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Folkestone Invicta boss Neil Cugley says one more win should secure a play-off place

Neil Cugley believes one more win will guarantee Folkestone a place in the play-offs.

Invicta went second in Bostik Premier after their victory over Leiston on Saturday moved them onto 80 points.

No team finishing with 83 points has failed to make the top-five since the division was expanded to 24 clubs in four years ago.

Kieron McCann on the ball during Folkestone's 2-0 win over Leiston Picture: Paul Amos
Kieron McCann on the ball during Folkestone's 2-0 win over Leiston Picture: Paul Amos

Manager Cugley said: "We need another win because I think 83 would get us in the play-offs.

"Maybe two wins might get us third. Let's get a win as soon as we can and then you get greedy because you'd like to be at home (in the semi-final).

"It does come into your thinking but let's first of all get into the play-offs.

"We've got three hard away games coming up so we've got to try to get points from them."

Making the play-offs would be a huge achievement but could Folkestone go one better and win the league?

"If we won every single game, we might have a chance but I haven't really thought about that," Cugley said.

"We've got a difficult run-in with a small squad.

"Billericay, Dulwich and Margate are the big clubs with big financial backing and I always thought they would be the top three.

"I didn't expect us to be in there."

Folkestone have scored 93 league goals this season and with five games left you'd back them to bring up a century.

"It shows how we play our football," Cugley said. "The players have bought into everything we've tried to do and that's all credit to them.

"Over the season, you change your system quite a lot, a couple of players come in, a couple go and they've done that well.

"Jerald Aboagye's done well since coming in from Hythe. He's another one who wanted to test himself at a higher standard and that's what he's done.

"It is a good standard of football with some good teams, like Leiston, and you've got to be 'at it' every game. There are no days off in this league."

After four successive home games, Folkestone's next three are all away from the Fullicks Stadium.

They go to Staines tomorrow (Thursday), Dorking Wanderers on Saturday and Thurrock on Tuesday.

Cugley said: "We've done well in the home games over the last few weeks to keep plugging away.

"Staines are playing twice this week so we've got no excuses. Dorking are playing on Thursday night too so in that sense it's all quite even."

Micheal Everitt and Nick Shaw are both unavailable for the Staines match.

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