Dover Athletic did little to help Braintree Town's attempt to end their long winless run in the Vanarama Conference Premier with the Kent side claiming a 1-0 win.
Braintree were looking to bounce back from their 6-0 FA Cup hammering by Chesterfield last weekend and to post their first three-point league haul since mid-September.
However, they returned through the Dartford Crossing with nothing to show for their efforts after being denied by Nick Deverdics' headed goal just before half-time.
The defeat extended Braintree's winless league sequence to ten games and dropped them a place in the Conference Premier table to 16th, just three points above the relegation zone.
It was also the eighth time in their last nine outings in all competitions that they have failed to score a goal.
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