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Dover deserved at least a point on Saturday from their National League South derby against Ebbsfleet, according to interim joint-boss Mitch Brundle.
Forward Rakish Bingham converted a late penalty to seal Fleet’s 2-1 success after winger Luke Wanadio had equalised, with Whites given a controversial spot-kick of their own.
That all came after Franklin Domi had put the visitors ahead at Crabble.
“I thought we deserved a lot more,” Brundle claimed. “I thought we were excellent from start to finish.
“[But] you are playing against Ebbsfleet and you’re picking up on the nitty-gritty decisions that went against you. I thought we were magnificent.
“I just told the boys in there, if we’d have drawn that game, it would have felt like a defeat. I felt we deserved so much more.
“Credit to all of them. We had our game plan and they all brought into what we wanted to do and how to nullify them.
“We have hit the crossbar, we’ve had two chances blocked on the line, and then the referee just evens it up with a penalty.
“From my angle, I can’t see. I’d have to look at it again, but that’s done with now.
“I couldn’t be prouder than I am right now of the players. To be playing the way we are, it’s absolutely magnificent.
"Credit to everyone who’s involved at the minute.”
Brundle and coach Mike Sandmann have been in temporary charge for their last three matches. Last weekend, they started with a 1-0 defeat at Hungerford before Tuesday's success by the same scoreline against Taunton and then a narrow loss to title-chasing rivals Ebbsfleet.
“It’s been a busy few games, with short periods in between to work on stuff,” Brundle said. “We did it [prepared] on Thursday and they executed it exactly how we wanted.
“We’re disappointed, obviously, to lose but proud in terms of how they performed.”
Whites were on top when Wanadio equalised, with the winger converting on the rebound after his penalty was saved by away goalkeeper Mark Cousins. But it was Dennis Kutrieb’s troops who won.
Brundle admits Dover could have been more clinical but feels he and Sandmann can get more goals out of their current side.
He explained: “That’s, obviously, where we’ll look to try and strengthen the boys.
“There’s goals in there. We just need to bring that confidence and belief, when they go one-on-one with the goalkeeper and go into the box, they should be brave in those areas and need to take on chances.
“We’ll keep working. We’ll keep digging in.
"We have the Kent Senior Cup on Tuesday, with a quick turnaround of games, and then we have Havant here.
“There was a bigger crowd [of 967] which was good, and we need to keep getting those numbers. I think we’re bringing the type of football that gets people in through the door.
"They want to watch it on Saturday afternoons and spend their hard-earned money, which we’re all grateful for.
“Hopefully we can get positive results and go step-by-step as a football club to build and make this an enjoyable place.”
After Dover’s Kent Senior Cup match at Chatham on Tuesday, they’ll host another promotion-chasing outfit next Saturday in third-placed Havant & Waterlooville