Making a good start to the new season can rarely have been more important for Folkestone Invicta than it is this weekend.

Slow out of the blocks in each of the last two campaigns, Neil Cugley’s men were left behind by runaway champions Peacehaven & Telscombe and Burgess Hill Town.

They fought back to finish in the Ryman League Division 1 South play-off positions before losing in the final both times.

But having paid off their CVA and strengthened their squad over the summer, Invicta are now ready for a crack at the title – if they can hit the ground running.

Cugley said: "We have to start better, we know that, especially the players who have been with me for quite a long time.

"We know we didn’t perform well at the start of the last two seasons and we don’t want to be chasing people again. We did incredibly well to get back in it both times but it’s hard to keep doing that.

"In the last couple of years, Peacehaven and Burgess Hill have got away from everybody and we don’t want to let that happen again."

Newly-promoted Molesey, who won the Combined Counties League last season, stand in Folkestone’s way at the Fullicks Stadium on Saturday.

Cugley said: "Sides like that are confident because they’ve had a good season the year before.

"They should be buzzing, they’ll be looking forward to playing one of the favourites.

"They come here with no pressure on them because they’ve got nothing to lose."

Read the full story in the Folkestone & Hythe Express.