Former Gillingham defender Essam, 22, lashed in a twelve yard strike after League One outfit Cheltenham failed to clear an 83rd minute corner.
Midfielder Nick Deverdics lifted the ball back into the box, central defender Richard Orlu nodded it on for Essam to pounce and bury his fourth goal of the campaign before saying:
"It's got to be the highlight of my career.
"I was at Crawley playing for John Gregory and he let me move to Dover back in September so I could rebuild my career. The last thing he said was to go and prove him wrong for letting me go. Hopefully I've started doing that today."
Delighted Athletic boss Chris Kinnear said:
"The difference was that they focussed on the money while we focussed on the glory.
"Don't get me wrong, money's important and our Chairman has told me we can afford two extra lights for training in the evening. That means we'll be able to train on half the pitch rather than quarter of it.
"It was a magnificent win though. We didn't play well, but we stayed in the game and willed a win. The players have given one hundred percent for the club and the supporters have a team that'll give them value for money. We're looking forward as a club and maybe this is the start."
Cheltenham keeper Trevor Carson needed to shut out Athletic twice in two first half minutes to spare his side's blushes as the visitors started brightly.
In the sixteenth minute Deverdics lobbed the ball from the left side of the box and forced Carson to back-peddle and tip the ball over the bar.
Stefan Payne then set co-striker Tom Murphy away on the right and the hospital admin worker cut into the area before drilling in a low shot that Carson did well to beat away at his near post.
Those close calls seemed to wake the Cheltenham up.
Six minutes later full back Craig Braham-Barrett raced down the left flank and shrugged off the attention of Essam before running along the byline to make stopper Andrew Rafferty beat his angled shot away.
Cheltenham did manage to get the ball in the net before the break, but striker Terry Gornell's far post header was chalked off as the ball was ruled to be out of play before winger Kane Ferdinand sent over the cross.
Tom Bonner blew a great chance to put Dover ahead ten minutes into the second half when the ball dropped to him after a goal mouth scramble, but the central defender managed to clear the bar with his nine yard shot.
And Payne should have done better when he received the ball on the left side of the box in the 64th minute, but lamely chipped the ball into Carson's arms.
Murphy then tried to break the deadlock less than four minutes later with a twenty yard strike that stung Carson's hands as both teams pressed to avoid a replay.
Winger Tyrone Sterling then gave Cheltenham a warning of what was to come when he hit the outside of the post with a fourteen drive from the left less than a minute before Essam's winner.
Cheltenham manager Paul Buckle was left stunned after only his second game in charge following Mark Yates dismissal two weeks ago. He said:
"I'm bitterly disappointed for the supporters and the board. It was a golden opportunity to make it into the third round. We've got to take it on the chin.
"I'd like to congratulate Dover first and foremost. I've had enough good Cup runs to know how they're feeling."
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