Manager Jake Leberl was left bitterly disappointed with the goal Dover conceded in their defeat to Isthmian Premier promotion rivals Billericay on Saturday.

The league-leading Whites suffered a second consecutive 1-0 home loss, going down to the second-placed Essex club, who sit four points behind them.

Defender Montel McKenzie got the game’s only goal at Crabble with a deflected free-kick which wrong-footed keeper Jordan Gillmore on the stroke of half-time after referee Joseph Dann-Pye had booked left-back Fuad Sesay for a late challenge on the edge of the penalty area.

“The goal is really disappointing on the stroke of half-time,” admitted Leberl. “It’s a terrible time to concede a goal, especially in the manner we’ve conceded it.

“We have played a square pass and they have broken, put it over the top of us, and got a free-kick.

“Then, they scored from the deflected free-kick. It’s very difficult to recover from that.

“Obviously, Billericay have got some experienced boys at the back and they have defended for their lives.

Report: Dover 0-1 Billericay

“I think, on the balance of play, a draw would have been a fair result - but it wasn’t meant to be.”

It was a frustrating end to a much-improved calendar year for Dover compared to recent ones. But they have now not won at home in the league since mid-November, drawing 2-2 with third-placed Cray Valley in late November, before back-to-back league losses on home soil.

Asked if a blip with home results was putting pressure on them to pick up points on their travels, where Whites remain unbeaten this season, Leberl replied: “I don’t know about that.

“We have scored so many goals, haven’t we? Over the course of a season with how it goes, we’re probably bound to have a little spell where we’re not free-flowing. But we’re still creating chances.

“Their keeper has pulled off a worldie from Wilko (George Wilkinson) early on and maybe we’re not getting enough bodies in the box and getting across people, especially late on with those long throws. But I’m not too worried about it.

“We have got goals in us - I’m convinced of that - but we’re just going through a bit of a dry patch.”

While 16-goal forward Ruben Soares-Junior didn’t arrive at the ground until shortly ahead of kick-off due to traffic problems, Leberl stuck with an unchanged starting line-up from their 2-0 Boxing Day victory at Hastings - and also named Soares-Junior as their skipper.

“It’s always very difficult,” said Leberl, presented with the Isthmian Premier November manager-of-the-month award before the game by league director Neil Pilcher.

“Obviously, I have been around this place for a very long time and that generally happens a couple of times per season. Ruben has been absolutely brilliant for us.

“I did ‘Umm’ and ‘Err’ - but we went with him - and I thought Ruben put on a really good display.”

The top-of-the-table clash was played in front of a bumper crowd of 1,236 at Crabble.

Leberl said: “They were really noisy.

“It’s just so disappointing we didn’t get one late on to give them something to smile about, going down the hill.”

Whites will begin 2025 with a home match against play-off chasing Horsham, 6-0 weekend winners at Potters Bar, on New Year’s Day.