Horsham 2-3 Folkestone Invicta - The FA Cup is about giving something back to the supporters and the club and if we can get to that First Round Proper it's a game changer for clubs, says delighted Folkestone Invicta manager Jay Saunders

Horsham 2 – 3 Folkestone Invicta
Location	Hop Oast Community Stadium, Worthing Road, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 0AD
Kickoff	27/09/2025 15:00

HORSHAM  2-3  FOLKESTONE INVICTA
The Emirates FA Cup Third Qualifying Round
Saturday 27 September 2025
Stephen McCartney reports from Hop Oast Community Stadium

FOLKESTONE INVICTA manager Jay Saunders says the dream is to reach The FA Cup First Round after claiming back-to-back National League South scalps to reach the Fourth Qualifying Round.

Horsham went into this enjoyable tie sitting in 13^th place in the table, having picked up 11 points (three wins, two draws and four defeats) from their opening nine games and have reached the First Round on three occasions over the past four years.

The Hornets needed two attempts to beat Woking-based Westfield in The FA Cup, having won a home midweek replay 6-0, after being held to a 2-2 draw.

Folkestone Invicta are currently unbeaten in second-place in the Isthmian League Premier Division table, having picked up 20 points (six wins, two draws) from their eight league games.

Saunders’ side kicked-off their FA Cup campaign with a 3-0 win over Sevenoaks Town (Isthmian League South East Division) in Ashford and pulled off a Friday night giant-killing act by beating National League South Maidstone United 2-0 in Chatham in the last round.

Dominic Di Paola’s newly-promoted side found themselves two-goals up courtesy of Irish striker, Shamir Fenelon, 31, before a ruthless Folkestone Invicta side scored three goals from their only three shots on target.

Left-wing-back Finley Majoram, 19, clinically cut onto his right-foot and arrowed his shot into the top far corner, to change Saunders’ half-time team-talk.

However, Folkestone Invicta scored twice in 75 seconds to claim another Cup upset, with left-wing-back Ben Mason, 21, scoring a sublime 25-yarder with the side of his right-foot, before attacking midfielder Joshua Strouts stabbed his shot into the bottom corner after the Kent side received a lucky break in the build-up.

This is very likely going to be a League game in the sixth-tier of English football next season.

“Really pleased, obviously I’m delighted, I should say.  We’ve played two teams now in the League above back-to-back in The FA Cup and we’ve managed to come away with two wins,” said Saunders.

“I think the character we’ve shown, we’re 2-0 down and to respond the way we have, is a real positive.

“We’ve got a good group and they’re enjoying it at the moment. I still think we can get better. I still think there’s loads that we’ve got to work on - and we will do.

“But all in all to come away from home against a team in the League above and get through and sometimes in The FA Cup, it’s not always performances, it’s about who turns up on the day and for spells in the game, I thought we were good, so I’m delighted to get through.

“They’ve given us everything and I think they have every game. We haven’t lost a game this season. Obviously the Kent (Senior) Cup where we made, I think it was eight changes (at VCD Athletic on Tuesday night, losing 6-5 on penalties after a 1-1 draw).

“That wasn’t a priority – I’m not going to lie – no disrespect to VCD, fair play to them, they were good on the night but for us that wasn’t a priority.

“I think today, you’ve seen what the boys are about and they kind of, they don’t give up. A couple of times now we’ve gone behind in games and we’ve shown good character to come back and win it or at least get a draw out of it, so that’s always good to know that we can do that.”

Ade Yusuff was nursing a groin injury so wasn’t risked and Saunders explained why the six-goal striker watched this victory from the sidelines.

“He’s got a groin. He wanted to try and do a fitness test today but I said ‘look, we’ve got no game this week. Wingate & Finchley’s called off on Tuesday night’, so for me it was ‘leave you out completely, rest it and have a week’s worth of training’ and then maybe comes back into contention next week, depending on how he is.

“He’s a big player for us and played a big part in us getting through (Maidstone United) last round and the start of the season we’ve had, so I didn’t want to risk him.”

Saunders was asked how he has managed to gel so many new faces at the club this season, only five of the squad (including Yusuff) were at the club last term and they haven’t lost a game (over 90 minutes) and all 12 games being played away from Cheriton Road as it transforms from a grass pitch to 3G.

“Look, recruitment’s big. You’ve got to sign the right players. I think we’ve got the majority of the recruitment, or did our recruiting well shall I say and it’s hard work,” explained Saunders.

