by Andrew Gidley

Andy Hessenthaler hailed Dover’s second-half performance after his team came from 2-0 down to earn a Blue Square South point despite being reduced to 10 men at Bromley on Saturday.

The Dover boss said: "It’s the proudest I have felt since I came to the club because it was one of our best 45-minute displays and if the game had gone on for another five or 10 minutes, I’m sure we would have won.

"The second half was all us and I couldn’t believe we were playing a man short. The character and effort we showed was great, especially because we had so many fans there.

"I was disappointed with both goals, we got sloppy, people didn’t take responsibility. We shot ourselves in the foot for the second which came from our corner."

Hessenthaler, pictured, was disappointed with Matt Fish’s 38th-minute dismissal for violent conduct, which leaves the defender facing a three-match ban.

He said: "I think both players should have been sent-off but you can’t react and he let himself down."

Dover face a second trip to league rivals Havant & Waterlooville in the FA Trophy first round on Saturday.

The Whites lost their unbeaten league record at Westleigh Park in September, and Hessenthaler said: "It was a tight game down there but we do owe them one. Poor defending and giving silly goals away also cost us that day."

Sam Gore and Lee Browning (both groin) and Dean Hill (calf) are all likely to miss the trip to Havant but Sammy Moore (knee), Frannie Collin (ankle) and Jake Leberl (hamstring) all have a chance, as does Tom Wynter, ruled out at Bromley with ankle trouble.