By Cameron Hogwood

Andy Hessenthaler admits his Dover side were not at their best in Saturday's 3-0 victory over Braintree at Crabble.

Whites won at home for the first time since Boxing Day to move four points ahead of Havant & Waterlooville, who remain in the final relegation spot following their 2-1 defeat to Leyton Orient.

The hosts were forced into a re-shuffle after just five minutes when Braintree moved to one up top following the sending off of defender Ricky Gabriel.

Hessenthaler said: "Yeah I was watching in the office today because I was serving a ban from last week unfortunately."

"With them just playing one up front, we'd worked on two days of playing three centre-halves, playing wing-backs and being more expansive at home so our best laid plans are thrown out the window because they had a player sent off."

"We felt we just needed to change it because it wasn't really working."

"It was a scrappy win today, we wasn't at our best, we've played better this season and lost."

Even with a man advantage, Dover saw their lead continue to come under threat as Braintree were granted some joy through talented striker Callum Morton.

Despite the clean sheet and signs of improved game management, Hessenthaler accepted his side were fortunate not to concede on a number of occasions.

He added: "We managed the game better, but we got away with a few things. We dodged a bullet as they say at times, obviously with the penalty save and the free-kick and then they got in a couple of times."

"The second goal was the big key for me. We looked a nervous team today. There was a lot on the game. We're at that stage of the season now where it doesn't matter how you win."

Dover had goalkeeper Lee Worgan partly to thank for the shut-out after he flourished in place of no.1 Mitch Walker, who dropped out of the squad after 91 consecutive National League starts for Dover.

Two vital second half saves saw him first tip Cameron James' goal-bound free-kick onto the cross bar, before diving low to his left-hand side to deny Korrey Henry from the penalty spot.

Discussing his selection, Hessenthaler added: "It was a tough call for me to leave out our goalkeeper who's been at the club a long time. I had to make a call as a manager and I just felt he's been lacking a little bit of confidence over the past few weeks."

"I sat him down and had a chat with him. You have to make calls as a manager.

"I left out Inih (Effiong) as well because I felt he was looking a little bit tired and the goals had dried up a bit. Then young Danny from Millwall, we changed the shape because I feel he's more of a full-back."

Jai Reason meanwhile announced his return with a goal having been dearly missed during the 1-0 defeat to Maidenhead amid the birth of his son Kiyan.

His injection of quality proved key in helping Dover edge what had been an untidy and stop-start contest.

Hessenthaler admitted: "Jai Reason just showed everybody today that he's just got that little bit of class and game intelligence you need in a football match when it's a bit scrappy."

"We missed him last week, he was a big loss to us. He was at the birth of his first child, I'm a family guy and I wouldn't stop him from doing that, but it was a hindrance for us because he's a big part of us going forward. Today you could just see his quality."

The positive for Dover will have been their ability to pick up three points without playing at their highest level at this stage of the season.

They enter next weekend's visit to13th-placed Hartlepool level on 39 points with Chesterfield and one behind 18th-placed Maidenhead, both of whom have a game in hand.

Hessenthaler believes four more wins from the remaining 10 games could be enough to lead his team to safety.

"Everybody goes with the 50 [points]. We'll look at four more wins, that would give us 51. We'll look forward to the challenge."