Folkestone Invicta (A) - 2nd January 2023

The Blues head to Folkestone Invicta on Bank Holiday Monday as joint Managers Reece Prestedge and Ben Greenhalgh take charge for the first time since the club parted ways with Andy Drury.

The ‘Gate will be looking to bounce back from two defeats in the league after being beaten at home by Hastings United and Cray Wanderers on Boxing Day.

Both Greenhalgh and Prestedge will have returning signing Harrison Hatfull to call upon, as well as Ade Cole who is available after serving his three game suspension, ironically which he picked up in the Blues 1-0 win over Folkestone in the Velocity Cup in November. The Blues will be without Peter Ojemen and Sam Blackman after they received red cards in those games against Hastings United and Cray Wanderers respectively.

The hosts find themselves in much better shape than the start of the season having recently only lost two of their previous six league games. Long standing manager Neil Cugley stepped down earlier this season to focus on helping the club commercially, handing over the reins to Roland Edge and Michael Everitt.

Blues fans making the journey to Cheriton Road will recognise some former Blues players now in the Folkestone ranks, including James Rogers, Kadell Daniels, Nathan Green and Ira Jackson. Margate striker David Smith makes his first return to Folkestone since scoring 35 goals last season for the Invicta before joining Bromley in the summer.

The ‘Gate won here last season 1-0 as they completed the double over Invicta, and they already have the advantage this season after beating them 1-0 at Hartsdown Park in the Velocity Cup in November 2022.

Kick-off is 3pmm but as always if you can’t be there then you can stay up to date on our Twitter feed @margate_fc from 2.30pm

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