Folkestone Invicta 3-0 Cray Valley (Paper Mills) - The pressure's on the teams chasing us, we're in a good place and we just want to keep that going for as long as we can, says Folkestone Invicta boss Jay Saunders

Folkestone Invicta 3 – 0 Cray Valley (Paper Mills)
Location	Cheriton Road, Folkestone, Kent CT19 5JU
Kickoff	16/12/2025 20:00

FOLKESTONE INVICTA  3-0  CRAY VALLEY (PAPER MILLS)
Isthmian League Premier Division
Tuesday 16 December 2025
Stephen McCartney reports from Cheriton Road

FOLKESTONE INVICTA manager Jay Saunders says the pressure is on the chasing pack after extending their lead at the summit of the Isthmian League Premier Division table to 11 points at the half-way stage after comfortably sealing their tenth League win in a row.

Referee Michael Butcher agreed to delay the kick-off as only one of the Cray Valley squad had arrived at Cheriton Road an hour before the scheduled kick-off (19:45) due to a oil spillage earlier in the day on the M20, so the game started 17 minutes late.

Folkestone Invicta were wasteful during the first half but three drilled goals after the interval from central midfielder Adam Lovatt and strikers Joe Pigott and Ade Yusuff (substitute) was what the home side deserved.

Steve McKimm’s side have slipped down a place into 15^th place with 21 points (seven wins, five draws and 10 defeats) from their 22 games, six points clear of the seventh-tier relegation zone, which holds Hashtag United (the only side to beat Folkestone Invicta in the League this season), Welling United, Canvey Island and Potters Bar Town.

“Obviously, really pleased, clean-sheet, 10 (League) wins on the bounce, it’s a good achievement, so we’re really pleased with it,” said Saunders.

“We knew it would be a tough game tonight, they’re in a good bit of form unbeaten in five (League games) themselves, so I knew with Macca’s team it would be a tough game.

“I was really pleased. I was frustrated at times with some of the chances we missed, especially first half but once we got our goal, I then felt we could maybe go and score another couple, so pleased with the win.

“Look, they’re a side, they’ve got a lot of good players with pace that can hurt you, especially on the break and stuff and they’re very well-organised.  That’s why I was pleased first half, especially as organised as they are, I thought we got in some great areas, didn’t take them but they are one of those teams, the longer the game, I thought the stronger they get.

“There was a spell after we scored when I thought they got stronger without really hurting us, which I was pleased defensively that we kept them at bay.”

Folkestone Invicta should have taken the lead with only 318 seconds on the clock when Pigott switched the play from close to the half-way line over to Donell Thomas – who plays behind the front two – and he broke past struggling left-back Crossley Lema to put it on a plate 14-goal striker Jake Hutchinson who planted his free-header across the keeper and past the far post from nine-yards.

“I thought so (that Jake should have scored), it was probably one of his easier chances, if I’m honest with you, but it was a great ball from Ike, a great little bit of play, and he probably got too clean a connection on it, if that makes sense, but yes, he’ll be disappointed that he hasn’t scored that,” admitted Saunders.

Folkestone Invicta - who dominated the corner count by eight-to-two - called visiting goalkeeper Shaun Rowley into making a comfortable catch beside his post to prevent Sam German scoring following Thomas’ deep corner from the left (10:22).

Cray Valley central midfielder Tom Beere broke from midfield straight down the middle of the pitch and fed towering lone striker Rowan Liburd but Folkestone Invicta keeper Ted Collins flicked the ball away low to his right after some hesitant defending.

Hutchinson cut the ball back from within the left-channel to left-wing-back Ben Mason who cut onto his right-foot to curl his angled shot over the top of the far post from 30-yards.

Lovatt, who won the ball inside the Cray Valley half, played a one-two with Pigott down the right before placing his left-footed shot past the far post from 16-yards, as Folkestone Invicta kept knocking on the door.

Liam Smith – who plays on the right of a three-man defence – launched a long ball which split open Cray Valley centre-half Marvel Ekpiteta – to play Thomas in behind before he teed up Hutchinson, who swept his left-footed shot past the near-post from six-yards, with 21 minutes and 27 seconds on the clock.

