Dover suffered their first defeat of the season at Bromley in the National League on Tuesday night.

Despite the final scoreline there was enough in this display to give Whites boss Andy Hessenthaler plenty of encouragement. But Dover were made to pay for missed chances by a clinical Bromley outfit.

Dover made one change from the team that started against Notts County with Travis Gregory coming in for the injured Josh Passley.

Whites made a decent start, they looked comfortable in possession and cohesive in their shape.

Forward Ade Azeez's intelligent running created a couple of openings as he got behind the three-man Bromley defence.

One early chance saw him set up Sam Wood, who was playing for Bromley last season, but the wing-back ran the ball out of play and the chance was gone.

At the other end, Chris Bush saw his long-range free-kick deflected well wide by the defensive wall.

A good advantage by referee Lloyd Wood - who got plenty of stick from both benches for some questionable decisions throughout - saw Steve Rigg set Azeez free but Travis Gregory's low-shot from his pull back was well gathered by home keeper Mark Cousins.

To some extent, Whites were masters of their own downfall for Bromley's opener on 24 minutes.

On-loan Millwall defender Harry Ransom bravely tried to continue when he appeared to pull his hamstring. Instead of going down, Dover played on and quickly lost the ball, Harry Forster leaving Ransom behind and crossing for Michael Cheek to slam home from close range.

Ransom played no further part with TJ Bramble dropping into a re-jigged Dover defence.

Ben Williamson nearly added a second on the half-hour as he forced a fine save from keeper Yusuf Mersin, who turned his low shot behind for a corner.

Bromley scored a second goal seven minutes after the restart. A low free-kick was not held by Mersin and home captain Jack Holland bundled the ball in, despite Dover's claims that he'd fouled the keeper in the process.

But Dover were back in the game just before the hour mark as Gregory's low cross was turned in by Wood at the far post.

The visitors visibly grew in confidence and passed the ball around with a greater threat again. Their patience approach nearly produced an equaliser when Steve Rigg showed good footwork on the edge of the box to create himself space before curling a right-foot shot just beyond the upright.

Gregory drove forward down the right with good effect, his deflected cross somehow evaded everyone in the box as an equaliser seemed on the cards.

Then a lovely well-worked corner was fired over the bar by Akheen Rose, who also dragged a long-range shot wide as Dover remained on the frontfoot.

Bromley restored their two-goal advantage with 19 minutes left when a long ball forward was flicked on for Williamson to race in on goal and he produced a clinical finish from the angle to find the far corner.

Dover introduced Louis Collins for the closing stages and he drew an immediate foul from Byron Webster which earned the Bromley defender a yellow card.

Substitute James Alabi fired high and wide after creating space as the hosts had chances with Dover pushing men forward.

A fourth goal, which was certainly harsh on Dover, arrived in stoppage time when an error by Mersin allowed Cheek to score his second of the night from close range.

Bromley: Cousins, Webster, Bush, Holland, Kizzie, Raymond, Bingham, Roberts, Forster (Trott 69mins), Williamson (Alabi 74mins), Cheek. Subs not used: Purrington, Maney, Vincent.

Dover: Mersin, Wood, Gobern, De Havilland, Rigg, Munns, Bramble, Gregory, Ransom (Rose 27mins), Azeez (Collins 74mins), Ekpiteta. Subs not used: Cumberbatch, Hinghiri, Wratten.