Dover manager Jake Leberl felt Tonbridge’s players wanted it more than his own troops in their National League South derby defeat on Saturday.

Whites had held a 1-0 first-half lead through a goal by defender Jalen Jones, only for a half-time change in shape from Angels to quickly reap reward as home skipper Scott Wagstaff levelled before substitute Brody Peart got the game’s all-important third goal as it ended 2-1 to Tonbridge at Longmead.

“I didn’t think we were great in the first half,” Leberl reflected.

“I felt we did all right and, obviously, we scored a good goal with Jalen. But I always felt it wasn’t quite right today for whatever reason.

“Maybe, there was a little bit of complacency and, to be honest, I felt they wanted it more than us, which is disappointing.”

Big centre-back Jones’ second goal this season on 24 minutes in front of a segregated 1,250 attendance had put Leberl’s men in command.

But within three second-half minutes, veteran midfielder Wagstaff, 35, slotted in the hosts’ equaliser after away goalkeeper and captain Mitch Walker could only parry a long-range drive from Bailey Akehurst.

Report: Tonbridge 2-1 Dover

Left-back Akehurst was involved again as he crossed for Wycombe loanee forward Peart to complete Tonbridge’s turnaround shortly before the hour mark.

“They scored very early on in the second half and they got on top,” said Leberl. “Then, they scored again and we never really recovered.

“I’m just bitterly disappointed, really, with us coming out for the second half, conceding two early goals and not really having a go late on.

“We didn’t have any chances and, overall, we got what we deserved.”

On the goals his team conceded, Leberl added: “For the first one, it’s swerving all over the place. Mitch has got his body behind it and parried it out.

“Then, probably the oldest player on the pitch reacted quicker than anyone else, which is really disappointing.

“When people shoot, you follow-in, don’t you? The second one is poor from us.

“It’s a ball across the face of the goal and we have switched off, and it’s an easy finish.”

Leberl thought home midfielders Wagstaff and ex-Dover player Jordan Higgs played a crucial role, dictating the contest.

“Just as the game started, the two experienced boys picked up a lot of second balls,” he said. “I thought they won the battle in there (in midfield), and games are won and lost a lot on that.

“We never really gained any control of that game of football - from the first minute to the last - so we’ve got to take our medicine.”

Things could have panned out differently, however, if Angels keeper Jacob Adams hadn’t made an excellent fingertip save in first-half injury time to thwart forward Ruben Soares-Junior on his Longmead return after he had cut in off the right flank.

Leberl said: “Ruben did ever so well to create that chance for himself and it’s a great save.

“That would have been a different game. In a game of football, you really want to keep it tight in games - first and second halves - and that was the disappointment.

“They didn’t catch us out with their game in shape (for the second half). We half-expected it so it’s not as though we weren’t expecting it.

“I just think their players had more desire.”

Whites will host Horsham, who drew 1-1 at unbeaten frontrunners Hornchurch on Saturday, in a rearranged fixture next weekend.

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