Boss Jake Leberl is optimistic of adding to Dover’s frontline.

Leberl handed a start to teenager Max Fiddes as Whites were beaten 5-4 on penalties in their Kent Senior Cup semi-final at Welling after a 1-1 draw last midweek.

Forward Fiddes had been with Queen's Park, but the former Southend youth-team player more recently has been on trial at Championship club Sheffield Wednesday, as well as training with Dover.

“Max has come in and done extremely well,” said Leberl. “He’s one that we really like.

“It’s difficult, coming into a side and having to settle in.

“He can play in any of the attacking positions. He will need to adapt, but he did well against Welling.

“Hopefully, he’ll add something different for us.”

While terms with Fiddes are yet to be finalised, Academy graduate attacking midfielder Rolando Onu, who previously played senior football at Faversham, also came off the bench at Park View Road.

Leberl said: “Max isn’t done and dusted, we’ll have talks again this week.

“I would like to get him on board and to get that sorted out but we need to be aware of our budget, as well.

“Rolando is back from America for a short period before he heads back out there.

“Hopefully, he’ll be about and registered for when we need him.”

Whites were left with nowhere to train on Saturday after their Isthmian Premier derby at home to Chatham was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Leberl said: “The only issue was it was called off pretty late in the day so we couldn’t find a training facility. But I wasn’t too concerned, to be honest.

“It just gets February out of the way and we can start afresh.”

While Dover’s recent terrible form has seen them go from title challengers to battling to remain in the play-off places, Leberl always knew such a spell would come at some stage.

“I think we all got a bit carried away,” he said. “We’re all disappointed, but this was always going to happen.

“You don’t go through a whole season, especially with a new squad, without a sticky patch.

“I think the Welling game really helped us. A lot of people got minutes that needed it and they did themselves no harm.

“There’s plenty of competition for places.”

Cray Valley, promoted to the division this term, have gone through a similar patch under manager Steve McKimm after their red-hot early-season form.

Leberl said: “I was listening to Steve McKimm’s most recent interview at Cray because they have had a difficult spell, as well, although I know ours has been longer than their one, and they have still done amazingly.

“But let’s be honest, their budget is probably bigger than ours and their catchment area is bigger than ours. If we had accumulated the points more consistently, it would feel very different.

“I do feel our pitch hasn’t helped us. Incidents like Hashtag away have caused a bit of upset and hit our confidence a little bit.

"But generally-speaking, confidence is still pretty high. It’s almost the start of an 11-game season now.”

Next up for Whites are successive matches against relegation-threatened teams, starting at Canvey Island this Saturday.

“We have got to have that mentality where we’re fighting for our lives to pick up points because they (Canvey) are desperately fighting for survival,” Leberl said.

“As we all know, football is as much mental as it is physical at times. Canvey is a tough place to go, as well.

“I don’t recall having an easy game there and I don’t see Saturday being any different.”