11thfeb05

Cugley has faith in youth

FOLKESTONE Invicta manager Neil Cugley has spoken of how pleased he was with the team's performance in last Saturday's 2-2 draw at home to Eastleigh, writes Stephen McCartney.

He told the club's website: "We showed good character against a very experienced side and a club whose wage bill will be a lot higher than ours.

"We changed the formation to be much more attack-minded which is something we had worked hard on in training on the Thursday night and I thought that it paid dividends, particularly during the first half when we were disappointed to go in at half time only 2-1 up."

Cugley went on to say that he felt that Simon Glover was: "playing his best football since he joined the club during the summer as he seems to be revelling in a deeper role" and that Micheal Everitt was:  "playing more like an old campaigner now".

The manager also highlighted the recent contributions of the younger players at the club. "I have been delighted with 17-year-old James Everitt who has done very well after making the big jump up from youth and reserve team football. The good thing about James is that he can play in a variety of positions as although he has come in and done well at right back he can also play in midfield or up front. I am sure that he can only get better and better."

Cugley also had praise for 18-year-old striker Joe Neilson who: "has really come on and done a good job for us both as a substitute and now also on the couple of occasions on which he has been in the startling line up. Joe's electric pace is very pleasing to the eye and the only problem we have with him at the moment is that he suffers from cramp after about an hour which is why we have had to take him off."

16-year-old Luke Coleman also did very well when he came on against Eastleigh and was not intimidated about playing against one of the best sides in the league.

Cugley added: "I am sure that James, Joe and Luke will all be pushing hard for a regular place in the starting line up by the start of next season."

On the injury front, Cugley said that right back Kevin Watson was out with a cruciate ligament injury.

He revealed:  "We hope that Kevin will train on Saturday when we are calling the players in as, although we have no game at the weekend, we are preparing for an important game at Tonbridge on Tuesday night. We are hoping that Kevin will be able to undertake some light training and that he may be available again in a couple of weeks."