Folkestone sign Benjamin from Welling United

Folkestone Invicta manager Neil Cugley has unveiled the signing of Ronayne Jentile Benjamin, 21, from Nationwide Conference South outfit Welling United, writes Andy Bown & Tom Marchant.

The former Gillingham player is a left-sided player who can play at left back, left wing-back and as a left winger and Cugley hopes he can provide his side with an improved balance.

“We’ve signed him to have a good look at him, he’s played quite a few games for Welling this year and the reports I’ve had on him all say he is a decent left sided player,” Cugley told www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk

“The two Marks (Patterson and Saunders) remember him from their time at Gillingham, and what they’ve said about him has all been positive.”

Ronayne will be in the Folkestone squad for Saturday’s trip to Ashford Town (Middlesex), once the Cheriton Road club have finalised the paperwork.

Cugley also stated that he is still very much scouting for new players to boost the numbers in his squad.

He explained: “I am hoping, hoping to bring in one more player for Saturday, if not for Monday.

“Again it’s a lad who isn’t going to be too expensive but he is someone I certainly think might be worth looking at.

“It might even be a case of putting a seven day approach in but he is a local forward and I think he might just give us something else.

“With two very important games in three days we want to have enough in the squad in case anything does go wrong.

“It was getting to the stage where really we were too short on numbers, so I’m glad I have been able to bring in a couple of players.

“They’ve got to impress me though but it does work both ways as if we’re impressed we’ve got to try and keep them at the club and that would be a nice little situation if we could”.

The Folkestone manager confirmed that after assessing him in training, forward James Corbett will definitely be in the squad on Saturday.

“He trained really well and he’s played about six or seven games in the reserves now and we feel it might just be the right time to start him,” said Cugley, who celebrates his 50^th birthday on Monday.

“He looked a class player in training and a class finisher and I think with the last few results not going our way, it might be the right time to put in him.

“The arrangement was we wouldn’t rush him through and we would let him take his time. He feels like he is ready to give it a go now and he is a quality player, which is maybe the sort of quality we need at the moment”, mentioned Cugley.

“Mark Saunders did a lot of work with Jonesy, Jimmy Corbett and Damian (Abel) on their finishing in training as obviously we have got to start taking our chances in front of goal.

“It is easy to be critical but it is difficult as we have to work hard for the chances and when we’re not creating loads of them we want to take them when they do come along. Goals change games and if we can get in the lead I fancy us winning as we’ve got a very tight defence who work very hard to hold on to a lead.”

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

Ashford Town (Middlesex) v Folkestone Invicta
Ryman Premier League
Saturday 18^th November 2006
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Short Lane Stadium, Short Lane, Stanwell, Middlesex TW19 7BH