Dolby has made Hastings hard to beat at home, warns Cugley - EXCLUSIVE

Sunday 23rd March 2008

FOLKESTONE INVICTA boss Neil Cugley takes his side along the coast to Hastings United on Easter Monday, searching for the three points that will help maintain their Ryman Premier League status, writes Stephen McCartney.

Invicta’s 1-0 home win over Harlow Town on Good Friday, courtesy of Leigh Bremner’s eighth goal of the season after just ten minutes, eased their relegation fears for the time being.

The Kent sided are currently three places above the drop zone, albeit by only two points, and travel to the Pilot Field expecting a tough time.

Managed by Tony Dolby, formerly of Tonbridge Angels of course, the former Millwall player has made the Arrows dangerous at home, winning ten of their eleven wins on home soil.

However, that poor away form has kept them rooted in the drop zone for the majority of the season and go into this game with only Carshalton Athletic and doomed Leyton below them in the table.

On the eve of their win over Harlow Town, Cugley felt that three more wins should keep his club in the division.

And Cugley admits Dolby shares the same problems as he does when it comes to attracting players.

“We’re getting close now to the points that we need to stay up,” Cugley said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk following their hard-fought Good Friday win.

“Obviously if we can get there as soon as you can (because) we don’t want to go through what we went through last year.

“But Hastings have got one hell of a good record at the moment at home, one hell of a record so it won’t be easy.

“He (Tony Dolby) has done well, there a bit like us, a bit tucked away, not the richest of clubs, ours and theirs are very similar clubs so it will be a good test.”

Cugley’s men secured their Ryman Premier League on the last day of last season at Carshalton Athletic and admitted they always do things the hard way.

But with a slender squad to choose from, Cugley wouldn’t have it any other way in their bid to beat the drop.

“We seem to do better with a small squad anyway, if I’m being honest,” he said.

“We seem to have that closeness of players that we seem to bounce of each other when we have a small squad.

“I’ve been here eleven years and every year we’re either going for promotion or (trying to avoid) relegation, so this time of year we’re needing points either to get promoted or stay up.

“We like the league, it’s a good league, not much travelling. Every win, like today is thoroughly deserved. Even when you go away and get a point, it’s deserved so you earn everything and we want to be in this league (next season).”

Ryman Premier League table (bottom nine)

P	Team	PLD	W	D	L	F	A	PTS	GD
14	Wealdstone	36	13	7	16	59	65	46	-6
15	Heybridge Swifts	35	11	11	14	49	45	44	4
16	Folkestone Invicta	35	12	8	15	41	53	44	-12
17	Boreham Wood	36	13	4	19	50	62	43	-12
18	East Thurrock United	35	12	8	15	38	54	43	-16
19	Maidstone United	36	13	3	20	46	69	42	-23
20	Hastings United	36	11	8	17	42	59	41	-17
21	Carshalton Athletic	35	11	7	17	41	56	40	-15
22	Leyton	36	4	4	28	32	98	16R	-66

Visit Folkestone Invicta’s website: www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk

Hastings United v Folkestone Invicta
Ryman Premier League
Easter Monday 24^th March 2008
Kick Off 3:00pm
At The Pilot Field, Elphinstone Road, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 2AX