“Myself, Parky and Blacky and Andy the goalkeeper coach (Tom Parkinson, Lloyd Blackman and Andy Smith) and the backroom staff, we’ve worked really hard over the summer to recruit what we have and to get them to gel.

“We had a trip to Leeds in pre-season, which got them bonded, which people will think is rubbish but that’s a big part at getting the dressing room together and that played a big part so the club were good with that.

“It’s hard work and actually as I say large parts of recruitment has been good. It’s not been easy and on top of that we’ve played every game away from home so I think that makes it….and we’ve changed the whole side and played away from home, so that’s something that we’re really proud off as a management staff and group and as a group, as a collective and as a team as well.”

Folkestone Invicta started the game on the front foot without creating any goalscoring chances and the Kent side often played out from the back and keeping the ball on the deck, while Horsham were often direct in their play.

Left-winger Reece Myles-Meekums was released down the flank and he held the ball up before laying the ball off to winger Leone Gravata, who whipped in a great cross from within the left-channel for Fenelon to glance his header across the Folkestone keeper and past the far post with seven minutes and 36 seconds on the clock.

When asked what threats the hosts had, Saunders replied: “The wide boys are good. I’ve always been a fan of Reece Meekums. I worked with him at Bromley briefly. On the other side, Gravata, I thought we kept him quiet today and then they brought on the boy Ola Ogunwamide. He’s a good player and the forward players are a threat.

“I felt we could hurt them defensively. I did think we could cause them problems going forward and I’m confident at the moment that we can score goals. We’ve got goals in team from all areas.  Look today, the two wing-backs have scored today, so I feel like we’ve got goals in us. 

“I’m disappointed with the two goals we’ve conceded but Horsham are a good side, obviously they went up last year and rightly so and for us, it’s a good win.”

Horsham were a threat down the right during the first half with right-back Lee Harding linking up well with Gravata.

Horsham opened the scoring with 12 minutes and 42 seconds on the clock, courtesy of a mistake from Folkestone Invicta defender Kevin Lokko, who plays on the left of a three-man central defence.

Visiting goalkeeper Ted Collins chipped a free-kick straight to Harding, who charged forward down the right and put in a cross into the Folkestone box.

Lokko headed the ball towards his own by-line, was pressed by attacking midfielder Charlie Hester-Cook and then Hester-Cook hooked in a cross towards the near-post and Fenelon's flicked his right-footed shot across Collins into the bottom far corner, from the corner of the six-yard box.

Saunders said: “Really disappointed with that goal there.  From a goal-kick, I think Joel’s not released Fin to jump out onto the full-back or onto the wide lad, which meant he’s able to sort of get there first and then Lokko’s just got to deal with it to be honest.

“He chests it when he doesn’t need to. I think he thought he had more time than he did and he’s chested it and it’s bounced up rather than down and the lads nicked it.

“It’s poor on our part. There’s things we’ve got to (work on).  I’ve been really pleased with the start we’ve made but I think there’s some goals that could’ve easily avoided and if you’re looking at open play today, I don’t really recall, I think Ted’s made a couple of saves first half but there’s nothing like unbelievable and their goal is a gift, it’s a freebie really.”

Horsham’s left-back Harvey Sparks put over some quality deliveries but referee Joe Woolmer failed to caution Hester-Cook, who was spotted to have used his hand to ensure the ball went across Collins once more into the back of the Folkestone net (14:43) after being nudged.

Fenelon and Lokko were relishing their aerial battle and Collins pulled off a brilliant save to deny Fenelon in the 22^nd minute.

Sparks played a low pass inside from within the left and Fenelon drilled a right-footed angled drive towards the top left-hand corner from outside the corner of the box, forcing the 22-year-old goalkeeper to use both of his raised hands to palm the ball over the crossbar, high to his right.

“Ted did well with that, Ted did well with that.  Like I say, I think that was the only real, other than the two goals, but he done well with it,” added Saunders.

Horsham were very resilient in defence during the first half, with Folkestone Invicta’s front three of Joe Pigott, with Donell Thomas and Marjoram behind him in an attacking triangle, relatively quiet during the first half.

Horsham linked up well (31:41) down the right with Hester-Cook, Gravata and Harding forming their very own triangle and the ball was cleared out to Sparks, who drilled a first-time left-footed drive towards the roof of the net from 30-yards, which was straight down Collins throat, a comfortable palm over the crossbar.

“I expect Ted to deal with that and he did,” came Saunders reply.

However, Horsham doubled their lead, following a long throw from close to the corner flag down the right, with 32 minutes and 56 seconds on the clock.

