94 four days after their last Conference victory, Dover Athletic gained three points against a Hereford side who had demolished them twice previously this season to bring to an end the Whites' worst run of Conference results in recent seasons.

Athletic had a couple of lucky escapes as Hereford twice rattled Paul Hyde's cross bar with the keeper well beaten, but you make your own luck in this game and Dover deserved the points for a battling performance that was effective if not always elegant.

Lee McRobert made a rare start as both Danny Hockton and Steve Brown were left on the bench. Neil Le Bihan returned to the starting eleven after injury and he and McRobert, operating on the left and right of midfield respectively, were involved in most of Dover's best moments. Matt Carruthers, who has played in a number of positions this campaign, reverted to the forward role that he used to play on a regular basis.

Athletic started brightly and McRobert stung the hands of the visiting keeper with a strong shot from Le Bihan's cross after just five minutes.

Hereford ought to have taken the lead on 19 minutes but Rob Elmes' shot crashed against the underside of the bar with Paul Hyde unable to get close to it.

The Whites rode their luck and took a deserved lead five minutes before the interval with one of the best team goals seen at Crabble this season. McRobert was sent racing forward down the right. He cut inside to deliver a pinpoint cross to Le Bihan on the opposite wing. Le Bihan effortlessly rode Snape's strong challenge and delivered a fast low cross into the area. Carruthers arrived at just the right moment and steered the ball past Cooksey with a wonderful outside-of-the-foot volley from eight yards. It was Athletic's first goal from open play since Jimmy Strouts scored at Doncaster in the middle of February, but it was worth the wait.

The second half was a scrappy affair. Dover were mindful of the second half comeback staged by Hereford in the game at Edgar Street in October and made sure that the Bulls were unable to stage a repeat thanks to some solid defending from Lee Shearer and co.

Hereford came close to an equaliser six minutes into the second period when a thunderous 25-yard shot from Rob Snape again rattled the underside of the crossbar.

There were only two incidents of note for the remainder of the game. Stuart Munday unfortunately had to leave the field on a stretcher after badly twisting his knee.

Lee McRobert and Matt Clarke were involved in an incident which might have seen them both dismissed on another day. Clarke kicked out at McRobert after the ball had been played and McRobert reacted angrily, grabbing Clarke by the throat. Both were shown the yellow card.

The referee somehow found reason to add seven minutes of second half-injury time but Dover held on for three very welcome points.