Title-chasing Folkestone’s stunning home record has given captain Liam Friend the belief he could spend the next May Day in Magaluf, not Merstham.

Friend said before this season started that he wanted to bypass the Ryman League Division 1 South play-offs and grab automatic promotion by winning the championship.

Invicta, who entertain Three Bridges on Saturday, have taken 25 of a possible 27 points at the Fullicks Stadium so far this term and they’ve only lost one of their last 27 league games there – a run stretching back to September 2013.

The league’s form team, they’re four points behind leaders Faversham with two games in hand.

Friend said: "That home record speaks for itself. It’s important that we keep that run going because that was the reason we were so successful last year. With the good run we’re on now, if we can keep picking up points at home, it takes the pressure off when we go away from home.

"We’ve seen most of the other teams now. We know there’s nothing to fear and we should be up there. Cugs (manager Neil Cugley) doesn’t like to put the pressure on us, by saying that we’re going to win it but there’s no reason why we can’t.

"Hopefully, in May, I’m celebrating in Magaluf, not waiting for the play-offs."

Expectations were high in pre-season but Folkestone found themselves 10th after 10
games.

Friend, though, insisted there was never any panic and an eight-game unbeaten run since then suggests Invicta are getting back to their best.

Friend said: "There was talk among certain people that we didn’t have a particularly good start but we’ve only lost two league games and a couple of cup games.

"It was a bit doom-and-gloom in certain areas but we knew that once we got ourselves going and got that result, things would start to click a little bit. We knew we were going to be a top-five team, which we are now.

"We didn’t get carried away when it wasn’t all going to plan and we’re not getting carried away now."

Read the full interview in the Folkestone & Hythe Express.