The head coach should have been proud of his players though, as they more than held their own against a side two leagues above them, and were very unfortunate to lose so heavily. Whites were the better side for a lot of the game, especially in the first half, but were given a lesson in finishing during the second half, as the high profile forwards of Roy Essandoh and Manny Omoyinmi punished poor defending by Whites.

The first half on this sweltering day at the Hoverspeed Stadium belonged to the Whites, who took the game to the Conference side from the beginning, as they finally began to create some clear-cut chances.

Langley was still using the friendly to test out two trialists, John Mee and Rob Smidmore, and it was the latter that got the first shot on target after ten minutes. However, the former Corinthian man was unlucky to get injured just before half time, and so his signing may now depend on the extent of the injury.

Essandoh, the man who rose to fame when he scored the winner in the FA Cup quarter final for Wycombe a few years back, gave the Whites a scare moments later though, as he headed a cross from the right marginally over, but the Whites carried on pressing forward. A clever ball through the defence left Rogers 18-yards out with a defender backtracking in front of him, but he elected to shoot rather than pass to the unmarked Smidmore on his right. Wilkerson in the visitors goal was not troubled by the shot, however he had to scramble to keep out Skelton’s free kick in the following minute, as the Whites continued to cause the Gravesend defence numerous problems.

The danger of Essandoh was still there though, and as Mullin's kick from a backpass was charged down, Essandoh seemingly had the easy task of putting the ball into the open net. However, he hit the post, and the ball fortunately rebounded straight into the grateful arms of Mullin. Seemingly Mullin will now be the first choice keeper for a while, as the news of Paul Hyde’s accident (that he has partially severed two fingers) was broadcast over the tannoy prior to the match.

Shaun Welford was also trying to impress, and he was unlucky not to break the deadlock with 23 minutes on the clock, with a header from a Spiller cross. The other forward for the Whites then tried his luck, as a superb passing move between Rogers and Welford led to a cross that Chris Wright stabbed just wide of the near post.

But just when Whites’ first pre-season win looked a possibility, Gravesend went ahead, after 33 minutes. Goalkeeper Wilkerson claimed the ball, and his long kick downfield found Drury in space on the right wing, and he cut-in and shot for goal. Mullin did well to keep it out, but the rebound fell to Essandoh, who did not miss the open goal this time.

This spurred the visitors on, and Drury again went close soon after with a low drive.The   Gravesend lead was extended minutes into the second half. Former West Ham player Manny Omoyinmi got to the dead ball line on the right wing, and put in a cross for Essandoh to head home. And although Mee went close, as defender Chris Moore blocked his shot in the area, it was the visitors who looked the more dangerous. Craig Cloke dived bravely in front of an Essandoh drive, and got the ball in his face for his troubles, and then Matt Rouse shot wide.

But after 53 minutes, the game was put beyond the Whites. Omoyinmi again set the goal up, this time for Jimmy Jackson (who had a spell at Dover last season) to volley home.

The deficit was reduced after 57 minutes though, as Mee dispossessed right back Lee Gledhill, and crossed for Wright to stroke home. A goal was the least that the Whites deserved for their efforts on this afternoon, and they almost repeated the feat when Skelton tried to lob Wilkerson, but the keeper saved just underneath the bar.

The scoring finished after 77 minutes however. Moments after Ben Surey should have scored, Omoyinmi got the goal that his performance deserved, from a Moussa Sidibe cross. The game fizzled out in the heat after this, and play was also broken up by the introduction of a number of Whites substitutions. But although a first pre-season win would have been nice, the real action starts next Saturday with the arrival of Slough, and this was a good performance to end the pre-season campaign with, so lets hope that we can get a good start next week.

DOVER: Pat Mullin (Paul Rogers – 82mins), Ricky Spiller, James Rogers (DeanReadings – 82mins), Dale Skelton, Craig Cloke, Tom Hickman, Rob Smidmore (Readings - 39mins, Laurence Ball – 70mins), Billy Bone (Shane Hamshare – 72mins), Shaun Welford, Chris Wright (Buster Smissen – 82mins), John Mee (Danny Welch – 72mins). Att: 351.