Dover Athletic manager Jake Leberl on Alfie Matthews, Francis Mampolo and George Nikaj playing in Baller League just 24 hours before National League South derby with Ebbsfleet United

Dover manager Jake Leberl won’t be making “a song and dance” after three of his leading players featured in Baller League on Monday.

Alfie Matthews, Francis Mampolo and George Nikaj all played in the six-a-side competition just 24 hours before Whites’ National League South clash at home to Kent rivals Ebbsfleet.

It is believed there is a gentleman’s agreement that any Baller League player won’t feature in that week’s matches if Dover have a game.

Leberl left Matthews and Mampolo out of the squad against the Fleet with Nikaj introduced as a late substitute, given Dover’s lack of options in attack.

“Like I said, all of them - obviously Ruben Soares-Junior is included as well although he's injured at the minute - and the three of them (who featured on Monday) have been absolutely brilliant for this football club,” said Leberl.

“They’re young boys and I feel they've made a mistake.

“We obviously haven't really had the conversation yet. I was obviously concentrating on today's game.

“But I just feel that it's done and dusted. We don't need to make a song and dance. It doesn't need to be a circus act around it.

“We'll manage it and I'm sure they'll be even more sort of desperate to come and do well for the football club.”

Baller League is a televised indoor competition held during a three-month period where players can earn as much as £800 per week.

Leberl is keen to draw a line under the episode with Monday’s matchday the penultimate round of matches in that competition’s league stages.

“They're young boys and like I said to them, what we don't want to do is this go(es) any further,” stated the Dover boss.

“We all make mistakes. Whether they felt they made a mistake or not is a little bit irrelevant. We had the conversation.