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Dover Athletic manager Jake Leberl on his squad’s size, sticking together after crowd trouble in 2-1 Isthmian Premier weekend away defeat and getting back on track after four losses in seven matches

Dover boss Jake Leberl thinks they might possess the smallest squad in Isthmian Premier this season.

Second-placed Whites are in the play-off places but they’ve lost four of their past seven games.

Dover boss Jake Leberl - thinks Whites may possess the smallest squad in the division despite their success so far this season. Photo: Stuart Watson
Dover boss Jake Leberl - thinks Whites may possess the smallest squad in the division despite their success so far this season. Photo: Stuart Watson

With Leberl largely having stuck by his starting line-up, defender Joe Tennent has rejoined divisional rivals Whitehawk on loan while fellow defender Matty Holness and another youngster in Henry Young are at Lordswood and Hythe, respectively, on a temporary basis.

No.1 Mitch Walker is also out with a recurring knee injury.

“I would imagine we have got the smallest squad in the league,” said Leberl.

“We have got Joe out [on loan]. He started the season very well, but he got a little bit of a knock and couldn’t quite force his way back in where the other boys have done extremely well.

“I think it was the right decision for everyone. He was starting to get frustrated at not being able to play so it’s worked out in everyone’s favour.

Mitch Walker - the injured goalkeeper has been a huge miss for Dover. Picture: Barry Goodwin
Mitch Walker - the injured goalkeeper has been a huge miss for Dover. Picture: Barry Goodwin

“We have got Henry and Matty out on loan, as well, but that’s it. There is no one else.

"We have only got the one injury in Mitch which, obviously, is a massive injury.

“Jordan [Gillmore] has done so well.

“No reflection on Jordan as such [but] you do sometimes wonder whether Mitch’s calming influence and experience would have helped us through the moments we have struggled in. But everyone gets injured.

“None of that is a slight on Jordan at all, who has done very well.”

George Wilkinson - the Dover substitute netted a stoppage-time consolation goal in last weekend’s 2-1 Isthmian Premier loss at Hashtag United. Picture: Barry Goodwin
George Wilkinson - the Dover substitute netted a stoppage-time consolation goal in last weekend’s 2-1 Isthmian Premier loss at Hashtag United. Picture: Barry Goodwin

Leberl has revealed some away fans had caused trouble at last weekend’s 2-1 defeat at Hashtag United.

He explained: “The way the dugouts are set up at Aveley, whereas last season they were on the other side of the pitch, the

dugouts are positioned where fans can literally stand in the dugout. There were three or four guys that were out to cause trouble from the start.

“They were intoxicated, and it ended up being an absolute circus and an absolute disgrace.

“To be honest, I’m sure they won’t be able to watch Dover Athletic ever again - and that’s right.”

Dover have had similar issues with supporters following them away already in a pre-season friendly at Sevenoaks and their 2-2 FA Cup draw at Sittingbourne in August.

“It’s so disheartening because we have made such a big effort to bring the club together,” Leberl said.

“We have made a big point of the players really respecting the fans and appreciating what they do because they pay their hard-earned money to travel.

“I feel we have made massive strides compared to where the club has been in the last few years. I understand - and almost accept - if our boys are not giving 100 per cent effort because I won’t tolerate the boys not giving everything.

“But there’s not one game this season where they haven’t given their all so that was the biggest disappointment.

“It’s so important we all stick together and 99 per cent of the fans, the players and the board are.

“It’s been a really good season and we cannot let these morons get in the way.”

On the pitch, Dover fell behind to two goals in 15 second-half minutes to leave a stoppage-time strike from substitute George Wilkinson in vain.

Leberl reflected: “It could have ended up 6-6 with the amount of chances and goalmouth scrambles there were.

“It was a really entertaining game. Unfortunately, we’ve just come off the back of it very disappointed with the two goals we’ve conceded.

"They were really unlike us, but credit to them for the way they played.”

Incredibly, it was Whites’ first away loss of the season.

Leberl said: “It’s amazing to get to this stage and stay undefeated.

“I think we were a little bit unlucky to lose that one. A draw probably would have been a fair reflection of the whole game.

“A few of our boys weren’t at their best - that can happen - but we need to take it on the chin and not overreact.

“We’ve been in every single game that we have played in the league. Of the games we’ve lost, we have only lost them by one goal.

“Going into the last 16 games of the season, it’s all to play for.”

Leberl felt the impact of midfielder Wilkinson, 20, epitomised the fine attitude of Dover’s squad throughout this campaign.

He said: “We train on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and I’ve been slipping away from Tuesday training in the last few weeks to go and watch games.

“I have to say, when I watch these games and see the attitudes of other teams and their substitutes, it shows our boys have been absolutely brilliant.

“I know it’s easier when you’re winning, but the attitude of the boys who haven’t been getting as many minutes as they feel they deserve, they have been really together.

“That’s a massive reason why we have done so well.

“Wilko has been really unfortunate to not be in the team and certainly hasn’t done anything wrong. Maybe he should be in the team and that’s something we need to look at.

“His attitude - along with all the other ones’ - has been really good.”

Dover will visit basement boys Bognor Regis on Saturday, Jamie Howell and Michael Birmingham having taken over as joint-managers last month.

Leberl, whose team beat Bognor 1-0 at Crabble in October, said: “That’s the other thing. The reflection in the table can be very false at this time of year for a couple of reasons.

“The biggest reason in football these days is, if you lose a few games, there’s a new manager.

“With a lot of these teams we’re coming up against, it’s not the same team we faced three months ago. They’re down there for a reason.

“But some of these clubs, for whatever reason, are changing manager and changing players, so you’re playing against a different side to who you played against in the first encounter. Then obviously, there’s the form guide.

“We came across Horsham right at the peak of their form and we came across Hashtag right at their peak. They’re up there in the form guide.

“So, it’s always going to be different in the second half of the season to the first.”

Whites will play Lewes in their rearranged match on Tuesday.

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