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Sport

Folkestone Invicta striker Ade Yusuff in the Isthmian League Golden Boot race but joint-head coach Roland Edge thinks he could have even more goals this season

By: Thomas Reeves treeves@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 05:00, 15 December 2022

Updated: 11:06, 15 December 2022

Frontman Ade Yusuff is in the race for the league’s Golden Boot - but joint-head coach Roland Edge thinks he could have even more goals to his name this season.

Yusuff now has racked up 100 senior goals for Invicta, only behind Ian Draycott (148) and Jimmy Dryden (141) on the club’s all-time scoring list.

Folkestone frontman Ade Yusuff on the attack in Saturday's win over Bognor Regis. Picture: Randolph File

He netted in Saturday’s 4-1 home Isthmian Premier win over fellow mid-table outfit Bognor Regis before he also set up the fourth, having scored a penalty last Tuesday in a late 2-1 loss away to leaders Hornchurch.

That’s 20 this season now for the 28-year-old, including 16 in the league.

While Edge admits he’s in good form, he thinks Yusuff could have bagged more goals earlier.

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He said: “Ade has been good in front of goal. I know it sounds hypercritical but, at the start of the season, he could have had a few more.

“But in recent games, he has been clinical. He’s always a nuisance. At the minute, we’re quite confident.

Midfielder Scott Heard in the thick of it. Picture: Randolph File

“With the Hornchurch game, football can be cruel, but I don’t think we deserved to lose against a good side. We had to mirror that performance on Saturday and I think the lads took that on board.

“Having Greeny [Nathan Green] back has made a big difference as well.

"He just really fits in and makes the balance right.”

Player-of-the-match Green, midfielder Scott Heard and frontman Ira Jackson were also on the scoresheet while Bognor were reduced to 10 men on 82 minutes when Cameron Black received a second yellow card.

The win was Folkestone’s third successive home league victory.

Their goals came after the visitors had taken a fifth-minute lead and Edge admits slow starts are something he and fellow joint-head coach Micheal Everitt are trying to address.

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“The thing that maybe myself and Mev are trying to work on is going in at half-time 0-0 or, in an ideal scenario, in the lead,” he said.

“That was the only dampener on Saturday. But after that [conceding], we controlled the game and deserved the win.”

Edge also praised Bognor for being keen to get the game - a 1pm kick-off due to England’s World Cup quarter-final - on.

He explained: “You have got to give Bognor a little bit of credit. We kicked off slightly early on Saturday because of the England game.

Striker Ade Yusuff tries to get the ball under his spell. Picture: Randolph File

“When we turned up, there was an area quite frozen, and the rest of the pitch was quite crisp, although we’ve all played on worse. But they were there and said ‘Let’s get it going’ so we got the match on.”

Folkestone are at home in the Third Round of the FA Trophy on Saturday to Leiston, who are third in Southern Premier Central.

When asked what he knows about the Suffolk club, Edge replied: “They were good - they used to be in our league. They were a well-organised side then and, by all accounts, they are now.

“If the majority of our players perform, I think it will be an entertaining game.”

The victors will pocket £4,500 and Edge knows that sort of revenue - and a potentially big tie in the next round - could really boost the club’s coffers.

He said: “For a club of our stature, this is a good level for them to get to. It’s like a free hit.

“But if you win this, there’s a chance you can get a good draw.

"The lads can test themselves and the club can balance the books.”

Right-back Josh Vincent (ankle) missed the Bognor match through injury and is a doubt for the Trophy tie.

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