Dover made it successive home wins under Andy Hessenthaler by handing Hartlepool a fifth straight National League defeat.

First-half goals from Bedsente Gomis and Inih Effiong laid the platform at Crabble before visiting sub Josh Hawkes scored a late consolation to set the nerve ends jangling.

The victory was enough to take Dover off the foot of the table at the expense of Braintree and will give them a welcome lift ahead of away games with Boreham Wood and Eastleigh.

Boss Andy Hessenthaler named the same starting XI which lost 1-0 at Halifax the previous weekend. The only changes were on the bench where Anthony Jeffrey and Tobi Sho-Silva came in at the expense of Ryan Huckle and Emanuel Adebowale.

Jeffrey was back in the squad after serving a six-match suspension following his red card at Harrogate.

The first half was an open affair with both sides winning early corners before Dover enjoyed an excellent couple of minutes inspired by Bobby-Joe Taylor, who on Friday agreed a deal until the end of the season.

The former Bromley man drew a fine save from Scott Loach with a 20-yard drive in the 10th minute and soon after provided a teasing centre which Effiong headed just wide of the far post.

Jamie Allen then tested Loach with a low drive which the keeper saved down his right before Hartlepool's Carl Magnay found himself free 12 yards out but shot straight at Mitch Walker.

The breakthrough arrived on 19 minutes when Effiong and Allen forced an opening with the ball running favourably for Gomis who stabbed home from close range for his second goal of the campaign.

Pools forced successive corners as they sought a swift response with Peter Kioso heading wide at the far post from the second.

Paddy McLaughlin then had Dover's hearts in mouths as he flashed a shot from 20 yards before Walker had to pluck out Tyrone O'Neill's rising effort at the near post.

As play continued to switch from one end to the other Effiong had two shots blocked in quick succession and Taylor also sent over a teasing cross which just drifted beyond Allen at the far post.

Then, with seven minutes of the half remaining Whites doubled their lead. Joshua Debayo was the creator, running unchallenged from deep in his own half to hit a cross which Magnay only half-cleared to Effiong who finished confidently from 12 yards.

It was the striker's third league goal of the season and fourth in total.

Hartlepool made a bright start to the second half but it was Whites who almost struck again on 55 minutes when a great cross from Josh Passley fell to Effiong but the big man was stretching at the far post and couldn't really direct his effort.

Gomis then headed wide at the far post, while for Hartlepool the impressive McLaughlin created room for a shot only to fire over from the edge of the box on the hour.

Marcus Dinanga headed wide for the visitors on 74 minutes before his fellow sub Josh Hawkes breathed fresh life into the contest by wriggling clear to shoot past Walker with six minutes remaining.

The visitors enjoyed good possession after that and, in the five minutes of injury time keeper Loach came upfield to glance a header wide but Dover held on to claim their third victory in a row over their north east opponents.

Dover: Walker, Passley, Debayo, Brundle, Lokko, Gomis (Nortey 76mins), Lewis, Taylor, Allen, Reason (Jeffrey 74mins), Effiong (Sho-Silva 90mins); Subs: Worgan, Diarra.

Hartlepool: Loach, Kioso, Richardson (Hawkes 70mins), Magnay, Anderson, Kitching, Donaldson, Featherstone, McLaughlin, James (Muir 70mins), O’Neill (Dinanaga 60mins); Subs: Catterick, Butler.

Attendance: 1,027 (109 from Hartlepool).