Invicta on alert after rout

There is no way on earth that Folkestone Invicta will be taking their opponents lightly when Neil Cugley’s Ryman South side entertain Molesey in the FA Cup's Preliminary Round, writes Mick Cork.

The Combined Counties Premier Division outfit annihilated Sussex League Hailsham Town 8-1 in Surrey last weekend in the Cup's Extra-Preliminary Round and now head for Invicta's Cheriton Road on Saturday week (August 31).

The rampant Moles scored four goals in each half, with a first-half hat-trick from Matt Baxter setting them on their way before the striker limped off at the interval. Both of their centre-backs were on the scoresheet in the second period with two further goals to send the Sussex side home with their confidence in tatters.

The result has certainly grabbed the full attention of Seasiders manager Cugley who said: "That’s a result that definitely demands respect. I’ve no real idea what the standard of the opposition was, but to score eight goals against anyone takes a bit of doing these days."

The only name on Molesey’s team list that rings any bells is midfielder Craig Lewington, the experienced red-haired campaigner who must have played against Folkestone half a dozen times over the years in spells at most of the leading Non-League clubs on the Surrey circuit – including Hampton & Richmond, Kingstonian and Maidenhead United.

Molesey collected £1,500 in FA cash for hammering Hailsham and Cugley is determined to make sure they don't get their hands on the £1,925 next weekend's winners will collect from the FA's prize fund.

"If they’ve been able to attract a player like him they’ve clearly got some ambition," added Cugley. "I’ll be putting a few feelers out to see what I can find out about them."

With the recent 3-2 league defeat at Crawley Down Gatwick bearing an uncomfortable similarity to Invicta’s ignominious Cup exit away to lowly Badshot Lea last September, it’s fair to say that anything similar in the performance stakes could well see Invicta missing out on a lucrative Cup run again.