It has been confirmed that young striker Kane Rowland has signed a one-year deal with Folkestone Invicta, playing and scoring in his new club’s 4-0 win at Ashford United on Saturday.

The 22-year-oldThanet-born player is already widely admired around the Bostik League and bagged over 20 goals for Sittingbourne last season, having previously featured for Margate and Whitstable Town following an excellent career in youth football.

Invicta boss Neil Cugley said: “It’s not our way to claim to have signed anyone until all the formalities have been completed, though I am aware that Sittingbourne did release that news late last week.

“Things can go wrong at the last minute as we have found to our cost over the years, but I’m pleased to say that everything is now signed, sealed and delivered.

“He scored a goal, made another one and tested their keeper on a third occasion so I hope our fans liked what they saw from him.

“Kane is really keen to try to prove himself at this level and I’m confident that he can make the step up as others like Scott Heard and Sam Hasler have done with us.

“We were a bit short because of a couple of injuries, illness and other commitments so all in all I was pleased with how comfortably we won on Saturday.

“I think everyone should be fit for Saturday at we’re all looking forward to getting the season started now. Our pre-season has been a good one and I think that the supporters like the way that we’ve been playing.

“I believe in testing players against quality opposition and it’s important as they build up their fitness before we get to the season proper on Saturday.”

Folkestone’s opposition this weekend will be Enfield Town – as it was 12 months ago when they drew 1-1 at Enfield before hammering Andy Leese’s side 5-1 at the Fullicks Stadium on the night that Johan Ter Horst confirmed his return to Invicta on a permanent basis alongside top scorer Ade Yusuff.

The completed their pre-season programme with a 2-1 home win against a Hendon side that showed many changes from the Greens’ team that won beat Folkestone in last season’s play-off semi-final following the departure of manager Gary McCann to National League South Hampton & Richmond Borough followed by several of his promotion winning squad.