The next fixture on our pre-season schedule brings our previous management team back to the Yeomans Community Stadium as Folkestone Invicta provide the opposition.
Jay Saunders, Tom Parkinson and Lloyd Blackman return having spent the summer reshaping the Invicta squad starting with bringing the experienced defender Kevin Lokko to the club from Maidenhead United. Jay has since brought in ex-Angels Mikey Berry, Jeremy Santos, Liam Smith, who arrives from Sittingbourne and one-time loanee Jake Hutchinson from Enfield Town. Ollie Black (Worthing), Montel McKenzie (Billericay Town), Josh Strouts (Loughborough Students), Donell Thomas (Cheshunt) and Ben Mason (AFC Wimbledon) make up the rest of Folkestone’s summer signings.
Invicta are unbeaten in pre-season so far with wins against Hythe Town by 3-0 with two goals from Hutchinson followed by a 4-0 win at Faversham Town (Strouts, Yusuff (2) and Smith). Next time out they were held to a 2-2 draw at Ashford United with goals from a trialist and Hutchinson.
Last weekend they travelled to Yorkshire to visit Bradford Park Avenue, where they came away with a 2-0 win, courtesy of goals from Michael Odeniran and Hutchinson.
Last season we met in an August friendly that ended in a goalless draw with Jonny Henly saving a penalty whilst the last meeting between the teams was at Cheriton Road was in July 2023, when the game will not only be remembered for a Ruben Soares-Junior overhead kick that won the game but a first half downpour of monsoon proportions that left supporters wondering if the game could continue.
The last competitive game was Boxing Day of 2018, here at Longmead, when the visitors ran out 3-1 winners. Ian Draycott scored for Invicta on eight minutes which was equalised on the stroke of half-time by Tom Murphy. Late goals from Scott Heard and Alfie Paxman saw the festive spoils return to the east Kent coast.
Craig Nelson looked forward to Saturday’s encounter: “We know them from last year, the management team have gone in there and done a really good job, they’ve shuffled the pack. We will expect a really tough game and that’s exactly what we want going into the new season.”
Admission prices for the game are: Adults £12; Concessions £10; Youths £5 and Under-12’s free with accompanying adult with tickets available HERE.
Gates open at 1 pm with the Sports Bar and the Marquee open from the outset, both with the offer of Aspall Cider at £4.50 a pint or, if you would like to buy a mate a pint, two pints for £8. The Tea Hut will open at 1 pm serving burgers, hot dogs, butties, hot and cold drinks; Fries Like An Angel, serving all your favourite loaded chips, will also open at 1 pm. The Pie Shack will not be open for any of the friendlies. After the game, the bar will be open with Happy Hour from 5-6 pm.
Enjoy the game!