Saunders said: “We’ve missed some unbelievable chances but I’ve just said to Jake in there, ‘I’d rather him be in there and missing the chances than not be there.’

“He’s scored what, 14 goals for us this season. He’s been excellent. He’s been excellent, him, Pigs (Pigott) and Ade (Yusuff), so look, he’s disappointed because in the last two games he generally could’ve had a couple of hat-tricks but that happens and that’s a part of being a striker, keep getting your head down and keep working.”

Folkestone Invicta should have been two-nil up at this point in the game, which was watched by an impressive pre-Christmas Tuesday night crowd of 1,090.

Millers’ centre-half Daniel Bowry looped a throw into the box from within the right-channel and the ball was cleared and Bowry recycled the ball back towards a crowd of players and substitute centre-half Danny Waldren’s looping header was comfortably plucked out of the air by an untroubled Collins (32:14).

Smith launched another long ball out of defence and found Pigott within the left-channel and he controlled the ball before playing the ball inside to Hutchinson, who took a touch before drilling his right-footed shot past the right-post from 16-yards.

Folkestone Invicta were wasteful during the first half, hardly troubling Rowley, but they should have scored with a glorious chance, two minutes and 29 seconds into stoppage time.

Mason calmy played the ball out of defence into a deep Pigott, who played the ball along the artificial turf to Hutchinson, who played a forward pass into Thomas, who beat the offside trap before placing his right-footed angled drive across Rowley and flashing just past the foot of the far post from 15-yards.

“Good move. Look, that’s Donell’s first start for well over a month. He’s had injuries and things, so I thought he came in and showed promise but he took a whack which didn’t help him but I think a fully fit Donell probably puts that chance away,” admits Saunders, who was then asked his thoughts at the interval.

“It was mainly just like ‘don’t get frustrated, keep doing what we’re doing’ and we felt the goals would come.

“As we come off we looked a little bit dejected, a bit disappointed that we ain’t scored but you’ve got to stick to your task. Like I say Cray (Valley) are a good team. I think they’ve lost only three away from home, so it was never going to be easy but we kept our head down, kept doing the right things and that was the message really.”

Beere gave the ball away to the impressive Pigott inside the Folkestone half and he played a low diagonal out to right-wing-back Ikechukwu Orji, who then released Thomas in behind and his right-footed shot from eight-yards on the angle was blocked by Rowley’s legs, who came out to narrow the angle, just 153 seconds into the second half.

“Yes, I think that was a tough one. I think it’s probably a tough angle for Donell there but again the move was good and the run from Donell was good,” added Saunders.

Thomas swung in the home side’s sixth corner, in from the left, and holding midfielder Dean Rance sent his free-header over the crossbar from six-yards.

The Millers’ then enjoyed a brief spell of control, with left-winger Fumnaya Shomotun playing the ball down the line to winger Daniel Ajakaiye, who played in Liam Moore, but Sam German (who plays on the left of the three man defence) shut the gate shut with a well-timed penalty box tackle.

“Look, the back three’s been excellent the last few weeks, since we brought Sam German in as well,” said Saunders.

“I feel for Joel-Michael Odeniran (the only substitute not to play a part in tonight’s game), because he got suspended and to be fair it’s been hard for me to put him back in because since Sam’s come in, we conceded Saturday from a free-kick (during our 2-1 win at Dartford), other than that realistically, it’s clean-sheets and I’m really pleased with that side of things because like I say, they’re a dangerous team.”

Ajakaiye then played the ball out to Shomotun, who cut inside and into the box but lacked composure, drilling his left-footed shot over the top of the near-post from 10-yards on the angle (7:02), hitting the roof of the mainly sparse terracing.

But Folkestone Invicta finally opened the scoring with 10 minutes and 21 seconds on the clock, courtesy of Lovatt’s second goal for the club.

Thomas swung in the home side’s seventh corner of the game, centre-half Kevin Lokko got his head to the ball but the ball was half-cleared out to Lovatt, who clinically drilled his low right-footed shot through a crowd of players into the bottom far corner from 20-yards on the angle.

