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Folkestone Invicta boss Neil Cugley hoping home tie against Corinthian is the start of a memorable FA Cup run
00:00, 26 August 2015
Folkestone are top of Ryman League Division 1 South after a 4-1 win at title rivals Hastings.
Ian Draycott scored twice at the Pilot Field on Tuesday night, with Invicta's other goals in East Sussex coming from Matt Newman and Ronnie Dolan.
Hastings played the whole of the second half with 10 men after Sam Cole's ugly challenge on Josh Vincent was punished with a straight red card on the stroke of half time.
Folkestone, who are now two points clear at the top of the table, turn their attentions to the FA Cup on Saturday.
They welcome Corinthian, of the Southern Counties East League, to the Fullicks Stadium for a preliminary round tie which kicks off at 3pm.
Neil Cugley’s team haven’t gone out of the FA Cup at this stage for 17 years and they’re favourites to make it through to the qualifying rounds again, setting up a trip to Tonbridge Angels on September 12.
Asked if the competition is still special for players, Cugley said: "I hope so. I know it is for me.
"I was lucky enough to manage Ashford at Watford and Fulham so I know what it means. You never forget memories like that and I’d like to create some more before I pack up.
"There’s always one team at our level that does quite well and I want it to be us this season.
"The FA Cup is still a great competition and there are the obvious financial gains from it.
"You’re never going to be in it for long so it’s nice to go on a run and make the most of it while you can.
"The league is important and we want to get in the play-offs again but a run in the FA Trophy or FA Cup would be nice, too."
The winners of Saturday’s tie will bank £1,925 in prize money and Cugley explained what that cash would mean to Folkestone.
"It would pay for the Guernsey trip," he said, referring to Invicta’s league game in the Channel Islands earlier this month.
"Luckily, our chairman said we could stay overnight, that we could do it that way and now we want a result on Saturday to pay that off.
"Otherwise, we’ll have to take it out of some other coffers somewhere else."
Read the full story in the Folkestone & Hythe Express.
