Folkestone Invicta vs Cray Wanderers – Isuzu FA Trophy 2nd Round – Saturday 14th November, 3 pm
Cray Wanderers after last week’s FA Cup and League activity are back on the road in the 2nd Round of the FA Trophy as the Wands head to last season’s Isthmian Premier League Champions Folkestone Invicta: Kick off at the Alcaline Stadium, 3 pm with the tie to be decided on penalties if level after ninety minutes.
Last Sunday was a tremendous day in the history of Cray Wanderers regardless of the end result and Stockport County were certainly given a game after an incredible performance leading the League One highflyers going into injury time before just falling short in extra time but the performance in front of a nationwide audience was incredible. Now Cray Wanderers face another tough challenge with a third cup tie this season against Step 2 opposition after earlier FA Cup games against Maidstone United and Bedford Town.
Even more incredible was the team’s ability just over forty eight hours later with only a couple of changes to pick up three vital points in a 2-0 win at home to Three Bridges in persistent rain which moved Cray up to 17th place in the Isthmian Premier League table. John Ufuah gave Cray the lead on 41 minutes with a composed finish for his second goal in three games since arriving from Havant & Waterlooville in October. Bayli Spencer-Adams who had returned to the side after picking up an early season injury made it two nil just before the hour with a neat back heel for his first Cray Wanderers goal. From here a combination of defiant defending and sound and confident goalkeeping from JJ Briggs meant a clean sheet and Cray moved on to eighteen points from just eleven games played.
After such a sapping week credit must go to Sammie McLeod and Rob Strachan who played every minute of both games and both games showed the team spirit and confidence is high in Tim O’Shea’s side.
Skipper on the night Ade Yusuff was something of a hero figure at Folkestone Invicta and had three spells at Cheriton Road including being part of last season’s title winning team meaning he had won the Isthmian Premier with two clubs after being part of Hornchurch’s 2023-24 championship winning team. He first appeared for Folkestone from 2017-19 scoring forty three goals in eighty one games. After another spell in 2021 he rejoined Folkestone in 2025 and scored ten in twenty five matches. Two other Wands with previous Invicta experience are Frankie Morgan and Seidou Sanogo.
Certainly Tim O’Shea who celebrated his sixtieth birthday on Thursday can look back with pride to the FA Cup run as part of a new chapter in the club’s history but now move on to the FA Trophy and aiming to reach the 3rd Round for the first time since the 2021-22 season.
Cray definitely got a tough draw and once again on the road after getting past Cheshunt on penalties in the 3rd Qualifying Round and an underrated 2-1 win at Berkhamsted in the 1st Round with goals from Rob Strachan and Alfie Payne. Jay Saunders’ Folkestone will provide a stern challenge but one Cray can approach with confidence.
Cray will certainly want to banish last season’s league visit to Cheriton Road just over a year ago on 11th November 2025 when Invicta were on fire and won 8-1 with Jake Hutchinson, now at Tamworth and Ben Mason all scoring hat-trick’s while this season’s top score Joe Pigott scored twice with Quade Taylor netting the most consolation of consolation goals. We did meet in pre-season at Flamingo Park with Cray winning 3-1 in July. Cray though have had success at Folkestone in the past including wins in the 2020-21 and 2022-23 seasons.
Folkestone Invicta secured a deserved promotion to the National South for the first time in the club’s history last season after a strong and consistent season helped by a twelve game winning run from the autumn and finished with 96 points twelve points clear of Aveley and with a goal difference of +62.
Folkestone have been competitive in every game so far in the National South and currently stand 15th in the table after fifteen games with a par score of five wins, five draws, five losses. Invicta will almost certainly be fresher than the Wands as last Saturday’s league game at home to Truro City was postponed due to a serious medical incident for Truro’sm Yassine En-Neyah in the build up to the match. Folkestone began the season unbeaten in the first five matches before then going five without a win. Their last league outing was a 2-2 draw at Chesham United on 31st October with goals from Joe Pigott and an injury time equaliser from Kevin Lokko.
Home form has been decent with wins against Walton & Hersham (5-1), Hemel Hempstead Town (2-0), AFC Totton (2-1) and Farnborough (2-0). Invicta drew with Chelmsford City (1-1) and Horsham (1-1) with the only defeat against Farnham Town on 12th September. Away from home three points were picked up at Slough Town (2-0), drew at Maidstone United, Weston-super-Mare and Chesham United. Folkestone were beaten at Torquay United, Salisbury City, Ebbsfleet United and Tonbridge Angels. In the FA Cup 2nd QR, Folkestone were beaten in a local derby at Dover Athletic. Joe Pigott currently is top scorer with five.
This will be the third time Cray have played Folkestone Invicta in the FA Trophy with the first time being in the Wands debut FA Trophy season in 2004-05 as an Isthmian Division One club against Isthmian Premier Folkestone in the 1st Round. The teams drew 2-2 at Hayes Lane with goals from Matt Woolf and Leigh Bremner on 6th November. The Wands though would win the replay 3-1 after extra-time three nights later with another Bremner goal along with an own goal and a James Millar strike.
