Dover produced one of their best performances of the season to crush Lincoln and return to the National League play-off places on Tuesday night.

Stefan Payne scored twice and laid-on two for Ricky Miller as the goals and entertainment flowed at chilly Crabble as Whites went fourth on goal difference.

Payne's early free-kick was all that separated the sides at the break but two goals in as many minutes on the hour blew the game open, and though Jack Muldoon pulled one back soon after, Miller's superb second 18 minutes from time made the points safe.

Ricky Modeste was the only change for Whites boss Chris Kinnear after picking up a knee injury with Tom Murphy coming in to replace him and showing a welcome return to form.

Payne gave the hosts the perfect start when he fired home from 25 yards after Nicky Deverdics tapped a free-kick to him inside three minutes.

Jack Muldoon headed wide from a Terry Hawkridge corner soon after but Deverdics saw a similar free-kick deflected wide at the other end.

Sam Magri had Dover's third attempt from a set-piece in a five-minute spell blocked, with Sean Raggett's header from his follow-up cross straight at keeper Paul Farman.

Bradley Wood headed over from another Imps corner before Ricky Miller really should have doubled Dover's lead, latching onto a weak backpass from Jamie McCombe only to slot past the outrushing Farman but also inches wide of the far post.

Miller might have had another 10 minutes before the break, Chris Kinnear Jr did well to win possession and free Payne down the left. Payne drove into the box, jinked inside Wood and fired low across goal for Miller who could only scoop over from six yards.

Dover begun the second half as they did the first and Payne tested Farman from nearly 30-yards with the keeper grabbing the low shot at the second attempt.

At the other end McCombe nodded inches wide of Waker's post from a driven cross from Greg Tempest.

The crucial second goal arrived on 58 minutes when Miller took advantage of defensive hesitancy to latch onto a bouncing ball, bear down on Farman and drill a low half-volley into the net.

It was 3-0 two minutes later when Miller sent Murphy away down the right and his low cross across the face of goal was slotted in at the far post by Payne for his 20th goal of the season.

Payne might have completed his hat-trick just a moment later when he beat Farman to a loose ball, though he cut back to Miller whose fierce low drive was superbly blocked on the line by Chris Bush.

The action continued apace as Lincoln pulled one back on 62 minutes. Walker did superbly to block Matt Rhead's low shot and Magri got in the way of the follow-up, though the loose ball fell to Jack Muldoon to slam low into the net from 15 yards.

Payne went into the book for a challenge on Farman but put his frustration behind him to lay on the fourth for Miller on 72 minutes.

Miller won the ball and turned in the centre circle before sending Payne down the right channel. Payne held it up while the defence retreated but rolled the ball across the face of the area for Miller to superbly strike across the ball and into the far corner first-time for his 18th of the season.

Both teams spurned chances to add to the scoring but the final whistle heralded Dover's return to the top-four ahead of Saturday's trip to Guiseley.

Dover: Walker, Magri, Kinnear, Raggett, Orlu, Miller (Crawford 86mins), Deverdics, Parkinson, Payne (Marsh, 76mins), Braham-Barrett (Grimes, 73mins), Murphy. Subs not used: Diallo, Pinnock.

Lincoln: Farman, Wood, Tempest (McDaid 59mins), Bush, Muldoon, Power, Rhead, Hawkridge, Beevers, McCombe (Wildin 64mins), Caton (Maris 48min). Subs not used: Grant, Sparrow.

Attendance: 743.