Dover's impressive run of form at Crabble came to an end on Saturday when they were beaten after leading against Tranmere.

Aswad Thomas headed them in front midway through the first half but a double either side of the break from Tranmere top scorer Andy Cook turned the game on its head.

Mitch Walker's own goal handed Tranmere their third before Portsmouth loanee Ben Tollitt rifled home a fine fourth as Whites missed the chance to go into the Vanarama National League play-off spots.

The defeat ended a run of four straight home league wins for Whites, who had not lost before their own fans since the 2-1 loss to Aldershot on the August Bank Holiday Monday.

Boss Chris Kinnear named the same starting XI that won 2-0 at Bromley in midweek with Chris Kinnear Jnr and Richard Orlu returning to the bench at the expense of Loui Fazakerley and Ayo Obileye.

Tranmere were without James Norwood, who was serving the first of a three-match suspension while ex White Adam Mekki was on their bench.

The two fixtures last season produced just one goal, which was Ricky Miller's winner at Prenton Park but both teams went in the match at Crabble in excellent form.

Tranmere had won all three league games without conceding since Micky Mellon succeeded Gary Brabin as manager, while Dover had won their last three league and cup matches rattling in 13 goals in the process.

Whites had the game's first real chance on 10 minutes when Sammy Moore's corner was glanced wide by Ross Lafayette.

Tranmere responded with an effort from Jay Harris that was comfortably gathered by home keeper Mitch Walker, but Whites, playing with plenty of energy, then began to build up a head of steam with Sammy Moore seeing a shot blocked and Thomas looping a header over.

The goal, when it came on 22 minutes was simple in its conception with Sam Magri hanging up a cross which Thomas headed down and over keeper Scott Davies who appeared to go down too early. It was Thomas's third of the season and second in successive home games.

Just after the goal home skipper Jamie Grimes headed wide at the far post from a Moore corner and Tranmere had barely threatened when they conjured an equaliser out of nothing on 31 minutes.

Winger Tollitt did all the spadework by wriggling to the byline before squaring for top scorer Cook who was left with a tap-in for his ninth goal of the season.

Ricky Miller then gave a glimpse of what he's capable of with a smart shot and shot from the edge of the box but the division's 15-goal top scorer had a relatively quiet afternoon by his own high standards.

Walker was the first keeper to be tested in the second half saving low from Cook, but the game was primarily scrappy in the opening minutes with neither side creating much until Tranmere went ahead just after the hour.

Walker did well initially to keep out Tollitt's shot as it came through a crowd of players but when Dover failed to clear the ball ran for Cook to slot home his second from around 12 yards.

The Tranmere top scorer almost made it 3-1 on 64 minutes when his shot on the turn went just wide with Walker at full stretch but the visitors did increase their lead on 65 minutes when Walker punched a Jeff Hughes corner into his own net.

Tranmere were a side transformed and although Kinnear replaced defender Jack Parkinson with striker Moses Emmanuel in the final 17 minutes they were unable to find a route back and on 79 minutes the impressive Tollitt rifled in the fourth.

All Dover had to offer in response was a chipped Ross Lafayette free-kick which Davies held comfortably and at the death visiting sub Ethan Jones stung Walker's hands with a fierce snapshot.

Dover: Walker, Magri, Thomas, Parkinson (Emmanuel 73mins), Grimes, Sterling, Moore, Stevenson, Modeste, Miller, Lafayette. Subs not used: Kinnear Jun, Orlu, Pinnock, Arnold.

Tranmere: Davies, Vaughan (Ihiekwe 87mins), Ridehalgh, Harris, McNulty, Sutton, Maynard, J Hughes, Cook (Jones 90mins), Stephenson (Mekki 82 mins), Tollitt; Subs: Turner, Almond.

Attendance: 1,534