CONNOR Essam has joined Eastleigh’s National League rivals Dover Athletic on a two-year deal.

The versatile, Kent-born defender played 15 games on loan at Crabble last term having failed to pin down a regular first-team spot for the Spitfires.

It marks the 24-year-old’s second permanent spell with the Whites, having captained the club back in 2014/15 before signing for Leyton Orient in July 2015.

He went back on loan to Dover during the 2015/16 campaign before being released by the Os last summer.

Essam signed a one-year contract with Eastleigh last June when Chris Todd was still at the Silverlake helm.

But despite winning over a good many Spitfires fans, Essam was yet another victim of Eastleigh’s car crash of a season which saw the managerial baton changed three times. He was not offered a new deal when the retained list was drawn up.

Essam is Dover boss Chris Kinnear’s fifth summer signing following the arrival of Manny Parry, Kane Richards, Mitch Brundle and Jamie Allen.