Andy Hessenthaler was left wondering if Dover are ever going to win a game this season after another big effort came to nothing.

Whites boss Hessenthaler was proud of his patched-up team against Wrexham yesterday, describing their performance as “exceptional” and “brilliant”.

But the big-spending Red Dragons left Crabble with a 1-0 victory after scoring direct from a Jordan Davies corner in the 84th minute.

Whites went desperately close to an equaliser but Wrexham clung on to the points that moved them up to fourth place in the National League, while Dover remain winless.

“For me it was an unbelievable performance,” said Hessenthaler, whose plans were hit when Harry Ransom pulled out through illness on the morning of the game, while Danny Collinge was suspended after picking up his fifth booking at Yeovil.

“I thought they were exceptional, the fans know that, they clapped them off, they were exceptional last week at Yeovil, they were exceptional the week before.

“I’m just gutted for them because we need a little bit of luck and if you don’t win a game performing like that then I don’t know when we’re going to win a game, because they were brilliant.

“It is feeling a little bit that way tonight because what else can they do?

“They’re doing everything they can to try and get a win.”

Hessenthaler, convinced Dover should have had a first-half penalty when TJ Bramble was taken down, saw his side beaten when Davies’ late corner found its way in.

It was a cruel way to concede, with Whites claiming a foul on Junior Tiensia but Dover kept their heads up in a big finish, with Ryan Hanson and Jake Goodman going close.

“I think Junior got pushed in the near-post space according to him, and it’s gone over his head, but you have to defend the near-post space better than that,” said Hessenthaler.

“We’ve done it for 84 minutes, against a bombardment of long throws and set plays, and we’ve had our chances second half, we’ve hit the post and at the death how that’s not gone in from big Jake Goodman?

“They’re a side that should be where they are, should be up the top, should be pushing for promotion, against a team that trains two nights a week, Monday and Thursday at a school, and how close have we have run them today?”

“It’s a bitter pill, we had a right good go. I just think, when are we going to get this win?”