Johan ter Horst wants to kickstart his career at Folkestone after leaving Maidstone - and what a start he's made.

Ter Horst rejoined his old club in the Bostik Premier following talks with Stones boss Jay Saunders.

He realised chances would be limited at the Gallagher Stadium so it made sense to move on.

The 22-year-old made his name at Cheriton Road as a teenager, earning a move to the Premier League with Hull City.

It's the perfect place to rediscover his form and if he does that, he'll soon be back in the pro ranks.

He's scored four goals in his first two games back at Invicta, to go with the five in five he grabbed on loan there before Christmas.

Ter Horst said: "Obviously it's a shame it didn't work out because I liked it at Maidstone and it's a great set of lads there.

"The fans were always good to me and Jay was always very fair.

"He kind of said, 'You're probably not going to play an awful lot' and I understood that because I didn't hit the ground running as I would have liked.

"It's a shame to leave but it's something I wanted as well because I wasn't prepared to sit on the bench doing nothing - it wouldn't have done me any favours.

"I much prefer playing and Folkestone was the obvious choice. It was a no-brainer to go back there.

"Margate were interested as well but I was never going to go anywhere else.

"I wanted to go back to somewhere I know and where the manager knows me.

"I love playing at Folkestone and it suits me there."

Both Saunders and Invicta boss Neil Cugley expect ter Horst to push on again - and that's the plan.

The striker said: "I'd like to think I can still kick on and play at the highest level possible.

"I'm taking a step back to go forwards again, as a lot of players do.

"If I'm playing well and scoring goals, I don't see why it wouldn't happen because clubs do look at players at this level.

"It's happened to me before at Folkestone and that was one of the reasons why I wanted to go back.

"The pitch suits me down to the ground and you always get chances at that level."

Saunders felt ter Horst struggled to adapt to the physical side of the National League after playing development football at Hull for three years.

He was also recovering from a dislocated shoulder when he signed last summer and that probably didn't help.

Ter Horst said: "Coming off two major shoulder surgeries I was perhaps a bit cautious for the first few months, protecting it.

"I thought I had a few good games but I didn't do it often enough which is why I've come back to this level.

"I'll miss the full-time aspect and the banter with the lads on away trips.

"You spend a lot more time with the lads than you do at this level, so you naturally get on better."