Alfie Pavey scored the only goal as Dover won their first home National League South match of the season against Hungerford on Saturday.

The 26-year-old frontman got on the end of the impressive Luke Wanadio’s cross in the second half to earn the recently-relegated home team the points at Crabble.

Whites were presented with an opening inside the first two minutes on what would prove to be a successful afternoon for them.

Callum Willmoth failed to control, which allowed the ball to break kindly for Pavey, but a Hungerford player made the block.

A minute later, the Crusaders created their first chance as Dover keeper Ryan Sandford got down to make a good save to thwart Niko Muir.

Pavey again threatened in the 10th minute for the hosts but blasted over.

With 18 minutes played, however, Dover were perhaps slightly fortunate not to fall behind. A dangerous right-wing cross by Joel Rollinson caused problems but Curtis Angell couldn’t quite convert at the back post for Danny Robinson’s men as Sandford and Dover’s defence did enough to clear the danger.

After a first-half drinks break in hot conditions, wideman Wanadio whipped in a menacing cross from the left which just evaded Pavey.

Whites were then denied a penalty shortly before the half-hour mark.

Lee Martin went to ground under a challenge from a visiting player but Dover’s skipper was controversially adjudged to have dived by referee Shelby Elson and cautioned before Pavey nodded Wanadio’s cross narrowly over soon after as the home side enjoyed a good spell.

In first-half stoppage-time, Sandford again was called into action, denying Rollinson, with the game goalless at half-time.

Chike Kandi had a golden chance for Dover with the second period less than a minute old, only to be denied by away goalkeeper Mark Scott after Wanadio’s cross.

Five minutes after the restart, Martin made a good run to get on the end of Alfie Paxman’s throw-in as Whites’ encouraging start to the second period continued. It appeared Scott had tipped wide the former Manchester United man’s effort from distance but a goal kick was awarded instead.

Martin had another opportunity in the 56th minute with a free-kick in a good area, however his shot went sailing over.

Two minutes later, the hosts had more penalty protests waved away as Wanadio went down when trying to control a Paxman left-wing cross.

At the other end, Sandford made another fine save shortly after the hour mark. A crisp strike by Muir was on target but 23-year-old Sandford was equal to it.

But not long after, Whites broke the deadlock just after Luke Baptiste had replaced Arjanit Krasniqi in the home team’s first change. An inviting cross from the left by Wanadio was headed in by Pavey.

Hungerford looked for a response but struggled to find a way through Dover’s resilient defence.

With five minutes to play, Dover teenage midfielder Kieron Agbebi was brought on for Kandi.

Angell tried his luck in the dying seconds of normal time for the away side but his strike flew wide.

In stoppage-time, the dangerous Rollinson let fly with Hungerford still pushing forward in search of a leveller although Sandford, yet again, was not to be beaten and Whites held on for a clean sheet and the victory.

It was Dover’s first win at Crabble in almost seven months.

Strangely, their last home success - against Eastleigh in January - was also a 1-0 victory, in which Pavey scored the game’s only goal.

Whites boss Andy Hessenthaler, who served the second game of a two-match touchline ban carried over from last term, had named an unchanged starting line-up from the side which started their league campaign with a 1-1 draw at Worthing, with Academy boss Mike Sandmann again in charge on the dugout.

Young midfielder George Wilkinson was back from a ban but was sidelined through injury, while goalkeeper Stuart Nelson, Will Moses and frontman Reece Grant were also sidelined.

With Nelson still out after picking up a hamstring injury in pre-season at Folkestone, there also was a home debut for Sandford, on loan from Millwall.

Hungerford had signed a keeper of their own a day before the match - Bristol Rovers man Jed Ward joining on a one-month loan - but he didn’t feature in the away squad.

Dover: Sandford, Judd, Paxman, Krasniqi (Baptiste 66mins), Brundle, Higgs, Pavey, Wanadio, Martin, Sterling, Kandi (Agbebi 85mins). Subs not used: Goodman, Carney, Nikaj.

Hungerford: Scott, Angell, Rusby, Berry-Hargreaves, Rollinson, Willmoth (Allen 82mins), Smith, Liddle, Evans, Muir (English 70mins), Tyler. Subs not used: McGory, Wylie, Gyebi.

Referee: Shelby Elson.

Attendance: 628.