cumberbatch off at half-time, replacing him with Nassim L'Ghoul, who had scored Dover's winner at Maidenhead.

The winger's first involvement saw him win a corner from which Whites went close to an equaliser.

Reason's low cross to the near post by flicked onto Taylor by Modeste but the full-back's shot was just wide.

Dover were now well on top with Taylor rolling a free-kick short to Reason whose low shot went into the side-netting.

Moments later they went closer still when Taylor's free-kick was headed just over by Will De Havilland.

Steven Rigg was the next to go close, stabbing an effort just wide from L'Ghoul's low cross and by now Halifax were breaking upfield only sporadically.

Just after the hour De Havilland had keeper Johnson scrambling across his goal with a dipping effort from 25 yards which went wide.

The home side had another penalty appeal in the 68th minute when the ball hit a Halifax player in a crowded goalmouth but ref Middleton said no.

Two minutes later Reason's fierce free-kick was well beaten away by Johnson who must have seen it late.

Still Whites pressed and with 16 minutes remaining Hessenthaler threw on Jeffrey for Modeste.

Halifax – who barely had a shot in the second period – were content just to soak it all up and then, with the game in its dying throes, King spotted Worgan off his line and lobbed him spectacularly from 25 yards. The win moved Halifax back into second.

Dover: Worgan, Simpson, De Havilland, Doe, Taylor (Rooney 86mins), Woods, Cumberbatch (L'Ghoul 46mins), Reason, Modeste (Jeffrey 74mins) Rigg, Effiong; Subs: Mersin, Munns

Halifax: Johnson Binnon-Williams, Duckworth, Clarke, Staunton, Nolan, Cooper, McAlinden (J King 62mins), C. King, Williams (Earing 86mins), Sho-Silva (Southwell 87mins); Subs: Appleyard, Hanson.

Attendance: 1,020

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