Manager Jake Leberl had mixed emotions after Dover’s Isthmian Premier draw at Chatham on Saturday.

The frontrunners came from behind as it finished 1-1 at the Bauvill Stadium and they extended their unbeaten league run to six games.

They trailed to Chats captain Jack Evans’ second-half strike, only for 14-goal top scorer George Nikaj to promptly restore parity.

Leberl said: “Obviously, we’re disappointed not to win, but I’m really delighted with the reaction after going 1-0 down.

“I was really disappointed with their goal. It was the third time that Jack Evans had got totally free in the box and, to be fair to him, he scores lots of goals.

"So, I could sort of see it coming if he got another chance - that he’d probably score - and he did.

“But I thought our reaction was brilliant. If we had 10 more minutes, I’m sure we would have gone on to win it so, overall, I’m pleased with a point away from home.

Report: Chatham 1-1 Dover

“But we're just slightly disappointed that we didn’t get the win.”

Half-time substitute Francis Mampolo was impressive when he came on and played a hand in Whites’ goal.

Leberl said: “The first half was pretty even, sort of testing each other out, and I thought we did better than we have done in the two previous games. We got a good reaction after they scored.

“Francis came on at half-time and made a difference for us.

“He terrorised their right-back (Miquel Scarlett).”

Having equalised, the pendulum of the contest swung and Dover looked the more likely to get an all-important third goal.

The hosts were slightly fortunate not to be reduced to 10 men when keeper Joe Wright, who had raced out of his penalty box, took out Mampolo - but was only cautioned by referee Gerry Heron for the foul.

Leberl said: “You don’t know these days, do you?

“I don’t really like seeing anyone get sent-off. We were right down in the corner - you have seen them given, of course you have - and, obviously, you try to appeal to get the decision to your advantage. But I thought the referee did well today.

“It’s very easy to criticise referees. But on the whole, I thought he was calm and had a half-decent game. We’ll take the point.

“We have had a good week. The last three games, to win two and draw one, I’d have taken that before.

“We’ll just continue.”

Another big crowd of 1,903 watched the game in Medway - four days after nearly 3,000 had seen Dover edge out Folkestone 1-0 on Guy Fawkes Night.

Asked for his thoughts on how non-league football is doing in the county, Leberl enthused: “It’s in a brilliant place.

“I think other people are just getting a little bit disinterested in it [the Premier League] and the other stuff around it.

“Lots of the Kent clubs are picking up some really good fans. A lot of clubs do things well.

“Here [at Chatham] is a great environment, a great atmosphere, and there’s the big screen here, the bar is really busy and they have a great youth set-up. Chatham have come a long way in a few years.

“It’s a good model for other clubs to copy.”

Whites, due to assess the injuries to Joe Tennent (ankle) and fellow defender Tamas Amgbaduba (ankle), will be at home to Canvey Island next weekend.

Young Grenada international right-back Roman Charles-Cook will be available once more, having completed his three-match ban.