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Sport

Folkestone Invicta manager Neil Cugley looks ahead to his side's FA Cup replay against National League Eastleigh

By: Thomas Reeves treeves@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 05:00, 19 October 2021

Updated: 08:02, 19 October 2021

Boss Neil Cugley insists Folkestone are ready to go again as they look to cause an upset against National League Eastleigh in their FA Cup fourth qualifying round replay.

The two sides will meet once more tonight after an enthralling 3-3 draw on Saturday in the original tie.

Folkestone manager Neil Cugley. Picture: Barry Goodwin

It is another occasion Folkestone - still yet to taste defeat this season - are excited about, according to Cugley.

“It will be great," he said. "I’m looking forward to it.

“They are full-time so I imagine they will have already been in, doing something this week. My players will have been digging up roads or something… it’s a different world! But we are ready to go again.”

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The winner of the tie will earn £9,375 in prize money and a spot in the first round where a trip to Boreham Wood, second in the National League table, awaits.

Folkestone have attracted some good crowds already this season, with an average attendance of 827 in the Isthmian Premier, and Cugley hopes fans flock to the Fullicks Stadium again for the replay.

“I know a lot of people are coming to the game who have not watched Folkestone for a long, long time,” Cugley revealed.

“I do think we will get a good crowd. We will give it everything we can.”

Alfie Paxman's brace and a Scott Heard effort helped Folkestone race into a 3-0 lead inside the first 18 minutes at the Silverlake Stadium on Saturday.

But Eastleigh fought back and Gillingham loanee Christian Maghoma netted a stoppage-time equaliser after a Ryan Hill penalty and a Tyrone Barnett goal.

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Cugley said: “The only real disappointment is we had two really good chances on the break at 3-2. We changed our system in the second half and it worked a treat - we just couldn’t get the goal to kill it off.

“It was disappointing to concede with virtually the last kick of the game.

“But I think the players did us proud. It was a lovely ground at Eastleigh and the pitch was excellent.

“We have to give them credit, as well, because they have some quality players and really showed that in the end.”

It was a second successive brace for in-form Paxman.

Cugley said: “He has just hit form at the right time. In the last couple of games, he has been back to his old self.

“But in the second half on Saturday, he had it quite hard. They play the same system as us and their wing-back was charging on.

“But all my players did all right. There were no silly mistakes which let us down or anything like that. I cannot think of anyone who had a poor game.”

The replay will go to extra-time and penalties if it is level after 90 minutes.

Read more: All the latest sports news from Kent

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