Soccer Shorts: I was disappointed we couldn't get a deal over the line for Ade Yusuff, says Folkestone Invicta boss Neil Cugley

Here are this weekend's Soccer Shorts articles.

BEARSTED manager Kevin Stevens has lost centre-half Lekan Majoyegbe, who has signed for Martin Dynan’s South Park.

BECKENHAM TOWN’S newly-formed Women’s side lost 7-2 to their Bromley counterparts in a pre-season friendly at Eden Park Avenue on Sunday with Kayleigh Stenning going down in history as the club's first female goalscorer.  Bromley scored all of their seven goals inside the final 20 minutes.

CANTERBURY CITY joint-manager Josh Hall, 27, has left the Southern Counties East Football League club due to family and work commitments.  The club will be solely managed by Chris Woollcott this coming season.

CRAY VALLEY (Paper Mills) manager Kevin Watson saw his summer signing from Folkestone Invicta, full-back Nathaniel Blanks suffer an achillies tendon injury within two minutes of entering the pitch at the start of the second half of their 1-1 pre-season draw at Glebe on Saturday.

CROYDON have confirmed that their captain Charlie Defty has been forced to hang up his boots through injury.

DARTFORD boss Steve King has unveiled the signing of former Barnet and Dorking Wanderers striker Jack Barham, 24.

Barham started his career in his native Essex at Heybridge Swifts, before moving on to Tilbury, Phoenix Sports, Greenwich Borough and Barnet.  While at Barnet, he moved on loan to Bromley and then on to Welling United, where he played for King.

Barham scored seven goals in 20 appearances for National League South side Dorking Wanderers last season.

EBBSFLEET UNITED continue their summer shopping spree by signing former Fisher, Cray Wanderers, Leicester City, Ross County and Wycombe Wanderers centre-half Ben Frempah, 25.

ERITH & BELVEDERE manager Derek Oldfield has signed Femi Abatan, who has signed on a season long loan deal from Isthmian Premier Division side Cray Wanderers. 

Sam Orisatoki joins the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division side after completing a four-year scholarship in America, having represented England at under 18 level in the Centenary Shield in 2016.

FISHER manager Ajay Ashanike has lost the services of his captain Chris Lockwood.

"Losing players I don't mind but to lose my club captain is a lot to take," said Ashanike, who begins the search for a new left-back.

"The guy has been unreal for Fisher but with the offer on the table he can't say no to it.

"I'd love to wish Chris the best of luck. We build again."

FOLKESTONE INVICTA boss Neil Cugley says he will be without Roman Campbell and Tyler Sterling for Saturday’s pre-season friendly at Chatham Town, while player-coach Micheal Everitt may miss out due to having a bad back.

Cugley, meanwhile, told his club website that he has missed out on a transfer deal for former Invicta striker Ade Yusuff, who has signed for Isthmian League South East Division side Cray Valley (Paper Mills).

“I did speak to Ade and to be honest I was disappointed we couldn’t get a deal over the line and he signed elsewhere but financially we couldn’t offer him what he requested,” said Cugley.

“He is not the only one I’ve missed out on this summer and at the moment the pandemic doesn’t appear to have affected the Isthmian League and we do have certain financial restrictions.

“However, we are lucky to have the squad we’ve got and I’m delighted that the majority have agreed to stay for another season.

“We’ve got a happy camp at the club but there is no doubt some could have gone elsewhere and I’m obviously very pleased they didn’t.

“I would also like to thank chairman Paul Morgan as without his input I’m not sure we’d be able to stay in the League we are currently in.”

MAIDSTONE UNITED have retained the services Noah Chesmain, 22.

The former Colchester United man made 37 appearances and scored three goals for the Vanarama National League South side last season.

VCD ATHLETIC manager Nick Davis has unveiled the signing of former Horsham midfielder Lea Dawson, 30.  It will be his second spell at the Crayford based side.

However, Ainsley Everett, Henry Ikeije and Michael Aziaya have left the club to sign for their next-door neighbours, Phoenix Sports.

WHITSTABLE TOWN boss Lloyd Blackman will hand Academy prospect Reece Jobe a run-out in his side's pre-season friendly against Rusthall on Saturday.

This page will continue to be updated so please check over the course of the weekend for more snippets.

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