Dover lost ground in the National League play-off race on Saturday when they were beaten by promotion rivals Sutton at Crabble.

Kieron Cadogan's 26th minute goal - created by Sutton man-of-the-match Tommy Wright - was all that separated the sides with the visitors taking the points despite playing the last half-hour with 10 men after Harry Beautyman was sent off.

Indeed but for a string of fine saves by home keeper Mitch Walker, particularly in the first half, Sutton's margin of victory might have been more decisive.

The defeat was only Dover's second in the last 10 games and ended their bid to win three league games in a row for the first time this season.

Sutton's win was their third in as many games leaving them fifth while Whites slipped from sixth to ninth - their lowest position since August.

Manager Chris Kinnear was forced into one change with on loan winger Anthony Jeffrey not able to play against his parent club so Kane Richards was recalled.

The only other change was on the bench with Loui Fazakerley replacing keeper Chris Lewington.

On a heavy pitch, not helped by steady rain which fell throughout, the first half produced a host of chances, the first of which came inside 15 seconds as Dover top scorer Ryan Bird forced visiting keeper Jamie Butler to a diving parry.

The 16-goal home striker then saw Butler save with his legs after a fine ball from Mitch Pinnock while the Sutton keeper also tipped over a rising effort from Femi Ilesanmi.

At the other end Sutton's Beautyman had an early sight of goal when he broke clear but Walker did well to block with his legs.

Simon Walton then saw his fierce drive from the edge of the box deflected wide with Walker then readjusting well to keep out a deflected effort from Wright at his near post.

All this was in the first 20 minutes and there was little let up in the action with Walker at his best again to push away Walton's curling effort from 20 yards and referee Thomas Bramall then denying Sutton a penalty when Tom Bolarinwa went down under a challenge by Nortei Nortey.

A Sutton goal looked to be coming and it arrived on 26 minutes with Wright this time the provider with a fine low cross which picked out Cadogan at the far post. He took a touch before rolling the ball past Walker and in via the far post.

Dover were almost level on the half-hour when Giancarlo Gallifuoco's header from Pinnock's free-kick was pushed aside by Butler but they were again indebted to Walker who went full length to keep out Terell Thomas's flicked header that looked destined for the top corner on 33 minutes.

Wright showed his class again on 37 minutes when he brought the ball down beautifully and beat his man before drilling a low shot across the face of goal and wide.

Sutton started the second half where they left off in the first with Louis John heading wide from Bolarinwa's far post cross in the opening minutes.

They should have been 2-0 up on 54 minutes when Wright dispossessed Manny Parry and when the ball deflected to Bolarinwa at the far post Josh Passley made a superb sliding block to prevent a goal

Kadell Daniel replaced Richards on 55 minutes and the home substitute immediately missed a great chance to equalise when he completely missed his kick in front of goal after Ilesanmi had cut the ball back.

Walker kept Dover in the game again soon after, flying away to his left to keep out another header from Thomas but just before the hour Sutton were reduced to 10 when Beautyman was sent off for lunge on Connor Essam.

The red card, shown without hesitation by referee Bramall, briefly changed the complexion of the game and suddenly Dover had a spring in their step.

Butler was forced to save twice in a matter of seconds, after a Dover corner had caused confusion and Essam then saw a goalbound effort hit one of his team-mates.

Boss Kinnear threw on an extra forward in James Alabi for the closing stages, but Whites were unable to find an equaliser as they slipped to a fifth home defeat of the campaign.

They came closest in time added on when first Butler threw himself to his left to push aside Mitch Brundle's header and then kept out Bird's close range effort which appeared to hit him in the face before going behind. Then, right at the death Daniel's cross bounced on the top of the crossbar.

Dover: Walker, Passley, Ilesanmi, Gallifuoco, Essam, Parry, Nortey (Alabi 75mins), Brundle, Pinnock, Bird, Richards (Daniel 55mins); Subs: Fazakerley, Okosieme, Bellamy.

Sutton: Butler, John, Collins, Davis, Cadogan (Dundas 70mins), Bailey (Downer 85mins), T. Thomas, Wright, Walton, Bolarinwa (A. Thomas 77mins), Beautyman; Subs: Hudson-Odoi, Coombes.

Attendance: 1,027