Buoyed from the hard fought midweek victory over Metropolitan Police, Neil Cugley's side face promotion favourites Worthing this Saturday afternoon at the Buzzlines Stadium with both sides joint top of Ryman Division One South although the Seasiders have a game in hand.

Worthing lost 3-0 on Wednesday night at Eastbourne Town in a division which has already thrown up its fair share of surprise results so far this season.

In a wholehearted team performance on Tuesday night at Cheriton Road, it was dominant centre half Frankie Chappell whose header from a 90 th minute corner ensured Invicta sealed all three points against a side who included several former Folkestone players in their starting eleven; Craig Wilkins, Lee Gledhill and Nick Humphrey.

Speaking from the youth side's Cup match against Eastbourne Town on Tuesday night Cugley commented, “They (Met Police) are vastly experienced and looking at their starting line up, it's full of what I would call ‘big name' Ryman League players. Their experience and strength showed but we dug in and defended well. I don't think they gave Jack much to do and I thought we had the better chances.

“The only complaint I had was that I felt we could've pushed them up a little bit from the back but sometimes you've got to let teams come onto you as we don't concede many goals and we are good at popping up with goals later in games when our fitness and team spirit comes through. I thought the front two (James Everitt and Simon Austin) in particular worked their socks off.”

Looking towards the weekend and the visit of Worthing, aside from Jimmy Dryden who continues to work his way back to full fitness, Folkestone have no injury worries which is likely to see an unchanged starting line up from the side that performed admirably against Met Police.

“As disappointing as it was on Saturday almost getting to Croydon and finding out the game was going to be called off, we did have two or three players carrying injuries that wouldn't have stopped them from playing but would've meant them not being as sharp as we would've liked. With such a small squad, we can't afford to pick up any injuries or illness.

“With the youngsters on the bench you have to be careful with them as expectations become so high and they're not world beaters. They're good lads who don't get paid and turn up every week. You're playing against Met Police for instance who are a big and strong side and you don't want to knock their confidence either and it's very difficult to find the happy medium as they want to play football. The potential is there and we want to put them on at the right time.

“We'll be treating Worthing as another game as that's what it is and we'll want to win. You have to remember that we are only a third of the way through the season and it's by no means the be all and end all yet! I won't be putting too much emphasis on it or putting pressure on the players as there is no need to. They just need to carry on enjoying their football and doing well and we'll see what happens.

Captain Michael Everitt has now broken the appearance record for the Club and the gaffer reserved several words of praise for the industrious midfielder.

“I think so far this is the best season he has ever had. I think he has been outstanding and has shown an excellent attitude to everything as he always has done. I think we've seen an improvement in his overall game and I'm pleased for him as the time he has put in over the summer is paying off. Alongside Smithy and Jacko, I think those three are as good a midfield as anything in this League.

“I think it's fair to say we're not the loudest of sides who shout and scream but what we have got is a bunch of lads that are very determined in their individual ways and I think that Mev falls into that category – he does his job and he's doing it well.

“So far this season we lost to Godalming where Jack made one of the only mistakes he's made all season, Sittingbourne in the F.A Cup when we didn't mark from a free kick, against Hitchin who I thought were better than us to be fair and then Aveley who we played really well against. It wasn't very long ago when we were going out of business! So we haven't done too badly so far have we?”