“He’s been excellent since he’s come in, Loves. I thought he was outstanding tonight, him and Rancy in the midfield,” said Saunders.

“It’s a great strike from him. He’s scored a couple of good goals now. He’s been a real plus to us and I think you could see the relief in probably everyone when the goal went in. It was good.

“Although after that, I felt we took the foot of the gas a little bit and allowed them, I wouldn’t say a lot of chances but allowed them a bit of possession, that we probably stopped early on.”

Cray Valley’s holding midfielder Kurtis Cumberbatch played a low ball down the side to Bowry, who fizzed in a low cross from the right which was missed by Liburd in the middle and the hosts dealt with Shomotun’s recycled cross from within the left channel.

The Millers’ only shot on target then arrived with 14:46 on the clock, following Rance’s handball.

Collins lined up a four-man wall but Beere stroked his right-footed free-kick around the wall from 22-yards and Collins made a comfortable low save down on his knees in the centre of his goal.

“Look, to be honest, Tom Beere’s got quality to hurt you from those areas but Ted’s been good for us, so I wasn’t too worried about it,” added Saunders.

Substitute midfielder Mikey Berry slipped in a through ball which put Hutchinson through on goal but Rowley rushed off his line and smothered low to his right (18:49).

Folkestone Invicta were a threat down the right with Ikechukwu Orji linking up well and he linked up with Hutchinson and put in a low cross towards the near post but Hutchinson lacked composure and swept his shot across goal instead off in it.

“Yes, look, it’s not through lack of effort. He’s probably had two frustrating games now at home when he could’ve scored more goals but that happens,” explained Saunders.

“A few weeks’ back, everything he hit was going in but that’s the life of a striker, so what he’s got to do and I’ve just said to him there, it’s just keep your head down, keep working hard and if you do that, then the goals will come.”

It was no surprise when profligate Hutchinson made way for Yusuff (21:21) and Yusuff had a chance with his first touch after he was played in by a deep Pigott’s through ball but Yusuff drilled his right-footed shot across the keeper and past the far post from 20-yards (23:25), which was a common theme of this match.

Folkestone Invicta needed a second goal to kill the game and it finally arrived with a moment of sheer quality from Pigott, with 38 minutes and 6 seconds on the clock.

Waldren fouled Yusuff, some 10-yards outside the right-corner of the Cray Valley penalty area.

Berry delivered a poor right-footed free-kick towards the edge of the penalty area and Pigott, who had his back to goal, brought the ball under his spell, spun and clinically, sublimely, drilled his left-footed shot through the crowd of players and across a diving Rowley to find the bottom far corner from 18-yards, to score his 14^th goal of the season.

Saunders said: “That’s what Pigs’ capable off, isn’t it.  He was ill Saturday and managed to sort of get 65 minutes out of him. He felt alright tonight, felt better, showed moments of quality but if he gets chances like that, I don’t think there’s many people on the pitch that could tuck that away, left-footed. He was very clam and it was a great finish.

“Again, I think you could probably see the relief because it probably gave us that little cushion that we needed.”

When asked if 32-year-old Pigott is the best striker in the Isthmian League Premier Division, Saunders, who's side have scored the most goals in the division (59), replied: “I think I’ve got the best strikers in the League. Pigs is quality, Jake’s quality, Ade. Josh Strouts. I’m very fortunate to have those options but Pigs, I should imagine people will rate him up there.”

Waldren was at fault for Folkestone Invicta’s third goal, timed at 48 minutes and 12 seconds, when he knocked a header from inside his penalty area towards the by-line but Yusuff intercepted on the left by-line, cut inside and drilled an emphatic low right-footed drive into the bottom far corner from a right angle, to score his 10^th goal of the season.

“It’s a great finish. Ade’s frustrated tonight because he started Saturday and I didn’t think I could get back-to-back games out of him. I didn’t want to push him too much,” explained Saunders.

“A month or so ago we did and he got injured and he’s important for us. We want to keep him fit, so I sort of said to him ‘we’re not going to start you tonight.’

“He was disappointed and you could see when he scored, I think he let everyone knew how frustrated he was that he hadn’t played but again as I said, I’m very fortunate to have these players that I can bring off the bench and they can have that impact.

