Chris Kinnear praised the performances of Mitch Pinnock this season after the winger’s sensational goal on Tuesday night gave them a win at home to Dagenham & Redbridge.

Pinnock scored the only goal of the game in Dover’s 1-0 win at Crabble to lift them back into the National League play-off places.

The 23-year-old has nine goals in all competitions and has flourished in the first team this season.

Kinnear said: “He has scored some good goals this season. He’s got his head right and he is working hard.

“He’s looking after himself more now and it’s his first full season and he’s still young. He’s got a lot of learning to do and it’s the first time he’s had a long run in the team but he’s got to look after himself.”

Dover ended a run of three straight defeats in all competitions with the win against Dagenham & Redbridge.

Kinnear was full of praise for his side after they came back from a disappointing defeat to Solihull Moors on Saturday.

He said: “It was not like us to give goals away in previous weeks. They were throwing bodies forward but the lads stood strong and I’m proud of them.

“We’ve always been close in the games we have lost. We have not been outplayed by anyone this season.”

That win put Dover up to seventh in the table and there are just two points separating them and Ebbsfleet in 10th.

Kinnear added: “There’s still a long way to go and the pitches are heavy. We are at our best when the pitches are hard because we are not the biggest or strongest. Early on in the season when pitches are lush and firm that’s when we were flying. You have got to adapt and that’s what you have to do.

“We don’t drag people down and point fingers. We have learnt our lesson and if you are positive about things you will get a result like this.

“Some sides can go on a run of 10 or 15 games without winning but we don’t allow that to happen. We always try to be positive and you never hear me saying a bad thing about the players as I know they will give me 100%.”

Dover added Kevin Lokko to their ranks on loan from Stevenage until the end of the season, a player who was on loan at Dagenham until earlier this month.

Kinnear said: “He (Lokko) told us a few things but we know Dagenham quite well. He’s a good lad. He needs to watch us and he will be a good contribution to the squad.”