This promises to be a great tie on the 3G surface and impressive facilities and could be one of the games of the round.
Please note that there will be a period of remembrance before kick off as Folkestone due to the abandonment of last Saturday’s game didn’t have a remembrance fixture. Please as you always do show respect during the period of remembrance.
DIRECTIONS TO FOLKESTONE INVICTA & ADMISSION
Alcaline Stadium, Cheriton Road, Folkestone, Kent CT19 5JU
Adults (18-59) £18
Concessions £15
(60+, Students with ID, Blue Light Card holders, Disabled supporters – carer free)
Young Adult (11-17) £10
Junior (6-10) £5
Children (under 6) FREE with a paying adult or concession.
https://app.fanbaseclub.com/fixture/folkestoneinvictafc-co-uk/23992
Card or cash payments will be accepted, although if possible, and if you are paying by cash please have the right money available.
Programme: £3.00
Pitch: 3G
BY ROAD
From the Cray’s – From the A20/Sidcup-by-Pass follow for 3.9 miles and then keep right to join the M20 and follow for 50 miles following signs for Dover/Channel Tunnel/Maidstone. At Junction 13 take the A20 exit to Folkestone. Continue to drive along the A2034 then turn left at the 2nd set of Traffic lights and you will be able to see the stadium about 100 metres on the left (Just past the Harvey Grammar school.
Parking is limited on matchdays, so please arrive early.
Council car park: free parking in front of The Dugout Sports Bar. Please make sure you park properly in a marked bay, or you may be fined.
Three Hills Sports Park: free parking at the east end of the stadium.
Folkestone West station: a paid car park, open 24 hours, about a 10-minute walk from the stadium.
Please do not park at the Folkestone Indoor Bowls Club, its car park is for members only and non-members may be fined. Please also avoid the Morrisons car park, which has a limited parking time.
Disabled parking spaces are available in both the council car park, which is in front of The Dugout Sports Bar, and the Three Hills Sports Park car park.
By train:
The nearest stations are: Folkestone West and Folkestone Central. Folkestone West is marginally nearer. From the station, walk east on Station Road towards and then on to Beachborough Road/B2064. Then turn right onto Cheriton Road and after 0.2 miles turn left for the ground.
From Folkestone Central – Walk east towards and onto Folkestone Station Road, then turn left onto Cheriton Road/A259, then at the roundabout take the 4th exit onto Cheriton Road/A2034 for 0.5 miles and then turn right for the ground.
For train travel on Saturday’s you can go direct from Orpington at 25 minutes past the hour taking 1 hour 18minutes. West or Central station. Returns are 38 and 41 minutes from Folkestone Central or West Station.
From St Mary Cray there are trains at 01 and 19 but are not direct trains and require a change at Sevenoaks Town or Ashford International but overall quite a longish journey of over one hour 40 minutes. Please check trains at www.nationalrail.co.uk for your best options.
A bit round the houses but maybe the quickest way there or home will be via Ebbsfleet International with direct trains at 25 past the hour.
By bus:
Buses to Cheriton run every eight minutes from the town centre (bus station).
Service Nos. 71, 72, 73 – Get off just past Morrisons Supermarket.
Nearest pub: There is a very impressive club house and diner at the ground – The Dugout which may interest you if you want to go straight to the ground. https://folkestoneinvictafc.co.uk/the-dugout/
This is situated on the main Cheriton Road directly in front of the stadium. There is ample parking in front of the Bar and has been fully refurbished. There is a disabled entrance at the front and has disabled toilet facilities. There are two bars with a function room.
If you arrive at Folkestone early enough near Folkestone West station is the Royal Cheriton (339 Cheriton Road). This is going in the other direction to the ground. From Folkestone Central you will find The Park Inn on Radnor Park Road or the Firkin Alehouse (a renovated former Estate Agents, now a micropub) on Cheriton Place. For Wetherspoon’s fans there is the Samuel Peto in Rendevouz Street which is about a five minute drive from Cheriton Road.
For Fish and Chips there is the Corner Plaice (317 Cheriton Road, close to the Royal Cheriton) and the Golden Gate (374 Cheriton Road). From Central Station there is the Central Fish Bar (98 Cheriton Road). For an Indian Restaurant, Saurav Ki Rasoi will be open after the game (31 Cheriton High Street)
Folkestone is a port town on the edge of the South Downs and a prominent part of the English defences against French invaders. A harbour was introduced during the 19th century and also good railway links to London and Kent gave good business to the area and became a popular holiday destination. If you’ve time, the cliffs are well worth a visit and has at the top a Martello Tower which was built in 1806 as a look out should Napoleon invade and has been a coast guard lookout and a Second World War Naval mine control post.
The Brockhill Country Park in Saltwood between Folkestone and Hythe is part of a Kentish area of natural beauty and also the beach front has been redeveloped. There is also the oldest Battle of Britain Museum in the UK in nearby Hawkinge and the Battle of Britain Memorial on the White Cliffs is testament to the battering Kent took over the skies during the War. Overlooking the Channel Tunnel entrance is the carving of the Folkestone White Horse which can be a spectacular sight.
