Manager Jake Leberl is urging the community to come out in force for Dover’s Kent Senior Cup tie against Deal tonight.

The Isthmian Premier pacesetters will welcome their neighbours to Crabble for the quarter-final tie.

There should be plenty of local interest with some in Isthmian South East Deal’s squad, including boss Steve King - who had been on the terraces at Crabble before he headed into management - based locally and even working in Dover.

“I’m really excited for it,” said Leberl. “The revenue is shared so I urge everyone in the local area to get up here and support both of us.

“We’re two clubs that are on the up. Deal did ever so well to get promoted last year and they have started reasonably well this year in a tough league so fair play to them.

“I’m really looking forward to this place being buzzing again and it’ll be a competitive game.”

Whites, who drew 2-2 in the league at home to fellow promotion-chasing team Cray Valley last weekend, knocked Steve McKimm’s men out with a 3-1 win at Crabble in late October in the second round.

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Their goals came from defender Jeremiah Gyebi, forward Eniye Amgbaduba - with a penalty - and top scorer George Nikaj.

The Hoops have seen off Sittingbourne (6-1) and Hythe (3-0) to reach this stage of the competition. But they lost a third straight league match on Saturday, being beaten 2-1 at Sevenoaks despite top scorer Tom Chapman’s 11th goal of the season.

On the team he intends to name for the game, Leberl added: “I’ve got to be fair to the squad.

“Obviously, I’ve got to assess the knocks from Saturday and, with the boys that haven’t been getting many minutes, I’ll definitely give them a start.

“But we have only got a squad of 17 or 18 with a few out on loan. So, half of the regulars are going to have to start, anyway, unless we decide to go very young.

“But we won’t do that because I think we owe it to the competition and we owe it to the supporters.”

Deal defender Alex Green and forward Archie Hatcher started in Whites’ successful Academy before heading to the Charles Sports Ground in search of more regular first-team football.