Goalshy Dover suffered their fifth home defeat of the season after losing at home to Solihull Moors on Saturday.

Whites lacked quality in the final third despite a spirited display but the visitors were fortunate not to have skipper Kyle Scorer sent-off in the first half.

Without Sam Wood, who failed to start a league game for the first time this season, Dover’s starting line-up had an average age of 22.

Dover more than held their own for the opening half-hour with first league starts for on-loan keeper Ollie Webber, Marshall Wratten down the left and Omar Mussa in midfield.

But that all changed on 31 minutes when a deep Jamie Ward corner was headed back by Tyrone Williams for Nathan Cameron to turn in from close range.

Webber produced a good double save on 37 minutes, denying Kyle Hudlin at the feet of the striker and then getting up quickly to claim his second attempt.

Ward had an early snapshot wide after Dover failed to track his run from a quickly taken free-kick before Webber denied Hudlin by turning behind his low shot after good work down the right by former Ebbsfleet midfielder James Ball.

Solihull were fortunate to keep 11 men on the pitch in the first half. Captain Storer was booked on 18 minutes for a crude foul on Mussa.

Then, two minutes before the break he halted Marshall Wratten’s charge 30 yards from goal and escaped with only a warning from referee Scott Simpson.

It was no surprise that Solihull replaced Storer with Stephen Gleeson at the break.

Solihull added a second goal eight minutes into the second half. A quick break saw Ward cross from the right and when the ball bounced off Will De Havilland, Hudlin couldn’t miss from close range.

Ward went down three minutes later in the box under Wratten’s challenge, only to pick up a yellow card for diving rather then earn his team a spot-kick.

Substitutes Louis Collins and Travis Gregory provided Dover with some much-needed pace and direct play but Dover only sparked briefly as the visitors looked on complete control.

Collins set up Ahkeem Rose but he shot well wide from 20 yards for Dover before Gregory’s shot lacked enough power.

Ryan Hanson nearly claimed a consolation for Dover in stoppage time but his downward header from substitute Sam Wood’s free-kick was cleared off the line.

Dover: Webber, Spencer-Adams (Wood 77mins), De Havilland, Ransom, Bramble, Gobern, Munns (Collins 60mins), Mussa (Gregory 69mins), Hanson, Wratten, Rose. Subs not used: Mersin, Cumberbatch.

Solihull: Boot, Williams, Cranston, Storer (Gleeson 46mins), Ward (Sbarra 60mins), Coxe, Maycock, Ball, Howkins, Hudlin (Rooney 71mins), Cameron. Subs not used: Clayton, Hancox.

Referee: Scott Simpson.

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