3 hours Ago By [email protected] (Thomas Reeves)
Dover boss Jake Leberl has no plans to move away from his team’s attacking mindset for their play-off semi-final tonight. Whites are off to second-placed Billericay, edged out by Horsham in an incredible Isthmian Premier title race by a single goal on Saturday, and sit two wins away from a National League South return. Ironically, Dover and their Essex hosts were the division’s joint-top scorers on 83 goals - the bulk of Athletic’s tally having come from their front three of top scorer George Nikaj, Ruben Soares-Junior and Luke Baptiste.
Leberl said: “We won’t go to Billericay and park the bus. “Our front three have got 67 goals between them. That’s more than 12 teams in our league! “Defensively, we have done all right, as well.
It’s just that sticky period over Christmas where we got a lot of illness and Mitch (Walker, their No.1 and captain) got injured that cost us a bit. “It will come down to a bit of brilliance, a mistake or a referee decision, but what will be will be.
” Leberl: ‘I couldn’t be prouder’ Nikaj was on target when the teams met at Billericay in the regular season in mid-August, his goal promptly being cancelled out in a 1-1 draw, before defender Montel McKenzie’s goal helped Gary McCann’s men edge past Whites at Crabble in December. But Leberl recalled: “There was a lot of illness around at that time and they only won it with a deflected free-kick. We had a really difficult pitch at that time, as well.
“But we drew with them at New Lodge. I feel we have got stronger since then - I’m sure Billericay will say the same, though - because they’re a good side. “They have got a lot of options in a lot of different positions.
Obviously, there will be a great crowd, and it will be a great occasion. “It will be a difficult game but, also, we know what we’re capable of.” Dartford will host Cray Valley in the other play-off semi-final tonight before the final showdown on Monday.
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