Folkestone Invicta boss Andy Drury expects to be able to assess club’s start to Isthmian Premier season after away league matches at Chichester City and Horsham

Andy Drury expects his Folkestone side to be in a good position to take stock of the start to their Isthmian Premier season after the next two league matches.

Promotion-chasing Invicta returned to competitive action after a two-week break as they secured their first home win of the campaign, beating Hendon 2-0 last weekend.

Folkestone hit the road for their next two league fixtures. They are at newly-promoted Chichester this Saturday and visit Horsham on Tuesday as Invicta sit on the fringes of the play-off places, sitting ninth.

Folkestone manager Drury said: “From Saturday and Tuesday, if we can come out with some good points, we will be in and around the top five or six.

“Then, we can take stock from there.

“We’ve had a tough start - fixture-wise and with suspensions and injuries, as well - but we will be at nine league games after Tuesday and getting towards the quarter-season mark.

“So, hopefully, we’ll have a good idea of where we will be.”

Invicta midfielder makes team-of-the-week

Another good crowd of 918 watched Folkestone see off Hendon at Cheriton Road thanks to two goals in quick succession from midfielder Amadou Kassarate and striker Dan Smith shortly before the hour mark.

“It was a decent, professional performance,” reflected Drury.

“We pretty much dominated, really, from start to finish.

“First half, we dominated without creating too many chances. As I said at half-time, we had to increase the tempo, which we did.

“Unfortunately, we picked up a couple of knocks around the 70-minute and 75-minute mark and we didn’t have too many attacking options on the bench.

“That’s something we need to address this week but it was nice to get Jack Jebb some minutes.

“It was our first clean sheet of the season, as well.

“That’s been quite disappointing. We have got the best keeper in the league and one of the best holding midfield players in Dean Rance, and one of the best defences.

“Hopefully, there’s more to come.

“We sent most of the fans home happy because there was a decent crowd there.”

Kassarate continued his eventful start with the club. He broke the deadlock with his second goal from four games, having also been controversially dismissed on last month’s debut.

Drury stated: “I thought Amadou was outstanding again.

“We have given him that box-to-box role because he has got the energy to do it. He showed he could score and set goals up, as well.

“It was a good lay-off from him to Smithy for the second.”

While Smith is on five goals for the season, the only other Invicta players to have scored more than once are Kassarate and captain Ian Gayle - with two in the same match.

“We need to score a few more goals,” admitted Drury, who had to take Smith off against Hendon with a tight groin while fellow Folkestone forward Tom Derry is suspended.

“We need one or two more to chip in, in attacking areas.

“Smithy has been brilliant. He has five from eight games and he played in midfield in one of them.

“We were only three points off second after Saturday so we’re in a decent place.

"It’s definitely something we can build on.”

Drury also handed an Invicta debut to former Dover, Tonbridge and Chatham winger Khale Da Costa against Hendon.

“Khale is someone we felt would add something to the squad,” he added.

“He’s very direct and will get crosses in. That’s something people like Tom Derry and Smithy will thrive on.

“Khale, I think, got cramp in his hamstring. He had to come off around the hour mark.

“We need to get him up to speed but he did all right.”

Invicta lost on penalties at home to Isthmian South East side Phoenix Sports in the Kent Senior Cup on Tuesday.

Substitute Evans Kouassi’s second-half goal ensured it finished 1-1 and went to a shootout, but Phoenix went through 5-4.

Folkestone have been drawn at home against Isthmian South Central Ascot United in the FA Trophy third qualifying round on Saturday, October 5.