Dover Athletic boss Jake Leberl looks ahead to their Isthmian Premier derby trip to Folkestone Invicta
05:00, 05 November 2024
updated: 08:00, 05 November 2024
Jake Leberl has told his Dover players they will need to keep their emotions in check ahead of tonight’s big Isthmian Premier derby at Folkestone.
A huge crowd is expected at Cheriton Road as Leberl’s leaders seek revenge on Invicta.
The teams have already met this term, with Andy Drury’s side winning 3-2 as Dover were reduced to 10 players with midfielder Harrison Pont red-carded in front of a crowd of 2,495 at Crabble in August.
“It was a brilliant occasion,” recalled Dover manager Leberl. “I was just so gutted for everyone that we couldn’t get a result, although we played a lot of the game with 10 men.
“I honestly believe it would have been a different result if we had 11 men on the pitch. But that was the first occasion I felt we could get the club back on the up.
“They have a big pitch and it will almost be like a cup game.
“We’ll just need to keep our emotions in check and not let our emotions overrule us with the big crowd being there.”
Dover player makes team-of-the-week
Whites head into the derby after a 3-0 home win over Potters Bar thanks to goals from Ruben Soares-Junior - who was with Folkestone last season - fellow forward Alfie Matthews and substitute Francis Mampolo, who also ended last term at Cheriton Road, on Saturday.
But they will be without right-back Roman Charles-Cook, who serves the second game of his three-match ban after his sending-off in last month’s 2-0 FA Trophy home defeat to Sittingbourne.
Folkestone, sitting 13th, lost 2-1 at Carshalton on Saturday, despite top scorer Dan Smith’s early goal.
Invicta boss Drury could hand ex-Tonbridge forward Joe Turner his home bow after he came off the substitutes’ bench at the War Memorial Sports Ground.