Dover reached the first round of the FA Cup for the third consecutive season after Sean Raggett headed a 92nd minute winner in a hard fought 2-1 win at Eastbourne Borough's Priory Lane on Saturday.

The game looked set to go to a replay when defender Raggett powered home Nicky Deverdics' corner.

Stefan Payne gave Whites the lead in the third minute before the National League South equalised through substitute Gavin McCallum in the 77th minute.

While the game ended dramatically, it also started that way.

Eastbourne had the first attempt on goal in just the second minute when Nathaniel Pinney went close from just outside the box.

But seconds later, it was Dover who took the lead with Payne's 10th goal of the season in the third minute.

Goalkeeper Lewis Carey did well to keep out Jack Parkinson's header from Sam Magri's cross and Payne back-heeled the rebound home.

But Eastbourne didn't buckle after that setback - far from it.

They put Dover under plenty of pressure and it needed a great double save from goalkeeper Mitch Walker to keep Dover's lead intact.

He pushed away Elliott Romain's intial shot before he kept hold of Nathan Collier's close range effort from the rebound.

The lively Pinney also fired wide while Romain saw his shot whistle across Walker's goal.

Dover threatened next but Sean Raggett's header from captain Jamie Grimes' free-kick was easily gathered by Carey.

The half ended with Ricky Miller firing well over after a rare Dover break.

Pinney had the first shot of the second half just after the restart which Walker saved with ease.

Dover responded a minute later with Parkinson seeing his shot deflected over for a corner, but nothing came of it.

Chances then proved to be few and far between with Payne's weak 62nd minute shot not about to test Carey's ability.

Neither goalkeepers were really being tested but Payne kept trying, seeing Carey save his header from substitute Ricky Modeste's cross in the 71st minute.

But six minutes later, the scores were level after McCallum beat Walker from well outside the box.

And Eastbourne missed a great chance to win it in the 88th minute, with Darren Lok shooting wide from six yards.

That miss proved costly, with Raggett ensuring that.

Dover: Walker, Magri, Orlu, Grimes, Raggett, Thomas, Parkinson, Deverdics, Ajala (Modeste 68mins), Miller (Murphy 81mins), Payne. Subs not used: Diallo, Ofori-Acheampong, Rafferty, Sterling, Kinnear Jnr.

Attendance: 821