Ricky Miller struck twice as Dover overcame Chester 3-1 at Crabble on Saturday to return to the National League play-off places.

Whites registered their first win in four games and first in five home games in all competitions thanks to Miller's double either side of the break, taking him to 27 league goals this season, and Joe Healy's first goal for the club just before the hour, rendering James Alabi's fine curler a mere consolation.

With Barrow's home defeat to Forest Green, Dover reclaimed fifth place and are now just six points behind leaders Lincoln, who do have two games in hand.

Chris Kinnear made three changes with Healy handed his first start and Jack Parkinson and Ricky Modeste returning against a side who beat Dover 5-0 on the road in October.

After a very quiet start at a chilly Crabble, when a scuffed long-range effort from Ross Lafayette was the only touch of the ball for Chester keeper Liam Roberts, Dover got a taste of things to come on eight minutes when Alabi had a shot charged down after some quick feet in the box.

Richard Orlu had to be at his best to thwart a dangerous run down the Chester right from Kane Richards soon after and Alabi had another range-finder on 20 minutes which flew high and wide of Steve Arnold's goal.

The chances continued to come for the visitors and a sublime cross from the left wing from Johnny Hunt swung back to the sliding Alabi who could only divert a yard wide of the far post.

Dover sprung into life and Miller outmuscled Hunt at the other end seconds later before fizzing a 25-yard angled effort just wide of the far post.

Buoyed by the chance Miller back-heeled superbly into the path of Lafayette in the box moments later but the striker's charge was halted by a superb recovery tackle by Ryan Lloyd.

The home pressure continued and on 26 minutes Miller won a penalty after tempting Matty Waters into a challenge in the box, with referee Neil Hare immediately pointing to the spot.

Miller duly slotted his 26th goal of the season from the spot, sending Roberts the wrong way and it was nearly two less than two minutes later as Sam Magri's excellent right-wing cross was headed goalward by Ricky Modeste, with Roberts forced to dive to his left to gather low down.

Parity was restored seconds later however as the ball was fed to the feet of Alabi in the box and he turned on a sixpence before curling a sublime shot into the far corner with Arnold powerless to stop it sneaking inside the post.

Modeste looped a deep cross inches past the far post and Tom Shaw dragged a low shot wide of Arnold's post from the edge of the box, while Miller was perhaps fortunate bto escape an early bath after picking up a booking and then launching into a thunderous challenge in a seven-minute span late in the half which earned him a final warning.

Miller restored Whites' lead within five minutes of the restrart as he left Blaine Hudson on the floor, chasing a long ball 45 yards from goal and then held off Theo Vassell before firing low past Roberts.

Miller saw another angled drive deflect wide soon after and a run along the byline a low cross flashed across he face of goal untouched but Dover's purple patch continued and Parkinson flashes a rasping drive wide from 20 yards after he was teed-up by Lafayette.

The crucial third arrived just before the hour as Lafayette nodded down a high ball for Healy who provided a crisp low finish into the corner from 16 yards.

Miller committed another foul and was hastily withdrawn by Chris Kinnear with Moses Emmanuel coming on, while Arnold held a Hudson header and long-range Shaw blast as Chester tried to get back into it.

Whites took the sting out of the game and looked dangerous on the break on a Crabble pitch getting increasingly cut-up amid some freezing downpours.

Lafayette was denied in the box after a Healy pass at the end of a flowing move while Chester threatened but could not test Arnold in the closing stages.

Dover: Arnold, Magri, Thomas, Essam, Orlu, Modeste (Marsh 90mins), Miller (Emmanuel 66mins), Grimes, Parkinson, Lafayette, Healy (Kinnear Jr 86mins). Subs not used: Pinnock, Sterling.

Chester: Roberts, Vassell, Hudson, Astles, Hunt (Horwood 75mins), Durrell, Shaw, Waters (Joyce 57mins), Lloyd, Richards (Mahon 75mins), Alabi. Subs not used: Lynch, Killock.

Attendance: 1,183.