Hester-Cook lined the ball up from the right towards a crowd of players at the near-post.  Folkestone won the first contact but the ball sailed over towards the back post where a closely marked Fenelon spun his man (Dean Rance) and hooked his left-footed half-volley into the top left-hand corner from six-yards to score his fourth goal of the season and to leave Folkestone Invicta with a mountain to climb.

“I think we’ve got to deal with the first initial contact better,” admitted Saunders.

“I can’t remember who it was. I don’t think they headed it well enough and it drops to Fenelon in the box and he’s able to spin and get his shot off.

“I think second phases are big, so it’s a decent finish from him but again, it was easily avoided.”

The 46-year-old former Maidstone United, Margate and Tonbridge Angels manager was then asked how he was feeling with a mountain to climb at this point in the game.

“I still saw glimpses where I thought we could cause them problems.  It was kind of almost like I wanted half-time to come, if you like. Even at 2-0. We didn’t feel like the game was dead.

“Fin then gets us back in at 2-1 with a great goal but there were little glimpses of we were getting in down the sides of them and stuff, so I felt we could get back into it and obviously Fin scoring the time he did made the half-time team-talk a little bit easier.”

Folkestone Invicta weren’t offering any attacking threat during the first half and Marjoram issued Horsham a warning when he latched onto a dinked crossfield pass by Horsham and travelled over the halfway line and into the penalty area.  His progress was ended by three Horsham players closing the gate and the ball came out to Thomas, who lashed his first-time left-footed drive over the crossbar from inside the D.

Folkestone Invicta did pulled a goal back, with their first shot on target, with 41 minutes and 21 seconds on the clock, courtesy of a sublime finish.

Horsham failed to press Folkestone Invicta patiently playing-out-from-the-back before Lokko fed a deep Thomas close to the half-way line, who easily split open Harding with a deck pass to release Marjoram down the left.

The former Crystal Palace man cut into the box and his low cross was cleared from within the corner of the six-yard box and came back out to Marjoram, who cut back into the box and arrowed a stunning right-footed shot, high over the goalkeeper into the top far corner.

“Fin’s been a good addition. He’s only come in a week ago, probably had two
training sessions with us. It’s a great finish from him and he’s got that quality,” said Saunders.

“I thought he caused their full-back Harding a lot of problems, although Harding came off at half-time – but he was causing him a lot of problems.

“But look, great composure to come inside like that and hit the top corner, so delighted and as I say, it came at a good time. It probably gave us that belief that we needed and the half-time team talk becomes a little bit easier.”

Meekums was a threat for Folkestone down the left and he fed Sparks on an overlapping run and his dinked cross from within the left-channel was cleared out to Horsham holding midfielder James Hammond, who lashed his 25-yard drive over the crossbar, as Horsham went into the interval with the lead.

“Just believe! I think a lot of our supporters were saying (to me after the game before we went back into the dressing room), ‘what did you say to them at half-time?’

“They probably thought we gave them a rollocking but it wasn’t at all. It was belief.

“We can get on the ball and move it and get in good areas. We’ll cause these problems and we did.

“We actually started the second half a little bit slow and they got in down the side of us and then all off a sudden it kicked us into life. We went on and I thought we got a good reaction out of the boys.”

Di Paola surprisingly hooked Harding at the interval and replaced him with Isaac Philpott, which proved to be a costly decision as the build-up to Folkestone Invicta’s second and third goals came down his side.

Saunders replaced holding midfielder Dean Rance with Mikey Berry at the break, revealing that Rance and Thomas picked up groin injuries in West Sussex today.

Folkestone Invicta restored parity with only 240 seconds on the clock, following their fourth and final corner of the game. 

Thomas opted against playing the ball short to Berry on the right and decided to float a deep corner into the other channel.

Lokko retrieved the ball and recycled the ball from within the left channel and the ball was cleared out to left-wing-back Ben Mason, who scored one of the best goals seen this season.

Faced with a crowd of players ahead of him, Mason used the side of his right-foot to produce a moment of sublime quality, his 25-yarder rocketing past the diving keeper into the top right-hand corner.

“We were big this week on corners and second phases and we tried a few things but we know if you keep the ball alive against them, they struggled or we thought they did, so we were big on keeping the ball alive and we managed to do that,” said Saunders.

“It came out to Ben and I’ve just said to him in there, ‘that’s probably the cleanest strike he had of the ball all day,’ side-footed, a little bit of composure and it flies into the corner.”

When asked about his wing-backs scoring their second (Marjoram) and third (Mason) goals of the season, Saunders, whose side have scored 29 goals in 12 games in League and Cup, replied: “Yes, look, I think Montel (McKenzie) has scored this year when he’s played, so it’s really positive that we’re getting goals from all over the pitch.

