An injury-time own goal handed Andy Hessenthaler’s men a first home win of the season against 10-man Wrexham.

Visiting captain Shaun Pearson was the unfortunate match-winner for Dover, heading Aaron Simpson’s cross into his own net.

Dover had levelled thanks to substitute Ricky Modeste’s second-half header after Mark Harris had fired the Welsh side ahead before the break.

Bobby Grant also saw red in the first half for kicking out at home goalie Lee Worgan, in a game that was delayed by 30 minutes due to Wrexham being stuck in traffic.

Visiting keeper Christian Dibble thwarted Dover with the contest just a few minutes old, diving low to turn away Inih Effiong’s powerful header from Jack Munns’ free-kick.

Steven Rigg then nodded another Munns free-kick wide and Kevin Lokko slipped when going for glory from 30-yards, with his attempt sailing harmlessly over.

It was the away side who went ahead with their first shot on target.

Mark Harris raced onto Devonte Redmond’s pass and fired past home stopper Worgan into the bottom corner.

The Red Dragons’ scorer could have had a hat-trick, firstly sprinting onto Luke Summerfield’s through ball, only to be beaten by the alert Worgan.

The attacker then blasted just wide from an acute angle, but it was his fellow forward Grant who was in the thick of the action for the wrong reasons.

Scorer in Wrexham’s first two matches, Grant was given his marching orders three minutes before the break for kicking out at Worgan just as the goalie was kicking the ball up the pitch.

Alfie Pavey almost nodded Whites’ level on the stroke of half-time, however, Dibble was equal to his effort and Pearson bravely blocked from Effiong following up.

Josh Passley’s looping cross nearly caught out Dibble, but Wrexham’s keeper tipped the ball over for a corner.

Pavey then went close to grabbing his fourth headed goal of the campaign but was unable to generate enough power to trouble Dibble.

Wrexham’s stopper was at it again, palming behind Nassim L’Ghoul’s deflected drive.

And the substitute played a pivotal role in Athletic’s equaliser.

L’Ghoul crossed for fellow replacement Modeste to bullet a header past Wrexham’s stopper.

Pearson nearly headed the 10-men back ahead, hitting the back stanchion behind the goal from Summerfield’s corner.

Modeste then slotted wide of the mark from L’Ghoul’s dangerous ball across the area and Effiong was unable to connect to Pavey’s ball across the face of goal.

However, the hosts did grab an injury-time winner when Pearson diverted Simpson’s cross into his own net to lift Dover up to sixth on the National League table, three points behind current leaders FC Halifax Town.

Earlier, boss Hessenthaler made three changes to the side that started against Dagenham in midweek.  Steven Rigg, Will De Havilland and Aaron Simpson came in for Jai Reason, Scott Doe and Bobby-Joe Taylor.

Whites next travel to Barnet in the National League on Tuesday 13th August, kick-off 7:45 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

WREXHAM REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”332″ gal_title=”DAFC v Wrexham 10/08/19″]

A second-half penalty from Mitch Brundle saw Whites lose their opening home game of the National League season.

The midfielder blasted home from 12 yards after Scott Doe had fouled Angelo Balanta in the box.

Alfie Pavey had levelled with his third goal of the campaign to cancel out Balanta’s earlier opener.

But despite heavy late pressure on the Dagenham goal, Dover lost their opening home fixture for a fourth consecutive season.

Earlier, Visiting stopper Elliot Justham clutched onto Bobby-Joe Taylor’s free-kick and Andy Hessenthaler’s side were given a real fright on the quarter-hour mark.

Matt Robinson’s swirling cross made it’s way to Juan Luque lurking at the back post, but the Spaniard somehow struck the inside of the post from two yards with Angelo Balanta’s follow-up deflected wide.

Bagasan Graham bravely blocked Inih Effiong’s goalbound shot and the hosts were punished shortly before the half-hour point.

On the counter, Luque escaped down the left and passed for Balanta to stab in The Daggers’ first goal of the season.

Spaniard Luque almost grabbed a second from a tight angle, but Scott Doe was back to clear his effort off the line.

That clearance proved crucial as Whites’ equalised shortly before the break through their in-form striker.

Alfie Pavey, who scored a brace at the weekend, rose highest to power in Josh Passley’s cross – a carbon copy of Whites leveller at Chesterfield on Saturday.

Effiong curled a free-kick just wide from the edge of the box and Pavey almost scored again, heading Taylor’s pinpoint cross narrowly over.

Following the restart, Oscar Gobern set Effiong clear, but Dover’s top scorer fired against the legs of Justham,

A former Dover player came back to haunt his side just moments later.

After Doe had fouled Balanta in the area, Athletic’s skipper last season fired home from 12 yards to give the visitors the lead for a second time.

Justham then parried Reason’s low shot and Pavey went close again with his head once again, this time nodding wide of the mark.

Dover continued to attack and Taylor fired just wide after cutting onto his right foot.

The pressure was on the away side and Pavey nearly connected to Passley’s driven cross.

Fervent home support had their arms aloft when Steven Rigg rose highest to meet Taylor’s set-piece, but the substitute forward was unable to hit the target.

Brundle almost made the game safe in injury time, beating Lee Worgan to the ball as the keeper slipped, but the goalie made amends by turning the midfielder’s shot around the post.

Earlier, boss Hessenthaler made two changes to the side that started the 2-1 win at Chesterfield on Saturday, with Pavey and Reason coming in for Rigg and Ricky Modeste, who started as substitutes.

Whites next host Wrexham on Saturday 10th August, kick-off 3 pm.

DOVER ATHLETIC REACTION

DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE REACTION

MATCH GALLERY

[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”330″ gal_title=”DAFC v Dagenham & Redbridge 06/08/19″]