Neil Cugley says there will be no excuses if Folkestone fail to make the Bostik Premier play-offs.

Back-to-back wins in the past week have lifted Invicta into the top five for the first time since September.

Below title rivals Dorking and Haringey, just four points cover the next eight clubs in the race for promotion.

And with key players coming back to fitness, no-one at the Fullicks Stadium will be blaming injuries between now and April.

Cugley said: “We’ve got no excuses now. We’ve got to get on with it and see if we’re good enough to finish in the play-offs.

“What’s pleasing now is that we’re getting players back. It made a big difference to have Matt Newman back on Saturday and Kieron McCann was outstanding. Josh Vincent will be back by next Saturday.

“You’re always going to get injuries here and there but when you have half the team not playing, it’s a bit frustrating.”

The race for the play-offs is as tight as it’s been for years.

“It’s great,” Cugley said. “You know the rules before you start and the play-offs have been good.

“If it was just the top two (going up) maybe you wouldn’t be too excited but there’s a lot of teams involved, right down to about 13th or 14th.

“You’re never sure what the results are going to be. Most of the time on a Saturday evening I’m shocked!

“It’s a competitive league and the teams at the bottom, like Harlow, are going to do everything they can to stay in it.”

Folkestone won 4-2 at Harlow last weekend and another struggling side, Wingate & Finchley, visit the Fullicks on Saturday.

Cugley’s side are chasing a 13th consecutive home win – that run stretching back to October.

He said: “That’s why I do the job, to please the home fans and get them cheering.

“If you’re a local person like myself, it means a lot and I think that’s coming through with the players. They know it’s our job to get those results at home and the fans have been great.

“Hopefully they’ll come again on Saturday and keep getting behind us. We’ve got 12 games left and six at home so they’re going to be important.”