Forward Francis Mampolo marked his birthday in style, helping Dover collect their first National League South win of the season.

Mampolo, formerly of Tonbridge, set up Ruben Soares-Junior and got Whites’ second himself as it ended 2-1 at Twerton Park last weekend.

The 22-year-old struggled to fully cement himself in Dover’s front-line in last term’s promotion-winning campaign - largely playing second fiddle to a potent three-man attack - but got his chance at Bath, with Luke Baptiste still nursing a toe problem.

“I’m really pleased for him,” said Dover boss Jake Leberl, whose team visit Eastbourne Borough tonight. “It’s been tough for Francis.

“He had opportunities last year and, I’m not saying he didn’t take them, he did well, but he just didn’t quite get the numbers.

“He knows how we want to play. It’s a little bit against how he wants to play but our wide forwards need to chip in with goals.

“Francis is more than capable of doing that. He’s a really good guy and has unbelievable ability.

Dover player makes team-of-the-week

“We just need to make sure we get what we got on Saturday from him consistently.”

Leberl conceded even he can forget just how young Mampolo is sometimes.

A player who made under-23 appearances for Newcastle and Swansea, Mampolo counts Sutton Common Rovers, Westfield and Biggleswade Town, as well as Tonbridge, among his former clubs.

Leberl said: “Sometimes, you do forget how young he is.

“I do need to give him a bit more leeway than I do at times. You see he has been about a while - but he’s still only very young.

“He loves his football and is a great guy so I’m really pleased he could celebrate his 22nd birthday weekend in that way.”

Among the crowd of 976 at Bath were a good number of away fans that had made the 400-mile round journey.

Leberl said: “They were really good.

“Obviously, it’s a good weekend away for them. It’s a great place and, although we played them the season before last, it was a new one for some of them.

“I think that makes up a little bit for the (first) Saturday league game (a 3-2 home loss against AFC Totton). I know we didn’t give them too much to shout about, especially in the first half, but the atmosphere was a bit flat.

“People are on holiday and I understand that, but we do need to create that atmosphere. All the games last year that we played in front of big crowds in, we put in big performances.

“I know we lost at home to Folkestone but I think we won all of the other ones, which shows what an important role our fans can have.”

Summer signing defender Jalen Jones made a key block as Dover held on for the points despite the home team pulling one back amid a late onslaught.

The 6ft 7in Guyana international might look like an imposing figure but is anything but.

“He’s really quiet and shy,” revealed Leberl on the 26-year-old ex-Cray Wanderers player. “He’s not what his presence sort of looks like.

“It’s almost the polar opposite and we have got a tight changing room so he’s found it a bit difficult, coming in.

"He’s had a mixed pre-season, even though he did well against Gillingham.

“That's why I was so happy for him on Saturday.”

Whites face two matches in 48 hours as they host Salisbury, who held title favourites Dagenham & Redbridge to a goalless draw last Saturday, this weekend. They visit Paul Wotton’s much-fancied Torquay team on Bank Holiday Monday.

“The games come thick and fast,” noted Leberl. “It’s important to pick up points - but it will be incredibly difficult.

“Torquay are full-time and have an experienced manager that has won things.

“We will be five games in quite quickly and, then, we’ll see where we’re at and what we need to improve on.

“Ruben’s goal was a brilliant goal on Saturday.

“It was a brilliant cross by Francis and he took it excellently. We’ve got to take those moments because we will not get that many.

“But we’re certainly not getting carried away with one win.”