Dover missed the chance to steal a march on their relegation rivals after losing to an injury-time goal against Gateshead at Crabble on Saturday.

Kevin Lokko's eighth minute header gave them the lead in the only National League fixture to go-ahead but Gateshead's Fraser Kerr deservedly brought the visitors level 12 minutes from time.

Greg Olley then glanced home a header to break Dover hearts with just seconds of the three added minutes remaining.

The result ended Dover's six-match unbeaten run and they will see it as a big opportunity missed – victory would have moved them up three places to 16th, six points outside the relegation zone.

Boss Andy Hessenthaler kept faith with the XI that started at Havant the previous week, with Bedsente Gomis suspended and Josh Passley injured. Winger Anthony Jeffrey returned from his ankle injury and was named on the bench.

Whites – who went into the game unbeaten in six at home – made an excellent start with Mitch Brundle at the heart of everything, particularly in the opening 25 minutes.

The Whites skipper forced Heed keeper Aynsley Pears to push away his fierce free-kick inside three minutes and was then just inches away from getting on the end of Josh Debayo's inviting cross after the full back had charged down a clearance by Robbie Tinkler.

Whites forced four corners in the opening seven minutes and it was from the fourth that they went ahead as Lokko looped a header over Pears from Brundle's cross for his sixth goal of the season.

Pears then saved with his feet from Brundle, who forced the Heed keeper into another smart save on 18 minutes when he ran onto Jai Reason's corner to hit a low drive from the edge of the box.

Dover really should have had more than one goal to show for their early dominance but as the half wore on Gateshead began to get more of a foothold on the game.

They looked tidy in possession but their only real chance came just before the half-hour when willing front runner Steven Rigg was just unable to get on the end of Connor Thomson's teasing cross

Skipper Scott Barrow also curled one effort well wide and then, in the final seconds of the half, saw his goalbound effort hit one of his own players.

Dover – who went to three at the back in the second half – survived two early scares, first when the ball appeared to strike Debayo's hand inside his own box, and then when Gateshead's Olley fired just wide with Walker at full stretch

Debayo then popped up to provide a dangerous cross at the other end, with Inih Effiong seeing his free-kick in a good position hit the wall before going over.

Gateshead though really should have equalised on 61 minutes but Rigg – without a goal in 16 games – screwed his close range effort wide, forcing looks of anguish from his team-mates.

Hessenthaler replaced Nortei Nortey with Bobby Joe Taylor on 66 minutes and the wing back almost immediately made it 2-0 when his fierce drive from the edge of the box was saved at the second attempt by Pears.

Just before that Reason had gone down under challenge from Barrow but no penalty was given.

Gateshead continued to press for an equaliser and it arrived on 78 minutes when big centre-half Kerr headed home at the far post after Whites had failed to deal with a short corner.

Four minutes later there was a heart in mouth moment for Whites as Scott Doe's backpass fell short and in the melee that followed Tinkler's shot was deflected wide.

There was however no reprieve in the 93rd minute when Gateshead swept upfield and from Barrow's cross Olley flicked the ball into the far corner to leave Whites crestfallen.

The win was Gateshead's first in five attempts against Dover at Crabble. Their previous four visits had all ended in defeat.

Dover: Walker, McNamara (Jeffrey 86mins), Doe, Lokko, Debayo, Brundle, Lewis, Nortey (Taylor 66mins), Reason, Effiong, Allen (Pavey 75mins); Subs: Modeste, Diarra.

Gateshead: Pears, Kerr, Williamson, Mellish, Tinkler, Barrow, Thomson, Olley, Rigg, White, Forbes; Subs: Foden, Hunter, Salkeld, Maloney, Devitt.
Attendance:1,037