Jake Leberl expects the festive period to be critical in Dover’s Isthmian Premier promotion push.

Whites remain five points clear, having extended their unbeaten league run to 10 games with a 2-2 draw in a dramatic top-of-the-table home fixture with second-placed Cray Valley last weekend.

But Dover have seven league matches to play before Sunday, January 5, and boss Leberl knows everything can change quickly when the fixtures start to come thick and fast.

He said: “Let’s see how we go over the Christmas period.

“The Christmas period is normally the teller when you have five games in quick succession and we are a little bit light on numbers.

“But if we can keep everyone fit, there’s no reason why we can’t carry on picking up points.

“Obviously, there will be more setbacks. We’re going to have some good days, we’re going to have some average days and we’re going to have some disappointing days.

Dover defender makes team-of-the-week

Report: Dover 2-2 Cray Valley

Leberl: Players were warned game would go until the end

“But we’re 10 undefeated in the league and I don’t see us having a massive dip anytime soon.”

Leberl is happy to see the club on the up once more.

Leberl, who played former Cray Wanderers and Horsham keeper Claudio Boakye-Sarfo against Cray Valley with Mitch Walker (knee) sidelined, saw his side pegged back by a goal in stoppage time - seconds after netting what Dover thought was the winning goal.

He said: “I wasn’t overly-ecstatic on Saturday night but, in general, how can we not be happy?

“When you look at where the club has come from - those hard times - to have a really good group of young footballers who are desperate to do well and, obviously so far, they are [doing well] because we’re top of the league.

“Hopefully, Saturday won’t have a knock-on effect.

“The boys were absolutely gutted but we have had knock-backs already this season in the cup so I’m hoping there won’t be.

“We were fortunate enough that we didn’t get any of the lads on four bookings booked on Saturday so we’re going to have no suspensions there, which is good.

“A few are struggling with a few knocks but, other than Mitch, we’re at full strength.”

That late drama in injury time saw right-back Roman Charles-Cook’s first goal this season seemingly win it for Dover, only for Cray Valley to snatch an even later leveller.

Leberl, who was appointed alongside No.2 Mike Sandmann a year ago, noted: “All the boys have been really good but I think both full-backs deserve a bit of praise.

“You’re up against tricky, strong, quick wingers and with one-versus-one defending, Roman and Fuad Sesay have done really well for us. It was nice for Roman to grab a goal.”

With 33-year-old Walker out and defender Joe Tennent on the substitutes’ bench, 24-year-old forward Ruben Soares-Junior was handed the captain’s armband. And the Portuguese player handled the extra responsibility to score his 13th goal this season with an acrobatic first-half overhead kick before he turned provider for Charles-Cook’s strike.

Leberl said: “He’s been fantastic.

“With Mitch being out, JT - if he was starting - would have been captain. But we felt that Ruben was the next guy who deserved it.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with Ruben. He has been an absolutely massive attribute for this football club.”

Whites will look to extend their unbeaten league streak even further when they make the trip to Dulwich Hamlet on Saturday.

Hakan Hayrettin’s team sit in mid-table but have several experienced players in their ranks, including ex-Dover winger Luke Wanadio.

He is Hamlet’s top scorer with 14 goals this term.

Leberl noted: “They pick up massive gates at their place, don’t they?

“That’ll be really exciting for the boys to play in front of a big crowd at Dulwich.

“They, a little bit like Cray Valley, have got a lot of experienced players and generally do very well at home. That’ll certainly be another tough test.”

Dover are due to again assess Walker’s recurring injury this week and will also consider whether to bring in additional goalkeeper competition for Boakye-Sarfo, providing Walker is set to be sidelined for an extended period.

They were 2-0 Kent Senior Cup quarter-final home winners against Isthmian South East neighbours Deal as Soares-Junior and top scorer George Nikaj scored in front of a crowd of 1,219 on Tuesday.