Jake Leberl admits he is now facing tough selection calls at Dover on a weekly basis.

Whites remain firmly in the Isthmian Premier promotion picture, moving nine points behind frontrunners Billericay - with a game in hand - courtesy of last weekend’s 2-0 home win over basement boys Bowers & Pitsea.

Leberl made five changes for the game, one of which was enforced as Claudio Boakye-Sarfo replaced the suspended keeper Jordan Gillmore, while defender Tamas Amgbaduba and forward Kweku-Conrad Lucan dropped out of the squad after they had started in this month’s goalless draw at Canvey Island.

But these are decisions Leberl is content to make after struggling to recruit players when he first took charge at Crabble in December 2023.

“It’s difficult,” he said. “We have got a really strong squad.

“Tamas didn’t even make the bench after doing nothing wrong at Canvey where he was part of the clean sheet. We just felt we would go with a little bit of natural balance, with Fuad Sesay on Saturday.

“To have the squad we have got after where this club has come from and where I’ve come from - I couldn’t get anyone in when I first turned up - but players have started wanting to play for this club again. I’ve got difficult choices to make every week.

“We’ve got a squad of 18 players and all of them deserve to be playing.”

Fifth-placed Dover and Cray Valley, sitting fourth, were the big winners at the top-end of the Isthmian Premier table last weekend.

They both closed the gap on the top three, all beaten, with first-half goals from returning midfielder Ryan Hanson and forward Luke Baptiste earning Whites the points.

Ironically, Dover will travel to Cray Valley in a huge match this Saturday.

“There’s nine games to go so 27 points to play for,” said Leberl, whose side then welcome Kent rivals Chatham to Crabble for a rearranged game on Tuesday.

“Lots of clubs are still playing for stuff, aren’t they? The clubs at the other end of the table are really desperate to stay up.

“The three clubs at the top losing on Saturday was a massive surprise but, like there always is, there’s going to be lots of twists and turns.

“But we have gone two undefeated so, hopefully, that will start to breed a bit of confidence because we have got some really tough games coming up.

“Cray won again on Saturday and they have had a really good season. Obviously, I know Steve McKimm really well. He has a big, strong, squad there, so it’s going to be a difficult game.

“But it’s one we can go into with a little bit more confidence.”

Leberl also reckons the only reason Hanson isn’t playing higher in the football pyramid are issues maintaining full fitness as the 24-year-old came through more than 70 minutes against Bowers - despite a groin injury scare early in the second half.

He said: “He got a really good move to Torquay from here as a young boy.

“I think he has been really unfortunate with injuries, which is the only reason he hasn’t kicked on. I don’t think he has been able to get himself on the pitch regularly enough at the clubs that he’s been to.

“I was a bit worried when he went down on Saturday and was thinking ‘Oh God, here we go!’. But it’s important the boys come to this club and care.

“We know Ryan will, with him being a local boy. He was up here as a boy himself so I’m really pleased to get him at this stage of the season.

“It has worked out really well for us.”

Goalkeeper Gillmore could return against Chatham, having completed his two-match ban.

The versatile Charlie Naylor has left again after he made nine appearances, including eight starts, in his second spell at the club.