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Dover Athletic boss Jake Leberl looks ahead to their Isthmian Premier derby trip to Folkestone Invicta

Jake Leberl has told his Dover players they will need to keep their emotions in check ahead of tonight’s big Isthmian Premier derby at Folkestone.

A huge crowd is expected at Cheriton Road as Leberl’s leaders seek revenge on Invicta.

Dover boss Jake Leberl - his team will take the short trip to Folkestone tonight. Picture: Stuart Watson
Dover boss Jake Leberl - his team will take the short trip to Folkestone tonight. Picture: Stuart Watson

The teams have already met this term, with Andy Drury’s side winning 3-2 as Dover were reduced to 10 players with midfielder Harrison Pont red-carded in front of a crowd of 2,495 at Crabble in August.

“It was a brilliant occasion,” recalled Dover manager Leberl. “I was just so gutted for everyone that we couldn’t get a result, although we played a lot of the game with 10 men.

“I honestly believe it would have been a different result if we had 11 men on the pitch. But that was the first occasion I felt we could get the club back on the up.

“They have a big pitch and it will almost be like a cup game.

“We’ll just need to keep our emotions in check and not let our emotions overrule us with the big crowd being there.”

Dover player makes team-of-the-week

Whites head into the derby after a 3-0 home win over Potters Bar thanks to goals from Ruben Soares-Junior - who was with Folkestone last season - fellow forward Alfie Matthews and substitute Francis Mampolo, who also ended last term at Cheriton Road, on Saturday.

But they will be without right-back Roman Charles-Cook, who serves the second game of his three-match ban after his sending-off in last month’s 2-0 FA Trophy home defeat to Sittingbourne.

Folkestone, sitting 13th, lost 2-1 at Carshalton on Saturday, despite top scorer Dan Smith’s early goal.

Invicta boss Drury could hand ex-Tonbridge forward Joe Turner his home bow after he came off the substitutes’ bench at the War Memorial Sports Ground.

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