Neil Cugley says Folkestone’s attackers are going to need to raise their game to make up for the loss of top-scorer Ian Draycott.

The striker went into hospital on Friday for an emergency procedure on the hand injury he sustained in an awkward fall during a game last month and could miss the entire festive programme.

The 28-year-old, with 12 goals already this term, was replaced in the side for the 1-1 draw against Dulwich on Saturday –Invicta’s sixth Ryman League, Premier Division game without defeat – by Ashley Miller, who has yet to find the net in the league.

Cugley said: “It hasn’t healed as well as it should have done. He was still in some pain and having problems with his hand and the chance came to get it broken and re-set at short notice.

“I understand it was a fairly difficult operation and he’s now got a metal protector around it. At least it’s done now. We’ll know more when he sees the specialist, realistically though I’m thinking that he could be out for a few weeks while the bone knits together again.

“It’s disappointing as he’s been playing well but it’s one of those things we have to get on with.

“It means the likes of Ashley Miller have got to step up. These next few games will give Ashley the chance to show us that he wants to make it at this level. We have got Carl Rook and young Euan Sahadow, too. Fortunately, we are not too bad in that department.”

Folkestone stretched their unbeaten run to seven games with a 3-3 draw at Hendon on Tuesday - although they led 3-1. It was only their second point from eight league games on the road.

Cugley said: “It’s been a poor run. We’re desperate to resolve it. We have won away from home in the cups and hopefully we have a bit more about us now.

“We have some long away trips to come up and we don’t want to be getting on the bus thinking ‘here we go again’ – we want to break the cycle.”

Tuesday's draw left Invicta in eighth, five points off the play-offs and Cugley said: “We played an exceptional team on Saturday (Dulwich), with Bognor, Havant and Tonbridge they are all big clubs and potentially Conference South clubs.

“Dulwich play nice football and the club is run the right way. They were in Ryman South and managed to get promoted and have improved every year. Maybe it’s a model we are able to follow.”

After another blank on Saturday due to their early FA Trophy exit, Invicta welcome Ramsgate to the Fullicks Stadium on Tuesday (7.45pm) in the last-eight of the Kent Senior Cup.