Dover strengthened their case for a Blue Square South play-off place with a 2-1 away win against St Albans. Goals from Adam Birchall (right) and Shaun Welford saw them move back into fifth.

But Andy Hessenthaler's men were forced to come from a goal down and had to play the closing 23 minutes with just 10 men as Jon Wallis picked up two yellow cards.

Wallis was penalised for the game's opening goal mid way through the first half as he pulled on the shirt of a St Albans forward. The referee had failed to stop play for a head injury to Sammy Moore and Dover were caught on the break and penalised from the penalty spot.

Adam Birchall managed to level things up before half time though as he fired across the keeper inside the area on 41 minutes.

Hessenthaler shuffled his pack defensively at the break and the tactical change brought almost immediate results. Shaun Welford put Whites ahead on 51 minutes after Moore's miskick found its way to Nicky Southall. The former Gills man hooked the ball into the area and Welford made no mistake, diving in to poke home.

Wallis was sent for an early bath on 67 minutes when the referee put his name in the notebook for a second time, for an apparant dive.

Dover keeper Ross Flitney was called into action before the end to secure the three points and was even helped out by Sammy Moore in injury time to clear a St Albans effort off the line.

The result sees Dover move three points ahead of fellow play-off chasers Welling, who lost 3-1 away to relegation-threatened Lewes.