“Overall, I’m pleased with the performance, clean-sheet, against a good Cray (Valley) side, (that are) scoring goals, they’re keeping clean-sheets so for us, I think it’s a real good performance and I’m delighted to be where we are.”

Folkestone Invicta are favourites’ to claim the League title at the end of the season and they have picked up 54 points (17 wins, three draws and one defeat) from their 21 league games.

Brentwood Town (43 points from 22 games), Chatham Town – 3-0 home winners over Sammy Moore’s basement boys’ Potters Bar Town – are in third with 40 points from 20 games, Dartford (34 points from 22 games) and Burgess Hill Town (33 points from 21 games) are in the play-off zone tonight.

“Look, it’s 54 points.  Last season we got 58 (from 42 games) so for us that’s an unbelievable achievement and I’ve just said that to the players’ in there because I can’t not be happy,” said Saunders, who has previously managed Maidstone United, Margate and Tonbridge Angels.

“Did I expect us to be where we are? No.  You have to remember – I think I said to you previously – it’s a whole new squad, we’ve played the first two months away from home, so we’ve had everything against us really but on that side of things the boys have been excellent.

“They’re enjoying it, they’re enjoying playing together. I think the crowd are enjoying it and there’s a buzz around the place, so for us we’re in a really good place but as I keep saying to the boys’, if you lose back-to-back games and all off a sudden it looks different, so we’ve just got to keep ticking the games off.”

The runaway leaders welcome second-from-bottom side Canvey Island (14 points, three wins, five draws and 12 defeats) to Cheriton Road on Saturday.

The Essex side are a point behind Welling United and six behind Hashtag United and 10 points adrift of safety.

“We’ve got another really tough game on Saturday, we’re at home and we’re looking forward to it,” said Saunders.

“They’re a side that I know their staff well there. They’ll come here and they’ll be really well-organised.  They’re fighting for their lives.  We had a really tough game down there (winning 2-0 on 16 August), so it won’t be easy, but we’ll prepare right. We’ve got training on Thursday and we’ll look forward to that game.

“I keep saying it – I said in an interview the other day – I don’t think the pressure is there – I think the pressure’s on the teams chasing us.

“I think we’ve got to keep doing what we’re doing and if we do that, then at the moment, it’s getting us results.  Teams behind us have got to charge us down, so we’ve just got to tick (off the games) and we’re enjoying every game and we can’t wait now for Saturday.

“Hopefully, it’s a good crowd, it’s an unbelievable crowd here for a Tuesday night, so yes, look, we’re in a good place and we just want to keep that going for as long as we can.”

When asked if he has any injuries in his 18-man squad, Saunders replied: “Fully fit squad, so I had to leave two out today. Montel McKenzie and Ronnie Dolan were left out of the squad, which isn’t easy, but it’s the first time in the last two games we’ve had a fully fit squad, so it’s a good thing as well.”

You will have to be a very good side to prevent Folkestone Invicta clinching the Isthmian League Premier Division title this season. Is December too early to call them the 'champions-elect'....?

Folkestone Invicta: Ted Collins, Ikechukwu Orji, Ben Mason, Kevin Lokko, Sam German, Liam Smith, Adam Lovatt, Dean Rance (Jack Jebb 88), Jake Hutchinson (Ade Yusuff 67), Joe Pigott (Joshua Strouts 86), Donell Thomas (Mikey Berry 61).
Sub: Joel-Michael Odeniran

Goals: Adam Lovatt 56, Joe Pigott 84, Ade Yusuff 90

Booked: Sam German 77

Cray Valley (Paper Mills): Shaun Rowley, Isiah Harvey, Crossley Lema (Danny Waldren 9), Kurtis Cumberbatch (Emmanuel Adebiyi 81), Marvel Ekpiteta, Daniel Bowry, Fumnaya Shomotun, Tom Beere, Rowan Liburd (Marcel Barrington 76), Liam Moore (Matthew Vigor 68), Daniel Ajakaiye (Ibrahim Akbani 62).

Attendance: 1,090
Referee: Mr Michael Butcher
Assistants: Mr Darren Stock & Mr Ismail Isik