Two goals in 12 second-half minutes helped ease Dover to victory in their FA Trophy first round tie against Eastbourne Borough at Crabble on Saturday.

After a frustrating first 45 minutes Mitch Pinnock broke the deadlock in the opening seconds of the second half before top scorer Ryan Bird claimed his 12th goal of the season.

Substitute James Alabi then completed the scoring, tapping home at the far post in the 88th minute after a fine run and cross by Femi Ilesanmi.

Whites had gone out to Dartford at this stage last season but boss Chris Kinnear certainly took the tie seriously enough naming the same side which had beaten Hartlepool 4-0 in the league the previous week.

Eastbourne's starting line-up included former Dover defender Ian Simpemba, who captained the side, plus Jack Richards, who is on loan from Maidstone.

Dover had plenty of possession in the first half but Eastbourne, led by Simpemba, defended resolutely and keeper Mark Smith had only one save of note to make.

That came midway through the half when the lively Anthony Jeffrey let fly from 15 yards and Smith did well to turn the ball over for a corner.

Whites might have been ahead by then, skipper Mitch Brundle having volleyed wide after the ball had dropped to him from the second of two successive corners in the eighth minute.

Jeffrey's pace constantly stretched Boro before the break and twice he almost played in Ryan Bird, the first after a particularly good touch had seen him pluck the ball out of the air in the first place.

Pinnock also showed some nice touches and eight minutes before half-time combined with Giancarlo Gallifuoco before producing a fine cross but Nortei Nortey was unable to control the ball and the chance went begging.

Boro created little of note although Aldershot loanee Shaun Okojie did have a sight of goal just after the half-hour mark when he turned at the near post and drove his shot across the face of goal.

Whites needed an early goal in the second half to bring Eastbourne out of their shell and they got just that inside the opening seconds.

Bird did well to take a through ball into his stride and when his shot deflected across the face of goal Pinnock was well placed to turn home his third goal in the last two games.

Keeper Smith did well to beat out to Gallifuoco's header from Pinnock's corner in the 56th minute but the reprieve was only temporary for the visitors.

From the next corner, again taken by Pinnock, the ball broke to Bird and although his first effort was blocked the big striker drilled home the rebound from close range. It was also his third goal in the last two games.

Bird should have made it 3-0 just before the hour when he broke into the box but Smith blocked well and with Dover now well on top Jeffrey headed over from Pinnock's cross.

Brundle then forced Smith to go down well to save from 25 yards before Boro had a couple of efforts, with striker Okojie seeing his effort deflected into the side-netting and Simon Johnson volleying wide.

Dover sub Kadell Daniel whistled a ball across goal after showing some excellent skills on the byline but with two minutes remaining Whites added their third.

Ilesanmi did all the spadework with a fine run and cross and Alabi was in the right place at the right time to tap home his second goal for the club.

Dover: Walker, Okosieme (Fazakerley 74mins), Ilesanmi, Gallifuoco, Parry, Essam, Brundle, Nortey, Pinnock, Bird (Alabi 81mins), Jeffrey (Daniel 78mins); Subs not used: Richards, Deen-Conteh.

Eastbourne: Smith, Hendon, McCallum, Wills, Simpemba, Khinda-John, Dawes (Redwood 81mins), Johnson, Okojie, Ransom (Harris 72mins), Richards (Odubade 67 mins); Subs not used: Worrall, Armstrong-Ford.

Attendance: 424