by Alex Hoad

It is not all doom and gloom at Folkestone Invicta - that is the message from assistant manager Micky Dix, despite his side having suffered early exits from two money-spinning competitions inside 10 days.

Desperate to come back from their shock FA Cup exit at minnows Badshot Lea the previous weekend, Invicta had the chance to add £2,300 to their coffers by progressing through the FA Trophy preliminary round against Merstham.

However they lost 2-0 in a replay on Tuesday.

Defeat closed the only remaining avenue of potential prize money this season and attention turns back to the Ryman League Division 1 South campaign on Saturday.

Dix, who filled in for manager Neil Cugley on Tuesday as the boss was unavailable due to a pre-arranged personal engagement, admitted: "It is a strange situation but it is really not all doom and gloom. How can it be when we’re sitting second in the table?"

Dix added: "The cup money obviously would have been useful. The players are not stupid, they know about the club’s financial situation, they talk about it but it’s no use moaning about it now. We have just got to get on with it."

Winless Corinthian Casuals are the visitors to Cheriton Road on Saturday, when Cugley will be back in the dugout.