Boyhood Dover Athletic supporter Jordan Gillmore made his bow for the Isthmian Premier leaders on Saturday.

Red-hot forward Ruben Soares-Junior’s brace, alongside strikes by 18-goal top scorer George Nikaj and creative midfielder Alfie Matthews, allowed Whites to come from behind to win 4-1 at Dulwich Hamlet - which was a ninth victory in 11 league matches for Jake Leberl’s side.

But it was in goal where there was a new face at Champion Hill as 22-year-old Gillmore deputised for the sidelined Mitch Walker (knee), ahead of Claudio Boakye-Sarfo.

“He did really nicely,” said Whites boss Leberl, who has been named as November’s Isthmian Premier manager-of-the-month. “He was very confident and assured. He kicks really well.

“Obviously, it was a difficult decision. We still don’t really know what we’re doing with Mitch, although his knee is doing better.

“Claudio has come in and done all right - but it was a big ask. The odd game? Maybe, but, for someone who hasn’t really played at the level, it’s a big ask to do much more than that.

“We did weigh up some loan keepers but there was just something about this lad. He was in just before Mitch first got injured, and Brunds (ex-boss Mitch Brundle) even had him in pre-season last year.

Two-goal Dover man makes team-of-the-week

“He used to watch on the terraces with his grandad so I thought he’d get the feeling of the club. I knew he was a local boy but not that he was a Dover fan.

“Barnet gave him a four-year deal but he had a falling-out there. Then, he went to Welling and had an absolute nightmare. He kicks well and, hopefully, we can get him to stay around.

"I’m really pleased for him.”

Dover’s unbeaten run did appear as though it was going to come under threat early on against Hakan Hayrettin’s men as defender Luca Cocoracchio put through his own net in only the second minute.

But they stood up to the test of their mettle in front of a crowd of more than 2,000 on a miserable day during Storm Darragh.

“It was difficult conditions so scoring just before half-time was so important,” reflected Leberl. “It was such a good time to score and set us up for the rest of the game.

“I was very pleased with the whole day, including the really good crowd.

“To be honest, it couldn’t have gone much better.”

Former Tonbridge, Margate and Folkestone man Soares-Junior’s double took him to seven goals in six games and 16 overall for the campaign.

Leberl said: “I said a few weeks ago how important he is for us, didn’t I? He’s such a calm character.

“He still has that fire in his belly - but a freezer in his head! He has got so much ability and, to be honest, he’s just getting better and better.”

Soares-Junior is one of many to be benefiting from the faith which is being shown in him by Leberl, No.2 Mike Sandmann and the rest of Whites’ backroom staff.

“From Saturday’s starting XI, only three have played a full season of regular first-team football - and one was in the league below,” Leberl said.

“That’s incredible. It just goes to show the ability they have got and what they can do when they’re given that chance.”

Next up is a home match on Saturday against strugglers Cray Wanderers, managed by Neil Smith, with the hosts’ players looking to make a swift get-away after the full-time whistle.

Dover’s boss said: “I know Neil well, I’ve come up against him many times.

"They have gone into their new ground this season. It’s one of those potential banana skins.

“Looking at the league table, you cannot get complacent. We have still got to turn up for the game. The players are all going to Dublin for their Christmas do after.

“I would like to think they’ll all be up for the game on Saturday and that’ll allow them to enjoy the rest of their weekend.”

Wanderers are captained by one-time Dover loanee defender Tom Bonner.

Whites progressed to the Kent Senior Cup semi-final after goals from Soares-Junior and Nikaj saw them to a 2-0 win over neighbours Deal at Crabble last midweek.

The match attracted a healthy attendance of 1,219, despite criticism tickets had not been offered at a reduced price.

Reflecting on the result and the crowd, Leberl said: “I was really pleased.

"Obviously, there was a little bit of negativity around the pricing structure, which I can understand from both sides.

“Money is tight for everyone, especially around the Christmas period. But our budget is far inferior to others in this league.

"You can say what you like about the chairman, Jim Parmenter, but the club is debt-free.

“If we want to keep progressing, we’re going to need crowds of 1,000 and more regularly, and that money will make a big difference.”