The Brundle era is off and running after a superb home win.

There seems to be a theme at the moment with Dover games in that we keep conceding early on and this match was to be no different as Leone Gravata scored inside two minutes after a good ball in from the right.

Unlike the last few matches that the Whites had gone behind in, this time there was a higher sense of urgency in trying to get back into the game. Luke Wanadio weaved down the right hand side only for his cross to undo all his good work.

Midway through the first half and with Dover pressing, a breakdown in attack left a hole at the heart of the defence in which Eastbourne Boro exploited only for the quick thinking of Stuart Nelson, who spread himself superbly to deny the visitors extending their lead.

Josh Ajayi looked to have opened his account when he cut inside his man and curled a beautiful shot towards the far post, only for Lee Worgan to dive at full strength to push it around the post.

Ajayi was at the centre of it again when in the 29th minute his header from a corner hit the woodwork. Boro cleared their lines but Dover regained possession and a lovely ball back into the area was met by Tyrone Sterling. His header was super, beating the dive of the despairing Worgan.

Dover and in particular Jack Paxman were purring. It was a spirited performance and certainly worthy of going into the break level. The Whites had dominated the possession with some neat interplay trough the midfield with Higgs, Paxman and Martin all combining well.

It was Dover who started the second half the quicker out of the two teams with George Nikaj nipping in twice inside the early moments of the half but both efforts were denied by Worgan.

Ajayi had been unlucky in the first half but that was about to change on the hour when a quickly taken free-kick found the feet of Ajayi who spun round and bent his shot into the far top corner. It was a beautiful strike. Take a bow son.

It was a lead that Dover deserved as their play had been bold up until this point. But it was nearly taken away from them when a sweetly struck set piece was pushed onto the crossbar by Nelson, who was up quick enough to claim the rebound.

In the 75th minute and with the bit between his teeth, Ajayi flashed a shot over Worgan’s crossbar after neat play by Nikaj. It was a move that had started near the right back position and was well worked from back to front, carving through the opposition team.

The Ajayi Worgan saga continued with the ex Whites stopper again at full stretch to keep his side in the match. It was a superb save, diving down to his left to palm away the forwards curling effort.

In the end it was irrelevant as Dover held on to get the first three points of the Brundle era. It was a performance worthy of the win with Dover dominating large parts of the match. It’s the little building blocks in which the manager can now start putting together with his team but we are off and running.

COYW.

Dover Athletic: Nelson, Paxman A, Goodman, Sterling, Boateng, Martin, Higgs, Paxman J, Ajayi, Wanadio, Nikaj

Subs: Carney, Byford, Oliver, Baptiste, Agbebi

Eastbourne Borough: Worgan, Birchall, Innocent, Dickenson, Bartley, Perez, Walker, Bendle, Remy, Pearce, Gravata

Subs: Kastrati, Pitoula-Wabo, Bull, Houlter, Scarlett

Attendance: 629