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Folkestone Invicta ready to host Merstham FC in the Ryman League Division 1 South play-off final

Folkestone Invicta are 90 minutes from promotion and they need your support in Saturday's play-off final.

Neil Cugley's side are up against Merstham at the Fullicks Stadium (3pm), with a place in the Ryman League Premier Division at stake.

Folkestone, promoted through the play-offs five years ago, came back down the following year but they've reached the play-offs in each of the last three seasons.

After two semi-final defeats in 2012 and 2013, they made the 2014 final only to suffer penalty shootout heartbreak at the hands of Leatherhead.

Folkestone's players stand together during last season's penalty shootout defeat Picture: Gary Browne
Folkestone's players stand together during last season's penalty shootout defeat Picture: Gary Browne

Now Invicta are looking to go one better in front of what's likely to be their biggest crowd of the season.

Folkestone boss Neil Cugley said: "Being at home is an advantage as long as the players can handle the pressure of playing in front of a lot of people.

"Sometimes it can affect players differently.

"Hopefully we get over a thousand or even more on Saturday and they get behind us."

Folkestone are at home in the final because they finished higher in the league than Merstham.

Their huge tally of 98 points from 46 games was enough to secure the runners-up spot and it was five more than Merstham managed - although both sides scored 107 league goals.

Folkestone beat Whyteleafe 2-1 on Tuesday night to each the final, while Merstham's semi-final at Faversham went to penalties. The Surrey side won the shootout 5-4 after former Invicta striker Stuart King missed for the Lilywhites.

Cugley said: "I’m disappointed for Faversham but Merstham are a good side.

"They play proper football and they’ve done well. I think they can only play one way and so can we, so it’ll be an entertaining game."

Despite the shootout pain of 12 months ago, Cugley hasn't made his players practice penalties ahead of the final.

He said: "If you think it’s difficult in front of millions, it’s even worse for these lads with a thousand people because it’s just luck of the draw.

"Johan ter Horst was our best player last year and he missed the penalty that cost us going up.

"You can't replicate that environment, not at all."

Johan ter Horst missed this penalty in the 2014 final before leaving to join Hull City Picture: Gary Browne
Johan ter Horst missed this penalty in the 2014 final before leaving to join Hull City Picture: Gary Browne

Folkestone had no money to pay their players just over a year ago but they've now paid off their CVA and stand, debt-free, on the verge of promotion after a fantastic season.

Cugley said: "It’s even more than we wanted to achieve.

"We wanted to get out of debt, we’ve done that, we wanted to get in the play-offs and we made the play-offs.

"Now we’re in the final of the play-offs and hopefully we’ll win it."

Defenders Liam Friend, Frankie Chappell and Josh Vincent are bidding to make it fourth time lucky having been part of the losing play-off teams in each of the last three seasons.

Meanwhile, striker Ian Draycott - who played for Leatherhead against Folkestone in last year's final - has 43 goals for the season and is just three short of the all-time club record - held by Cugley.

Folkestone go into the final on a 15-match unbeaten streak which stretches back to early February. Merstham have won nine of their last 11 and they haven't lost away from home since November.

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