Both skippers scored as Dover responded from their first defeat this season with a home National League South draw against Braintree on Saturday.

Defender Kyran Clements gave the visitors the lead early on but Whites captain James Dunne converted a penalty to earn his side a point.

Angelo Harrop’s team went close inside the opening minute at Crabble. A long ball forward fell kindly for Tom Blackwell but his effort struck the post.

It only took six minutes for the visitors to score, though. Blackwell’s corner was hooked past Whites’ on-loan Bournemouth goalkeeper Billy Terrell by Clements in relatively simple style.

The hosts, who lost 1-0 at Tonbridge four days earlier, threatened for the first time in the 13th minute when Zidan Sutherland sent Chevron McLean’s right-wing cross just wide.

Four minutes later, young Whites midfielder Henry Young became the first player to go into the book before Clements squandered a golden chance to double his and his side’s tally, soon after.

Dover then grabbed a much-needed equaliser shortly before the half-hour mark. Luke Baptiste went to ground under a challenge and referee Robert Claussen gave the spot-kick, which experienced midfielder Dunne, 33, converted as he sent away keeper Jack Sims the wrong way.

It almost got even better for them in the 32nd minute, too, but Nick Dembele fired narrowly wide from John Oyenuga’s free-kick.

Joe Grimwood got his head to a set-piece but missed the target at the other end, as both clubs threatened but there were no more goals before the break.

Charlie Naylor - part of the Whites’ back three in an attacking formation - went close just three minutes into the second half. He drove forward and let fly from distance but Sims was adjudged to have made a fantastic fingertip save to prevent the ball going into his net.

Away substitute Nnamdi Nwachuku sent a strike sailing well wide after he had cut inside well before the hour mark.

Soon after, Braintree boss Harrop was yellow-carded for appealing for Whites’ Roman Charles-Cook to get a second caution as he was ruled to have fouled experienced Bermudian international midfielder Reggie Lambe.

Dover made their first substitution with 20 minutes to go, Oreofe Bello replacing Dembele up front, while The Iron’s final change seconds later saw Alfie Payne come on for former Charlton Athletic defender Toby Stevenson.

Clements once again nearly had his second of the afternoon from a corner, only for his close-range header in the 76th minute to fall the wrong side of the post from his perspective.

As the encounter headed into the last 10 minutes and both sides pushed for a winner, 19-year-old Terrell did excellently to recover and palm wide Nwachuku’s effort after he initially thought he had rounded the Whites keeper.

Home substitute Archie Hatcher forced a good, low, stop from Sims at the start of five minutes of second-half stoppage time.

The Academy graduate also sent in a late free-kick. That was easily cleared, though, and Naylor flicked over after Young had put the ball back into the mix and neither side could get an all-important third goal in the game.

Dover boss Mitch Brundle made two changes from the team which played in midweek as Baptiste and Dembele came in for the injured George Nikaj and Bello.

There was no Iffy Allen in the squad but fellow midfielder Josh Anifowose, who pulled out in the warm-up before their 2-1 success at Slough seven days previously, was named on the bench and was introduced back to action late on.

Dover Athletic: Terrell, Charles-Cook (Anifowose 87mins), Olarewaju, Dunne, Sutherland, McLean, Naylor, Young, Dembele (Bello 70mins), Baptiste (Hatcher 87mins), Oyenuga. Subs not used: Wilkinson, Durojaiye.

Braintree Town: Sims, Dawudo, Stevenson (Payne 70mins), Grimwood, Clements, Beadle (Tomkins 42mins), Davis, Quantrell (Nwachuku 55mins), Davies, Lambe, Blackwell. Sub not used: Blunkell.

Referee: Robert Claussen.

Attendance: 660.