Dover Athletic 4 Hendon 2 match report: Isthmian Premier play-off occupants make it four straight wins as Luke Baptiste (2) and Ryan Hanson score after an early away own goal

Promotion-chasing Dover earned a fourth straight Isthmian Premier win as they saw off relegation-threatened Hendon on Saturday.

In an enthralling game which had just about everything, Whites raced into a two-goal lead in 15 minutes through an own goal and a second claimed by Luke Baptiste, only for the Greens to pull one back through Kofi Anokye-Boadi before half-time.

Second-half Dover goals from man-of-the-match Baptiste and midfielder Ryan Hanson then left a Hendon second by Olusanya Fadahunsi a mere consolation and it finished 4-2.

Athletic had made the dream start as they went into a second-minute lead in bizarre fashion at Crabble in front of a 720-strong crowd.

Away keeper Matteo Salamon was adjudged to have carried the ball over his own goal-line from a high cross, with 23-goal top scorer George Nikaj putting him under pressure. It was a call that left Hendon furious - but the goal stood.

Five minutes later, Whites skipper Ruben Soares-Junior burst through, only to be thwarted well by Salamon, who made himself big.

But Jake Leberl’s hosts doubled their advantage in the 15th minute.

Alfie Matthews floated in a free-kick and Baptiste was awarded the goal, although it wasn’t clear to the naked eye if Baptiste or visiting defender Alkeo Bani had got the decisive touch to send the ball beyond a helpless Salamon.

On the half-hour mark, Matthews himself tested Salamon. His strike from Soares-Junior’s lay-off was straight at the away keeper, though.

The visitors then went close as they started to get into the game, Fadahunsi only able to poke a cross by left-back Stefan Ilic wide of goalkeeper Jordan Gillmore’s left-hand post.

Hendon did get a lifeline from Ilic’s corner, however, when Anokye-Boadi sent a 42nd-minute