Neil Cugley doesn’t want Folkestone’s heroic attempt to escape the Ryman League Premier Division drop to be for nothing.

After back-to-back defeats, Invicta stunned Tonbridge 1-0 at the Fullicks Stadium on Monday, thwarting Angels’ play-off hopes while dragging themselves a point above the drop-zone ahead of the season finale on Saturday.

With three teams trying to avoid the final two relegation places, Burgess Hill and Canvey Island must win at home to Merstham and AFC Sudbury respectively to have any chance of overhauling Invicta, who know a win at rock-bottom Grays would ensure survival.

Cugley said: “We are so close to it now, we can almost touch it, we don’t want it all to be for nothing.

“If you went down weeks ago it’s one thing but having reached the last day of the season, we want to finish the job now.”

Grays have long been mired at the bottom but they toppled promotion-chasing Dulwich 1-0 on the road on Saturday and Cugley said: “We have to be careful. That’s two wins in a row for them – and they have nothing to play for.

“The table shows the quality of the league. It’s a strong league, the teams at the bottom are in better form than some of the top sides.

“If you look at the Northern and Southern Leagues, then you might stay up with 44, 45, 46 points – we’re sat on 52 and even that might not be enough. It’s incredible.”

Cugley questioned his players’ desire after the home defeat to Hendon the previous weekend but revealed it was a calculated risk which prompted the right response in the Easter double-header at Enfield – a 3-1 defeat – and then at home to Tonbridge.

He said: “Hendon have been doing well, although we were disappointed, especially having been 1-0 up. It was a massive game to lose.

“I am not normally one to moan about players but I had to try something. I think it got the reaction I was looking for.

“For example, Joe Taylor was left out on Saturday but he came on, did well and scored a goal.

“If it was straight out of the management manual, then it was the final chapter – 'desperation.'

“We trained hard before Enfield. We did all right, especially in the second half and had a real go.

“I think we took that into the Tonbridge game. We managed to get round them and chose a system that stopped their midfield.

“We defended well. They had to win, a point was no good for them, so they chucked everything at us.”

Phil Starkey (shoulder) and Ronnie Dolan (ankle) will miss the Grays game.