The Boxing Day derby between Dover and Maidstone ended in an entertaining draw.

Ricky Miller gave Whites the lead with a hotly disputed penalty but Jamar Loza rescued a deserved point with an outrageous lob.

Dover were unchanged from their draw at promotion rivals Forest Green while United made three changes, Kevin Lokko, Jack Paxman and Alex Flisher in for Anthony Acheampong, Jack Evans and Bobby-Joe Taylor.

It was open from the off with Miller, Ross Lafayette and Moses Emmanuel looking lively for the hosts, with Vas Karagiannis a good outlet for Maidstone down the right.

Modeste put Aswad Thomas’ cross on to the roof of the net and Jack Parkinson went close with a deflected strike from the edge of the box against his old club.

Up the other end, Paxman had an effort blocked after Whites didn’t clear a Karagiannis corner, then Yemi Odubade went on a lovely run through the middle from Paxman’s pass but Dover keeper Steve Arnold was out well.

Whites took the lead in the 16th minute with Miller going down softly under challenge from Tom Mills and sending Lee Worgan the wrong way from the spot for his 25th league goal of the season.

Emmanuel went close as Dover looked to turn the screw but United regrouped with Kevin Lokko close with a header from James Rogers’ cross and Loza brilliantly denied by Arnold after cutting inside on his left foot.

Then, just before the half-hour, Paxman and Odubade combined neatly to play in Karagiannis but Tyrone Sterling made the block.

Miller had a couple of decent chances to extend Dover’s lead, Jamie Coyle getting in the way after swapping passes with Lafayette, then he dragged wide when well placed from a Thomas pass.

Maidstone should have been level in first-half injury time, Flisher volleying over from six yards when picked out unmarked from a clever Karagiannis free-kick, while Lokko’s header was blocked on the line by Richard Orlu.

Worgan was off his line sharply in the second half after Lafayette robbed Lokko, with Arnold down well at the other end to turn Karagiannis’ strike out for a corner.

Arnold matched that save after Karagiannis fed Flisher on the edge of the box, followed by a point-blank stop from Loza.

Maidstone were on top and levelled on the hour with Loza’s brilliant lob from the right beating Arnold and dropping in off the post.

Miller threatened a late winner for Dover, a deflected strike narrowly wide after a terrific run through the middle, while Lafayette sent an injury-time free-kick over.

Dover: Arnold, Magri, Thomas, Grimes, Orlu, Sterling, Modeste, Parkinson (Stevenson 75mins), Miller, Lafayette, Emmanuel (Moore 79mins). Subs not used: Pinnock, Kinnear, Marsh.

Maidstone: Worgan, Driver, Mills, Coyle, Lokko, Rogers, Karagiannis (Taylor 81mins), Paxman, Loza, Odubade (N'Guessan 83mins), Flisher. Subs not used: Evans, Acheampong, Greenhalgh.

Attendance: 2,369 (509 Stones fans).