Isthmian Premier’s top two meet at the BuildKent Stadium on Saturday – and Folkestone boss Neil Cugley admits he can’t wait.

Invicta moved back into top spot, one point clear of Horsham after Ira Jackson's equaliser earned them a 1-1 home draw against Kingstonian on Tuesday.

Horsham boast the division’s best away record, with seven wins from nine, and Invicta boss Cugley – whose side have only lost once at home – is expecting an open contest.

He said: “If you can’t get excited about a game like this then you probably should not be involved in football.

“We don’t pretend to be one of the big boys, and like us Horsham believe in giving players from the lower leagues a chance.

“I know a lot of their players because they’ve played against us with other clubs and they’ve had a great season so far.

“We beat them 1-0 down there (in August) when they missed a penalty with the last kick.

“It should be an attacking game, they attack well and we’re attack-minded although it seems ironic to be saying that after a 0-0 draw (at Lewes on Saturday).”

Cugley was disappointed Invicta did not make their early supremacy count at Lewes and the point also came at a cost – with Scott Heard being sent off after collecting two yellows.

The midfielder has been a key figure this season with his assist count already in double figures.

Cugley said: “I’ve no complaints about Scott’s red. He dived in a bit (for the second yellow) and I think it was just a bit of frustration like all of us because we’d not got the win.

“We were all over them in the first 20 minutes but didn’t get a goal, which was disappointing, but you’ve got to give their keeper some credit.

“He was their man-of-the-match which shows we were the more dominant.”

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Heard’s dismissal means he misses the Horsham game but Cugley otherwise has a full squad to choose from.

Invicta have allowed striker Ian Draycott to spend another month on loan at Chatham although they do have the option to call him back.

Meanwhile, Invicta’s Friends of Folkestone Scheme has been a huge success, raising £6,000 since it was launched last month.

The initiative was started to help cover a shortfall in the playing budget due to Invicta not having a home game for five weeks.

Cugley said: “I suppose it’s easier to ask people to contribute when you’ve got a side near the top but I’m chuffed to bits that so many supporters have gone out of their way to help.”

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