“We’ve got centre-halves scoring goals, forwards, midfielders, so it’s a big bonus for us and that’s what we need.”

The stadium and Horsham’s players appeared to be shell-shocked – yes, there is quality in the seventh-tier of English football – and Folkestone Invicta snatched the victory with their third and final shot on target, just 75 seconds later, the watch showing six minutes and 15 seconds.

Hitting Horsham on the counter-attack, Strouts feed the impressive Marjoram, who cut into the box down the left.  There was a lucky ricochet inside the Horsham penalty area and after Elliott failed to clear his lines, the ball fell kindly to an unmarked Strouts, who took a touch and clinically stabbed his right-footed shot from eight-yards across keeper Lewis Carey, the ball nestling inside the bottom right-hand corner.

“Again, we kept it alive. I can’t really remember the build-up to it to be honest, so it’s difficult. It did happen quite quick,” said Saunders.

“But we got down the side, Fin’s cut inside and went to play it and it got blocked and came back to him and fallen kindly for Stroutsey and sometimes you need that little bit of luck in The FA Cup.  Thankfully, it fell to him and I’m pleased for Stroutsey, he works ever so hard.  With Ade coming out, he’s taken his chance and I’m delighted he’s got his goal.”

The only weak link within this well-oiled Folkestone Invicta machine is goalkeeper Collins, who fails to command his penalty area, usually stays on his goal-line and Horsham also sensed this was a weakness.

Hammond floated in a corner from the left (their third of six) and Collins was nowhere near the ball and Horsham centre-half Jake Elliott steered his towering header over the crossbar from within a crowd of players.

Horsham missed a glorious chance to restore parity with 16 minutes and 21 seconds on the clock, which was fluffed by substitute right-winger Olajuwon Ogunwamide.

No one came out to tackle high Horsham left-back Sparks, who whipped in a cross of high quality towards the back stick where Ogunwamide threw his head at the ball and was guilty of a bad miss, the ball going just past the near-post.

“I think a little bit harsh on him ‘should score’. It’s quite a tough angle for him. He’s got a good connection on it but it’s quite a tough angle. It was a chance, that’s for sure,” added Saunders, as Horsham’s best chance of the second wide flashed past the near-post.

Ogunwamide was having a nightmare and missed another chance (18:55), as Sparks delivered another excellent cross into a crowded Folkestone Invicta penalty area and Ogunwamide lashed his first-time left-footed shot over the crossbar from 12-yards.

Horsham were playing on the front-foot and in search of the equalising goal but the likes of Lokko, Liam Smith and Joel-Michael Odeniran were resilient and kept the door firmly locked.

“You expect it, don’t you? Horsham throw bodies forward, they’re throwing forwards on and it becomes difficult, so at that point you want us to stand strong and stand tall and to be fair to the lads, they did that,” added Saunders.

Striker Pigott was quiet for Folkestone Invicta in the second-half but Berry floated in a free-kick down the left touchline and Lokko came up from the back to glance his header harmlessly wide of the far post from 18-yards (23:30).

The poor Ogunwamide tried to clear a Hollywood diagonal pass out from the right-back position to send Horsham on the counter-attack but Smith intercepted, stabbed the ball to substitute holding midfielder, Ronnie Dolan, who cracked a speculative right-footed 30-yarder over the crossbar (29:50).

“We lost Dean Rance at half-time, brought Mikey (Berry) on, so we wanted Ronnie Dolan’s experience. It was important and I wasn’t expecting him to strike a ball from that long (distance) but fair play,” said Saunders.

“Rancey just felt in the warm-up, he felt a twinge in his groin and he felt he could get through it but he said he wasn’t 100 per cent and we didn’t want to take a chance on that, so obviously made the decision at half-time.”

Horsham looked like they were to be the team that would score the next goal of the game but Folkestone were often playing with a high defensive line at free-kicks, Horsham were kept at arms-length, despite the home side playing on the front foot.

Horsham created one final opening (45:20), with the impressive Meekums cutting inside Dolan before stroking a right-footed drive from 25-yards, which was comfortably gathered by Collins into his midriff, down on his knees, in the centre of his goal inside his six-yard box.

Saunders was asked what pleased him and what didn’t in West Sussex today.

“Goals we gave away didn’t please me. What’s pleased me is we’ve still shown the character, I think a lot of teams would’ve folded at 2-0, we didn’t.

