Dover’s Isthmian Premier promotion push took another big dent as their miserable home form continued against Whitehawk on Saturday.

Young striker Harry Bridle gave the Hawks an early lead and they held firm before substitute Billie Clark rounded off the 2-0 victory for the struggling team in stoppage time.

It means Whites haven’t won at home in the league at Crabble since mid-November, having lost five times and drawn twice in their past seven home league games.

Shaun Saunders’ resilient outfit, who had taken a single point from their previous three matches, broke the deadlock at Crabble as in-form Gillingham loanee Bridle netted his seventh goal in seven matches.

Home midfielder Harrison Pont could only strike an attempted seventh-minute clearance against Bridle and the ball fell kindly for Bridle to expertly stroke under goalkeeper Jordan Gillmore.

Two minutes later, Hawks keeper Joseph Osaghae got down sharply to save a goal-bound header from a Tamas Amgbaduba long throw.

The first 15 minutes also saw Dover No.2 Mike Sandmann receive a caution from referee George Lynch.

Gillmore then made the first of many super saves in front of a 645-strong crowd.

Jake Leberl’s side were left short at the back from Amgbaduba’s long throw and ex-Dover forward Imran Kayani found Bridle on the counter-attack, only for the impressive Gillmore to spread himself well to deny him his second goal of the game.

Osaghae produced a fingertip save from Ruben Soares-Junior’s far-post header midway through the first period from a delivery by top scorer and fellow Whites forward George Nikaj.

At the other end, Gillmore made two saves in quick succession with 39 minutes played. He tipped over an Emmanuel Mensah header from a Kayani left-wing cross before the 22-year-old diverted a Rob O’Toole pile-driver over the crossbar.

Gillmore was almost single-handedly keeping Dover in it in the opening 45 minutes. He denied defender Geoffrey Okonkwo, who had a free header in first-half stoppage time.

Inside less than 50 second-half seconds, Nikaj flashed a right-footed effort inches wide of Osaghae’s post.

The away team made a second enforced switch in the 51st minute that saw Josh Nandhra come on for midfielder Mensah.

Dover’s first switch came midway through the half, which saw Francis Mampolo replace Pont.

Away manager Saunders brought on Clark for fellow substitute Nandhra - remarkably the third player unable to continue for Whitehawk - with 17 minutes left before Bridle arrowed over the upright.

Mampolo flashed a dangerous 81st-minute delivery from the left across the face of goal to no avail.

In the last minute of normal time, Osaghae saved well to thwart Mampolo, who had been played through by a nicely-weighted pass by the hosts’ holding midfielder Luca Cocoracchio.

But the Sussex side sealed their win with a second goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Gillmore blocked well from Clark, only for the ball to fall kindly to the same player to find the vacant net.

Fifth-placed Dover remain in the play-off positions, albeit they have taken a mere seven points from nine league matches overall.

Defender Joe Tennent came in the hosts’ team as part of three changes, having ironically played for Whitehawk on loan up until just seven days earlier on a one-month loan.

Right-back Amgbaduba and midfielder George Wilkinson replaced the trio of Roman Charles-Cook, Mampolo and the suspended Alfie Matthews, alongside Tennent.

For the visitors, Pakistan international Kayani, defender Stefan Wright, formerly of Sittingbourne and Faversham, Bridle and returning Osaghae were among their side.

Whites, who will aim to reach the Kent Senior Cup final at Welling on Tuesday, return to league action with a home derby against Chatham next weekend.

Dover Athletic: Gillmore, Tennent (Charles-Cook 82mins), Sesay, Cocoracchio, Baptiste, T.Amgbaduba (Lucan 82mins), Nikaj (E.Amgbaduba 82mins), Soares-Junior, Wilkinson, Pont (Mampolo 65mins), J.Mensah. Sub not used: Naylor.

Whitehawk: Osaghae, Wright, Seager, Briggs (Lambert 42mins), Okonkwo, Watson, E.Mensah (Nandhra 51mins, Clark 72mins), Bridle (Cook 87mins), O’Toole, Walker, Kayani (Asike 91mins).

Referee: George Lynch.

Attendance: 645.