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Sport

Folkestone Invicta manager Neil Cugley happy with his squad after signing Luke Wanadio on loan from Dartford and experienced midfielder Andy Drury

By: Thomas Reeves treeves@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 05:00, 27 January 2022

Updated: 10:45, 27 January 2022

Boss Neil Cugley says he is happy with the options he has got at his disposal after strengthening Folkestone’s squad.

Invicta signed wideman Luke Wanadio on an initial one-month loan from National League South Dartford on Monday night, having brought in former Football League midfielder Andy Drury ahead of their 1-0 home win over Wingate & Finchley last weekend.

Folkestone's Ryan Johnson gets stuck in during their 1-0 win over Wingate & Finchley on Saturday. All pictures: Randolph File

“I’m quite happy with the squad,” declared Cugley, whose sixth-placed team are vying for promotion from Isthmian Premier.

“It’s a really good squad now. All the injuries have stopped for the moment, touch wood, and there’s not as much Covid about.

“Hopefully they (the new signings) will make us more competitive. We have three games a week most weeks for a while now, so we will need everybody.”

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Neither of the two new recruits are short on experience, either.

Wanadio, 29, has made just shy of 100 appearances for Dartford, having also played for Aldershot, Bromley and Dulwich.

Goalkeeper Tim Roberts is put under pressure

He made his first start for the club in their match at leaders Worthing on Tuesday, with Invicta losing 3-1 despite a second-half consolation goal from Alfie Paxman in front of 1,008 fans at Woodside Road.

Speaking ahead of their match at Worthing, which saw Danny Barker sent off in the dying minutes for the Rebels, Cugley said: “He (Wanadio) is an experienced lad, he knows the game well.

"He gives us another attacking option, which is good.”

Ex-Ipswich, Luton and Crawley player Drury came off the bench at the weekend to make his debut.

The 38-year-old had been working as Danny Kedwell’s player-assistant manager at league rivals Cray Wanderers before Kedwell left the Wands shortly after Christmas.

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“He is a quality player,” Cugley noted.

Folkestone Invicta's Dave Smith tussles with a Wingate & Finchley player

“He lives near Canterbury and it suits everybody, really.

“I’m not saying he will play 90 minutes twice a week, but he will be a big part of what we are doing between now and the end of the season.

“To be fair to the club, they did say I could use some money from the FA Trophy and the Finn O’Mara sale - and that’s what I’ve done.”

Folkestone were not at their best against Wingate but Dave Smith’s 18th goal this season was enough to earn them the points, with the visitors having Dexter Peter sent off.

Cugley reflected: “We were not at our best, we didn’t move the ball quickly enough and the pitch was a bit slow. Not much happened first half, but we had a chat at half-time.

Scott Heard on the ball against Wingate & Finchley

"We looked better in the second half, even before the sending-off, but, after that, the game opened up a little bit more for us.

“We got the goal and won the game - not every game can be a classic but we got the three points and that was the main thing.”

The big matches keep on coming for Invicta, who visit Potters Bar this Saturday.

“That’s what we want,” Cugley admitted.

“We are nearly into February, so you want every game to mean something.”

Invicta host Isthmian South East VCD in the Kent Senior Cup on Tuesday.

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