Jake Leberl sees no reason to make knee-jerk changes to his Dover side.

Isthmian Premier frontrunners Dover will start 2025 four points clear despite mixed results in December, suffering a second straight 1-0 home defeat as they went down to second-placed Billericay last weekend.

Whites host Horsham on New Year’s Day before this Saturday’s trip to Hendon (both 3pm).

And boss Leberl is contending with more than just a hectic festive schedule.

“We’re really struggling with illness,” he revealed. “There’s a lot of boys that have been struggling for a week or so.

“Three of the boys turned up at 2.55pm on Saturday. There was an accident on the M2 so it was a little bit disjointed from the start.

“But I don’t see any reason to panic or make changes. Obviously, there’s a few boys that are really knocking on the door to start.

Report: Dover 0-1 Billericay

‘It’s a terrible time to concede’

“We will see where they are, where we are with the illness over the next couple of days, and then we’ll make a decision for the Horsham game.”

Among those experiencing traffic issues ahead of the Billericay fixture was defender Jeremiah Gyebi.

He was replaced in the matchday squad by midfielder Henry Young, albeit the teenager was an unused substitute.

Leberl said: “Henry has been really unlucky not to have been in the squad. He has been training ever so well.

“Obviously in terms of the decision on Saturday, Jerry was one of the boys stuck in the traffic. We weren’t sure at that time whether they were going to get here or not.

“A few of the midfield boys are the ones that have been struggling with illness, as well, so that was the reason for that.”

Horsham were 6-0 weekend winners at Potters Bar and sit on the fringes of the play-off places, having won four of their past five matches. They also reached the FA Cup first round this season.

“They’re a very good side,” noted Leberl, whose troops were 3-1 victors in West Sussex in late August.

“When we played them down there, I was very impressed.

“Obviously, their league position has been a little bit false because of the really good cup run they have been on.

"I expect them to come strong.”

Leberl is remaining level-headed despite a slight blip at home, which means Dover haven’t won at Crabble in the league since mid-November.

“We’re disappointed but we cannot be too down,” he said. “We’re four points clear.

"If someone had offered you that in August, you would have bitten their hand off.

“You’re going to have highs and lows so you cannot be too high with the highs and you cannot be too low now.

“I felt it was a half-decent performance on Saturday.”

And 2024 represented a much better year compared to recent times with two relegations since the Covid pandemic.

The team remain unbeaten on the road this season - their latest away win was a 2-0 triumph at Hastings on Boxing Day as Luke Baptiste and top scorer George Nikaj netted.

Leberl admitted: “It’s been really positive.

"You would prefer to win at home and have a better home record than away record but, at the minute, that’s just the way it is.

“But we do need to get back to picking up points here.”