Manager Jake Leberl cannot recall being involved in a match like Dover’s 10-goal clash at Worthing on Saturday.

National League South basement boys Dover, who were 3-0 down at one stage, were beaten 6-4 by Adam Hinshelwood’s second-placed side at Woodside Road.

Leberl reflected: “It’s certainly one that I cannot recall being involved in before. It was a strange game.

“They dictated the game, really, with the way they play. They play high-risk football, which means they have a lot of possession but, also, means that there’s chances for the opposition.

“They’re a good team and have a good manager - a manager who I believe has been there for seven years.

“It was always going to be a difficult task.”

Midfielder George Wilkinson scored twice - netting his first following a free-kick from out wide - while forward Archie Hatcher and midfielder Luke Baptiste, converting a first-half penalty after a lengthy delay due to a serious injury to home keeper Josh Jeffries, were also on target.

Whites involved in cup confusion

Young two-goal Dover midfielder named in team-of-the-week

While Whites again shipped too many goals, Leberl felt there were more positives to take compared to the previous weekend’s 3-0 loss at Braintree.

“On Saturday - believe it or not - that wasn’t as disappointing,” Leberl noted.

“At Braintree, we were not at the races and there was a lack of effort and fight. There were elements of that on Saturday from second phases at set-pieces, where they were a bit quicker than us.

“You can sort of understand it - but you cannot accept it. It’s very clear there was a little bit of a lack of effort from some of the boys to put bodies on the line.

“That left the keeper (Dan Jinadu) exposed.”

The crazy nature of the fixture against their promotion-chasing hosts drew similarities to Dover’s 6-5 National League loss at Wrexham in March 2022.

Leberl said: “I remember watching the highlights of that one. The positive was that the majority of the boys kept going. They (Worthing) do give opportunities up and they’re fully aware of that.

“This season, they have been successful and have a guy up front (Ollie Pearce) who is scoring goals for fun.

“But we did create opportunities and scored a couple of decent goals ourselves. For all the goals, Academy players were scoring.”

On 19-year-old Wilkinson’s double, Leberl added: “He has been unlucky not to get on the scoresheet in the last few games.

“He has good technique. He gets into great areas and his attitude has been excellent.”

It has been a stop-start season for Wilkinson, who spent time on loan at Haringey.

But Leberl has seen a marked improvement in his attitude and the club’s other young Academy products when they do have to contend with spells outside the first team.

He said: “There’s been a few ups and downs for a few of them and maybe they think they should have played more.

“When I came in, Henry (Young) was playing a lot of games. He has not played much lately - but his attitude has been absolutely immense.

“Before, the boys perhaps had the attitude of being a bit down and depressed when opportunities didn’t come and then, when their opportunity came, they were not ready for it.

“But I feel they’re much more aware of the situation now.”

Dover, whose trip to Truro on Tuesday was postponed, are some way adrift of safety and have home matches against Dartford this Saturday and St Albans on Tuesday.

Experienced midfielder Iffy Allen (hamstring) is a doubt while striker Dontai Stewart (knee) recently returned to light training.