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Folkestone Invicta play Haringey Borough and Margate FC over Easter weekend

Folkestone Invicta's play-off dream will live or die by the results of their huge Easter double-header.

They host promotion-chasing Haringey Borough on Saturday before travelling to Margate for a local derby on Monday.

Neil Cugley's side are just three points outside the top-five in Bostik Premier although they'll need to make up four places across their last three matches.

Folkestone's Ian Draycott keeps his eye on the ball Picture: Paul Amos
Folkestone's Ian Draycott keeps his eye on the ball Picture: Paul Amos

Cugley said: "I think we've got to win them all to do it so we'll just go for it. That's the way we play mostly anyway so nothing will change really.

"I'm delighted (to still be in the mix) when you think where we were in November. People were talking about relegation and it was looking a possibility.

"We got the backing to get a couple of players in, to get the squad numbers up again and that turned it round. Since the turn of the year, we've been talking about the play-offs."

Folkestone will be going for a third straight win on Saturday against a Haringey side unbeaten in four.

The Londoners, playing at this level for the first time, spent a while on top of the table and need just one more point to guarantee a play-off place.

Cugley said: "Dorking are the best side in the league but Carshalton and Haringey are the next best so it'll be a good test for us on Saturday.

"They'll be thinking about guaranteeing second place. I'm sure they'll go for that - I would as a manager - and then look to rest players in the two games after that.

"I'm sure they'll come raring to go and it should be a good game because they'll go forward and so will we."

Monday's opponents Margate are now safe in mid-table having looked in relegation trouble before changing their manager in February.

Cugley said: I'm a great fan of Jay Saunders anyway and it just shows what a good manager he is, to turn that around since he went in there.

"They've got some good players including Liam Friend, who played for me forever and ever. We should take a few there.

"We've got three nice games really. Bognor at home (on the last day), they always play football the right way and I'd include Merstham in that (who Folkestone beat 3-1 last weekend) so it's not a bad little run-in for us; difficult but enjoyable.

"All credit to the players because some of them are playing through knocks. Should you play or not play? They just get on with it.

"I've always had genuine players around me, they're good lads and they've given everything they can."

Left-back Nat Blanks is getting married on Saturday but will be available to face Margate, while young Ethan Madden also returns to the squad.

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