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Andy Hessenthaler’s substitutions were the difference again as Dover completed the double over Maidstone.
Hessenthaler’s double switch at half-time turned the Boxing Day meeting Whites’ way after they trailed at the break
And it was his use of the bench that proved pivotal once more as Whites took the game to Maidstone in the second half on New Year’s Day.
One of his substitutes, Jamie Allen, scored an 86th-minute winner after Dover showed their attacking intent by introducing widemen Ricky Modeste and Anthony Jeffrey.
Boss Hessenthaler, his side now three points clear of the National League bottom four after the 1-0 win, said: “The first half was a little bit too predictable, we went a little bit too long up to the two big lads and we were easy to play against.
“But second half we came out and I thought we were worthy winners.
“I just felt we needed to win this game today.
“Teams that are in and around us, we’ve got to beat them and I just felt we had enough on the bench to be more attacking and force them back and in the end we got the goal and we could have had a couple more.
“We went for it, we got our rewards and it’s been a good Christmas.”
Allen has been out of favour in recent matches but showed what he’s about with the late winner.
Hessenthaler said: “I’m really pleased for Jamie. He’s been excellent since I’ve been here, he’s worked really hard.
“At times he’s had really good games, he just needed a goal.
“I didn’t start him today, he’s come on and got his goal and deservedly so. He’s a great lad to work with.”
It’s now one defeat in eight for Dover, whose victory moved them up to 18th in the table, and even Hessenthaler is surprised by the speed of their revival since returning to the hotseat in October.
He said: “We had to do a lot of work in the transition and changing it around from part-time to full-time so to get the results and get the boys together and believing in themselves, it has been a little bit surprising, but the more you work with them every day, you realise we’ve got a good bunch there.”
