1 day Ago By [email protected] (Thomas Reeves)
Boss Jake Leberl believes the backing of Dover’s fans is needed now more than ever at the business end of this season. The fifth-placed Isthmian Premier club remain in the promotion mix after last weekend’s 2-1 victory at Cray Wanderers made it back-to-back wins. Whites play the first of two successive home fixtures against Cheshunt on Saturday, returning to Crabble after a successful community day for last month’s 1-0 win against Dulwich .
An Easter Friday derby at title-chasing Dartford is also on the horizon. Leberl said: “I understand it’s been a difficult season for them - although not as difficult as last season! “It hit me a little bit in the bar after the game how positive the Cray fans were. I don’t know whether our fans would have been as positive.
“There’s going to be highs and lows. I totally understand it’s been tough in spells, but this is the time to get behind us. “The community day, it really helped.
Everyone wants to play in front of those attendances. "The fans are going to be massive, especially at this stage of the season. “It could go down to the last kick so they will be needed more than ever.
” Dover reported a crowd of 3,021 attended the game against Dulwich and Leberl hopes to attract some of them back on a more regular basis as they eye a return to Step 2 football. He said: “It’s a Catch-22. "Locals want to have a good club.
But without them coming through the gates - Jim (Parmenter, Dover’s chairman) is now retired - it becomes difficult. “It’s just about them getting behind the club. “Generally, they have done that this season, but there has been a downfall in attendances - which I understand financially at this time.
But what does everyone want? “If you want your club to be successful, you need to support them in good and bad times.” A sorely-needed strike from top scorer George Nikaj after a goal drought got Dover back on level terms at Cray Wanderers’ new Flamingo Stadium before Ruben Soares-Junior won it. “I was really pleased,” reflected Leberl.
“I was really impressed by Cray. “They started all right and got a goal. Then, we came back into it and I thought we got our just rewards.
“Obviously, Nikaj got his 20th [league] goal of the season. That was good to get off his back. "It was a great finish.
” Nikaj has struggled to replicate his early-season form until now. His weekend goal was his first since January 4 and came in the 45th minute. Leberl said: “Scoring a goal just before half-time, it changes everything.
It changes the team-talk. “It’s been a very difficult spell for Nikaj. It’s been a little bit disappointing, not the fact he hasn’t scored, but his attitude did just drop off.
"Hopefully now, he’ll have his confidence back.” While Whites are in the top five, there’s been little sign of a drop-off from those behind. Sixth-placed Chichester, who they will visit on the last day this term, are two points adrift and seventh-placed Carshalton are three points further back.
“If you look at previous years, you’re probably needing to get 76 so we need in the region of another 10 points,” suggested Leberl. “Obviously, our goal difference is good. What’s good is that it’s in our own hands.
” Athletic have played Cheshunt at Crabble this term, beating them 3-0 in the FA Trophy in October. They were also triumphant 2-1 in the league in Hertfordshire. But Leberl said: “It’ll be really tough.
"We played really well up there. They’re a big, strong side. "They have got a manager, Mel Gwinnett, that knows what he’s doing and we’ll have to be at our best physically to compete with them.
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