Dover manager Chris Kinnear admits his side were flat throughout the second half of Saturday's 4-1 home Vanarama National League defeat to Tranmere.

A 22nd minute headed goal from Aswad Thomas was the very least Whites deserved for an impressive start at Crabble, but once Tranmere top scorer Andy Cook had equalised against the run of play the initiative changed hands.

Cook's goal - one of two for him on the afternoon - followed a free-kick Kinnear felt should not have been awarded, but he did admit to being disappointed that his players were unable to produce the same energy in the second half as they had in the first.

Kinnear, whose side dropped one place to seventh after the defeat, said: "I thought in the first half we were absolutely outstanding against a massively experienced side and we should have been well in front.

"We created chances and their keeper was flying all over the place. They'd not even had a shot on target but they nicked a goal from well, it started from a foul that was not a foul which the referee gave.

"Our centre half won the header, there wasn't even an appeal for it but they're a good side, the free-kick set them up for it (the goal) and that put us under pressure."

Whites had not lost at home since a 2-1 defeat to Aldershot in late August and had won their last four at Crabble, scoring 15 goals, but Kinnear said he wondered whether some of his squad had one eye on next weekend's big FA Cup first round tie at Cambridge.

He added: "I thought we'd go on to win in the second half but maybe one or two (players) were thinking about the glory of the FA Cup next week. I don't think anyone does it consciously - it's just in the back of your mind.

"They will all have been looking forward to it. It's all people have been talking about. It's Cambridge, Cambridge, Cambridge. We tried to keep them focused but second half we didn't do what we could have done and have done.

"We looked a little bit flat and it looked at times like 'Oh let's get this one out the way'. No-one means to do it. We also had a couple out there who were on four bookings, one more and they wouldn't have been able to play against Cambridge so maybe that was another consideration."

Kinnear said he had no doubts his players would pick themselves up for the trip to Cambridge next week and he believes they can remain competitive in the league as well.

He explained: "We've been on a great run, we've been rattling goals in and today it's just one of those things that happen sometimes.

"People over react, I mean goodness gracious you're going to lose sometimes especially in this league against these ridiculously big clubs, but we move on.

"We're a side where everyone has to be at it and if one or two aren't it's hard but that happens, you've got to look forward, don't look back and that's why we've achieved what we have in the past."