Darren Hare says Dover have rarely played as well as they did in the first half of Saturday's 1-1 home National League draw with Solihull Moors.

Whites dominated the opening 25 minutes at Crabble, going ahead through Inih Effiong's early header and creating several other excellent chances.

Solihull's equaliser – an exquisite 27th minute free kick from Jamey Osbourne – came from their first shot and even after that Dover could have been back in front by half-time.

The second half was more even with both sides having chances to win it and Whites coach Hare said Dover's players had every right to be pleased with their efforts.

Solihull had gone into the game third, and having won seven of their last 10 matches.

Hare explained: "I think frustration is a good word to use.

"We're delighted with the display, we can't fault the players' efforts.

"If I'm honest I thought that was some of the best football we've played since we've been at the club, not just this season.

"I thought we showed so much belief, and courage on the ball in the first half.

"We were causing them all sorts of problems, players wanting the ball, making runs.

"There was some excellent combination play, one-twos, round the corners, you name it, it was some really good stuff to see.

"It's just a shame we did not convert the chances we had into goals because it would have been no more than the boys deserved at half-time.

"However, we go from being one up to giving away a set piece which was disappointing and that's all they had to offer really.

• Dover v Solihull match report
• Inih will come good

"I've seen that so many times throughout my career in football, you can dominate games and then you can get a sucker punch and that's what happened in the first half.
"We asked the players just to try to carry on doing the same but in the second half, and again credit to us, Solihull changed their shape.

"They matched us up, they made it hard for us, they tried to make the game a little bit more how they'd like it as oppose to how we wanted to have it and we didn't quite manage to show the same sort of creativity and free-flowing football that we'd shown in the first half.

"Having said that we still created three very good chances.

"We're pleased with the performance, we really are and we're happy that the lads are showing a lot of confidence out there on the field because that has not always been in evidence here."

Effiong's impressive header was his 10th goal of the season but he also missed two gilt-edged chances, one in each half.

Hare though said the striker continues to be a fundamental component of the side.

Hare added: "I feel a bit for Inih, he's a constant thorn in defenders' sides when he plays for us.

"He gets those chances, by the way, because of his athleticism, just his awkwardness and his willingness to run.

"People will moan 'He's got to take these chances', he knows he's got to take them but one of these days it's going to click.

"Today he could have walked away with the match ball but we know what Inih brings to us.

"It wasn't just him who missed gilt-edged chances.

"Riggy (Steven Rigg) should have scored, Jai Reason had a chance, Ruel Sotiriou had a chance when he came on although it's never easy as a sub, so others missed chances.

"It's not just one player, it's the whole group.

"Yes Inih will probably be highlighted because he had the easier chances but that header, he doesn't score many with his head and that was an absolutely fantastic header.

"He's scored again, he's got 10 so he's still near the top of the (league) scoring charts.

"We can't forget that, he's almost the first name on the teamsheet most weeks purely and simply because of the nuisance value he provides.

"If he took all his chances, he would not be playing at this level, he'd be playing up and he knows that but once that ball starts going in the back of the net, on a regular basis, then there will be teams watching him as there already are."

Whites, ninth and now unbeaten in five, are at home again on Tuesday when they host Maidenhead.