Two sides who found themselves in the relegation scrap towards the end of last season, but who have made bright starts to the current campaign, meet at The Fullicks Stadium on Saturday when second-placed Hendon are the visitors with hosts Folkestone Invicta currently four points but seven places lower in the Bostik Premier Division table.

“They’re a good side with a good manager who knows what he’s doing” said Invicta boss Cugley. “It’ll be a good test as we’ve only played Staines of the sides above us in the table so far. And it’ll give us a better idea of where we are and what more we need.”

The last meeting between these two came in a tense affair at the Fullicks in early April when Folkestone took the lead through Nathan Ferguson, during the well-travelled midfielder’s brief spell at the club, but collapsed under late pressure as The Greens won 2-1 with goals from experienced striker Kezie Ibe and the since departed Marcel Barrington.

“Their manager (Gary McCann) said he’d feared they were down if they lost that one” said Cugley. “We had a bit of a nightmare that day but picked ourselves up well to climb out of trouble after that result.”

Invicta in fact finished one point but three places higher in the final reckoning and both clubs have done fairly well so far this season.

Hendon may be four points better off than Invicta, but have played one game more, though with five wins and two defeats from their seven starts they clearly don’t really do things by halves.

And if Folkestone needed any convincing that they’ll have a job on their hands this weekend it came last weekend when McCann’s side became only the second team (along with leaders Billericay) to beat much-fancied Dulwich Hamlet (1-0) at Champion Hill in the league so far this season, with an injury time strike from 19-year-old debutant Josh Walker, a former Fulham Academy youngster.

That despite having key defender David Diedhiou sent off late in the game.

Greens’ manager McCann must have been over the moon when he persuaded prolific striker Niko Muir to return to the club after leaving part way through last season to join Suffolk high-flyers Leiston.

Muir’s departure had come last autumn, just before Folkestone drew 3-3 on the all-weather pitch at Hendon’s Silver Jubilee Stadium after leading 2-0 at half-time and 3-1 at one point in the second period.

The 24-year-old former Northwood player left having scored six goals in eight games for Hendon and went onto grab 11 in 29 appearances for Leiston, including one goal in their 2-1 win over Invicta in Suffolk last spring.

He already has eight goals this season, including two to force extra-time in their eventual FA Cup first qualifying round replay defeat at Wingate & Finchley.

Their side at Dulwich last weekend including just three of the players who figured in the match at Folkestone last April – striker Ibe, goalkeeper Tom Lovelock and ex-West Ham academy youngster Keagan Cole.

Invicta will be without crowd pleaser Kieron McCann who has work commitments, and versatile defender/midfielder Salvyn Kisitu who has asked to be rested to allow time to get over a hamstring problem.

With Ian Draycott (hamstring) also an unlikely starter manager Cugley hopes to sign an experienced and versatile player with considerable experience at Bostik Premier and Southern Division level later today (Thursday).

Cugley’s frustration over the postponement of Tuesday’s league cup tie at VCD Athletic due to a floodlight failure was offset in a couple of ways.

He said: “We got to train on their pitch for a short while before it got too dark, and then I watched the second half of our Under 18s 5-1 FA Youth Cup at Ashford on the way back.”

And teenage striker Euan Sahadow, who scored twice in that victory, has been recalled from a ‘loan’ spell at Chatham to rejoin the Invicta squad.

“Euan looks stronger for the games he’s had up there and will be back in the squad for us now” said Neil, who admitted: “It just does show that with one or two missing for various reasons, we are a bit stretched in terms of numbers, and we do need a couple more in.”

Confirmation of the signing referred to will appear on this website as soon as we hear at sometime this evening.

As previously announced, the VCD game will now be played next Tuesday (September 26) with the scheduled league match at Tooting still to be re-arranged.