GATESHEAD’S poor recent run continued as they slipped to a 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Dover Athletic.

The Heed dominated the early stages, with Alex Rodman and Danny Wright both going close in the opening 20 minutes.

However, Dover claimed the lead when Stefan Payne turned home Tyrone Sterling’s low cross from an acute angle.

Gateshead levelled when Rodman drilled into the far corner of the net after Craig Baxter’s floated cross had clipped the top of the crossbar.

But Dover reclaimed their advantage as former Gateshead midfielder Nicky Deverdics delivered a searching cross into the area to enable Sean Francis to head home from the edge of the six-yard box.

Gateshead pushed for a second leveller in the second half, but the defeat leaves them ninth in the Vanarama Conference table ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Alfreton Town.

Gateshead: Bartlett, Baxter, Curtis, Clark, Allan, Pattison, Turnbull, Oster (Shaw 66), Rodman, Rankine (Ramshaw 58), Wright (Guy 77).