Andy Drury is optimistic it won’t take long for new Folkestone winger Matthias Fanimo to hit the ground running.

Fanimo has reunited with manager Drury at Cheriton Road - the pair previously having played together at Eastleigh.

A former West Ham youth-team player, the 30-year-old started in Invicta’s shootout Kent Senior Cup loss to Phoenix Sports last Tuesday, which ended in a 1-1 draw after normal time, before he came off the substitutes’ bench in last weekend’s last-gasp 2-1 Isthmian Premier defeat at Chichester.

Folkestone will hope the ex-Ebbsfleet player can help ease the burden on six-goal top scorer Dan Smith.

On what Fanimo will bring to the team, Drury said: “Pace, creativity and, hopefully, goals!

“I played with Matthi at Eastleigh many years ago. Hopefully, he can come in and hit the ground running and do well.

“He has everything that’s needed. Last year, he was at Ebbsfleet in the National League.

“If we can get him up to speed, I’m sure he’ll be a good signing.”

Drury hopes the former England under-16 skipper will be the final addition for a while as he continues to fine-tune his new-look squad that mostly came together in the summer.

He said: “I cannot complain about the board. We’ve got a long-term plan, and I think everybody agrees that you cannot put together 16 new players and expect to be top of the league within eight games.

“A lot of the results were a bit crazy at the weekend and I think that’s just where people are getting used to, playing with new people. We’ve still been adding here and there and we don’t want to do that anymore.

“We’re pretty much set with who we have brought in, although we might have to get one or two out.”

Smith put Drury’s team in front in the first half at Chichester but the hosts equalised with 17 minutes to play and got a 92nd-minute winner.

Drury said: “We have got too much experience to let that happen.

“It was the 92nd minute when we conceded. When you get to that stage - even though we should have won the game - you’ve just got to think ‘We’ll take a point and move on’ so it’s disappointing to lose.

“At the same time, it’s a new group. We’re dominating most of the games we’re playing, barring the odd 45 minutes.”

A much-changed Invicta side came from behind through substitute Evans Kouassi in the Kent Senior Cup first round, only to lose 5-4 on penalties.

“We got minutes into peoples’ legs,” reflected Drury. “It wasn’t a cup which was at the top of our priority list. It was more about using it to give people minutes.

“We have Jack Jebb coming back, the likes of Chris Sessegnon and Jamie Mascoll, and they got a chance to push on ahead of Saturday.

“They have had two chances - scored one - and we haven’t been able to break them down enough.”

Invicta will host Isthmian South Central Ascot United in the FA Trophy third qualifying round on Saturday after beating Margate - Drury’s former club - in the last round.

He said: “We know Ascot are a good team. They try to play good football.

“They will be up for it and they’ll raise their game, as a lot of teams do against us, so we’ll need to be up for it.”

The winners will pocket £2,450 in prize money and, with Folkestone having exited the FA Cup at the first hurdle, the FA Trophy and the league have become the main focus.

“Now we have two priorities,” said Drury. “We need to make sure that we’re up there in the league and that, in the FA Trophy, we have a decent run.”

Folkestone’s Isthmian Premier trip to Horsham, which was postponed with the Hornets playing an FA Cup replay against Margate last night, has been rescheduled for Tuesday, October 29.

Captain Sammy Adams opened the scoring as Lydd drew 1-1 at Tunbridge Wells in the Southern Counties East Premier Division on Saturday.

Adams’ neat finish gave the Lydders a sixth-minute lead but Regan Corke levelled in the second half.

Lydd host Stansfeld this Saturday.