Dover Athletic boss Jake Leberl says goal-happy side are thriving in Isthmian Premier thanks to confidence gained from pre-season displays

Dover manager Jake Leberl insists the only magic ingredient in his squad this season has been confidence.

Leberl’s young guns continued their goal-laden start to life in the Isthmian Premier by hitting Kent rivals Dartford for five last Saturday.

It brings their tally to 24 goals in just six league matches. The next best in the division are Dulwich with 13 goals to their name.

“Confidence,” stated Leberl. “We were banging in goals pre-season and we’ve just continued that once the season has started.

“We play a certain way that gets boys in between the sticks. I’m very big on that, we haven’t got any wingers in the squad and I want the wide forward to be a forward who is prepared to get in and score goals so you’ve got extra bodies to cause havoc in there.

“That’s the way we’ve gone, it’s no secret and everyone can see that. But people have got to try and stop it. Fortunately enough, Dartford couldn’t do it.”

George Nikaj has eight goals to his name and Ruben Soares-Junior took his tally to seven with a brace against Darts.

“It’s staggering considering we haven’t got a previously-recognised goal scorer within the squad,” explained Leberl.

“Nikaj hasn’t scored big numbers, Ruben hasn’t scored big numbers, none of the boys have scored big numbers wherever they’ve been. They’ve all scored goals but not big numbers.

“We keep creating the chances and the more goals they get, the more confidence they get.

“We’ve scored five, six and seven in pre-season, then eight in the first game of the season. We generally create a lot of chances by the way we play.

“I find it really exciting, this is our ethos and philosophy. Lots of teams play different ways, lots of times centre-halves have the ball, but I want to get the ball forward and