“I thought it was harsh that we were 2-0 down but we didn’t let it affect us and we kept going and that’s what you want.  We kept going and showed good character.”

There was a minutes silence before kick-off and players wore black armbands to pay their respects to Chichester City footballer Billy Vigar, 21, who tragically passed away on Thursday after sustaining “a significant brain injury,” during an Isthmian League Premier Division game at Wingate & Finchley last weekend.

The Isthmian League postponed Chichester City’s home game against Lewes today and Wingate & Finchley’s trip to Canvey Island.

Folkestone Invicta were scheduled to play away to Wingate & Finchley on Tuesday night and that game has also been postponed.

“To be honest, it was our call. I felt with what had happened it was very soon to go back there.  Nothing would’ve have changed from what had happened.  We had to make a decision as a club.  The League contacted us and me and the chairman Josh (Healey) spoke and we felt it wasn’t right to go there so soon,” explained Saunders.

“We didn’t want to lose a game but at the same time with what’s happened, it’s terrible and I think it’s the right decision that the game’s off.”

The Football Association said in a statement that they "will now conduct an immedate review, working with Leagues, club's and relevant stakeholders across the game, that will focus on the safety of perimeter walls and boundries around pitches in the National League System."

Folkestone Invicta’s next game is next Saturday’s trip to AFC Dunstable in The FA Trophy Third Qualifying Round.

Their hosts lost 1-0 at Hitchin Town today and sit in fifteenth-place in the Southern League Central Division, having picked up six points (one win, three draws) from seven games and are one level beneath Saunders men in the football pyramid.

“We’ll look to make a couple of changes. I think we need to give people a little rest and we’ve got some that are playing with niggles,” revealed Saunders.

“It gives us an opportunity to look. It’s not saying we’re going to take it lightly, we’ve just got to make sure we manage the squad right.  This is the thing, we’re doing well in the League. We now lose a game in the League.

“We’ve got players that we need to make sure are right and not force anyone to play minutes they don’t need to”.

Folkestone Invicta’s supporters have travelled around 1,410 miles to watch their opening 12 games of the season, that have all been played away from Cheriton Road.

Saunders said he would like a home tie in the final qualifying round in two weeks’ time  - a game in Folkestone.

“We’re hoping if we’re drawn at home the (3G) pitch will be ready, so fingers crossed for a home game really.

“I went down there (to Cheriton Road) yesterday, really impressed with the pitch and how it’s looking, so I think the surrounding areas have got to be done.   Hopefully, we can get it ready and a home draw would be nice for once.

“Look, it’s about getting through. The performance against Maidstone was better than today but we’ve got through and that’s what it’s all about in the early rounds, to get through, hopefully we get a kind draw and we can get through to that First Round Proper.

“The FA Cup, for me, is about giving something back to the supporters’ and the club. Our supporters’ have been fantastic. They’ve travelled, travelled, travelled and travelled this season and for them to keep doing what they’re doing is amazing and the club has been fantastic with us, so it’s good to get something back.

“Look, if we can get that First Round Proper, which we’ve got another game to go and if we can get a television game and this and that, it’s a game-changer for clubs, so that’s the dream.

“Thank you (to our fans) for coming. I know it’s been tough but as you can see the players’ really appreciate it and they’ve been great with us.”

Horsham: Lewis Carey, Lee Harding (Isaac Philpot 46), Harvey Sparks, James Hammond, Jake Elliott, Jack Strange, Reece Myles-Meekums, Danny Barker (Montel Agyemang 84), Shamir Fenelon (Greg Luer 73), Charlie Hester-Cook (Lucas Rodriques 64), Leone Gravata (Olajuwon Ogunwamide 59).
Subs: C Furber*, James Roberts

Goals: Shamir Fenelon 13, 33

* Horsham have not released details of the first name of their substitute goalkeeper

Folkestone Invicta: Ted Collins, Ben Mason, Finley Marjoram, Joel-Michael Odeniran, Liam Smith, Kevin Lokko, Joshua Strouts (Jake Hutchinson 84), Bivesh Gurung, Joe Pigott, Dean Rance (Mikey Berry 46), Donell Thomas (Ronnie Dolan 73).
Subs: Brad Walledge, Isaac Ogunseri, Jack Jebb, Dillon Simmons

Goals: Finley Marjoram 42, Ben Mason 50, Joshua Strouts 52

Booked: Joel-Michael Odeniran 56, Ben Mason 74

Attendance: 993
Referee: Mr Joe Woolmer
Assistants: Mr Bogdan Khimych & Mr James Kerten
Fourth Official: Mr Jacob Wright