Dover’s eight-year stay in the National League ended as they lost at home to Yeovil on Saturday.

Ben Barclay scored for the Glovers in the first period before Northern Irish midfielder Dale Gorman added a second after the restart with a free-kick, while Dover’s Michael Gyasi had a second-half strike controversially ruled out and a late penalty appeal dismissed in their 2-0 defeat.

The visitors created the first opportunity of the encounter, as Josh Staunton flicked a Tom Knowles long throw towards goal but Dover keeper Adam Parkes made a simple save with eight minutes played.

Andy Hessenthaler’s men threatened on a fine spring afternoon, four minutes later.

Poor play from Yeovil skipper Staunton saw him give the ball to Whites’ top scorer Alfie Pavey, making his 50th club appearance, and Glovers goalkeeper Ted Cann could only fumble the speculative long-range strike behind for a corner.

But the Somerset side - who had been on a nine-match winless run - drew first blood in the 19th minute.

Whites failed to clear Jordan Barnett’s free-kick which had been delivered from the halfway line and centre-back Barclay slotted past Parkes.

Searching for a response, on-loan Dover man Gyasi cut in from the right before finding Myles Judd, but the full-back screwed his effort wide.

Just after the half-hour mark, Yeovil winger Knowles flashed a dangerous ball across the face of goal but no away attacker could connect with his right-wing cross.

Gyasi looked to be the home side’s most dangerous player and curled a shot narrowly over on 36 minutes but Whites trailed at the break.

Dover made a half-time change, Koby Arthur coming on to replace Djair Parfitt-Williams.

Indeed, Arthur tried to test Cann five minutes after the restart, only for Yeovil defender Mark Little to make a fine block.

Soon after, George Wilkinson’s over-hit cross looked to be dropping in but Cann tipped over the teenage midfielder’s effort.

But Darren Sarll’s side doubled their advantage on 56 minutes. Gorman bent a free-kick around the wall and, despite Parkes getting his hand to it, he couldn’t keep it out.

Referee Matthew Russell then appeared to book Whites manager Hessenthaler not long after.

Dover thought they had a goal back midway through the second period, Gyasi stroking into an empty net after a mistake by Cann. But the goal was ruled out for offside, much to the dismay of the home contingent.

With 16 minutes to go, Gyasi sent a free-kick inches wide before the hosts made their final two changes as 16-year-old midfielder Kieron Agbebi and fellow Academy product Luke Baptiste came on for Wilkinson and Arjanit Krasniqi.

Dover had been better in the second period and felt they should have had a penalty in the 87th minute when Gyasi went to ground inside the penalty area. But their protests were dismissed to cap a miserable day for the Kent club as they head into the latter stages of a tough campaign as they aim to avoid some unwanted records.

In the 2013/14 season, Hyde accumulated 10 National League points - two more than Dover have earned so far this campaign.

But with Whites having started the season on minus 12, they are still some 15 points from beating that particular points tally, having won just once.

There was a one-minute silence before the match at Crabble in memory of club photographer Simon Harris, who has died aged 66, while Dover’s players wore black armbands in tribute to him.

Dover named an unchanged starting line-up from their side which lost at promotion-chasing FC Halifax the previous weekend.

But there was a significant change on the bench for Whites.

With Gillingham loanee Henry Woods missing out through illness, youngster Agbebi was called up into Hessenthaler’s squad.

The Glovers were captained by ex-Gillingham player Staunton, while Cann came in for a second debut for Yeovil between the sticks, having joined on loan from Championship outfit West Brom.

To make matters worse, second-bottom King’s Lynn did beat 3-0 Aldershot, meaning - had Dover won - they would have extended their stay in the top tier of English non-league football for another week.

But it was not to be for relegated Dover who still have 11 fixtures to play this term.

Dover Athletic: Parkes, Goodman, Collinge, Ransom, Judd, Moses, Wilkinson (Agbebi 75mins), Krasniqi (Baptiste 75mins), Gyasi, Pavey, Parfitt-Williams (Arthur 46mins), Subs not used: Andre Jr, Byford.

Yeovil Town: Cann, Little, Staunton, Barclay, Williams, Barnett, Gorman, Worthington, Knowles (Olomola 84mins), Yusuff (Reid 87mins), Wakefield (Neufville 74mins). Subs not used: D’Ath, Bradley.

Referee: Matthew Russell.