Neil Cugley admits he signed striker Kane Rowland because it was simply too good an opportunity to miss.

The 22-year-old has moved to the Fullicks after catching the eye playing in Bostik South with Sittingbourne last season.

Rowland scored 23 times in all competitions despite missing the last half-a-dozen league games through injury and before that topped 30 goals playing for Whitstable in the Southern Counties East League.

Invicta boss Cugley said the front man had been courted by clubs in Bostik South East during the summer but was keen to test himself at the higher level and that made him an attractive proposition.

Cugley added: “Kane comes into that category of being a player out of the lower leagues who wants to impress and hopefully he can follow the same path that’s been taken by others here such as Scott Heard and Sam Hasler.

“He’s not come in asking for wages beyond our means, he’s here because he wants to try and prove himself.

“I know he had offers from clubs in Bostik South East but he’s coming here for the right reason.

“He’s a player I’d heard people talk about a lot and I just felt it was too good an opportunity to miss.”

Thanet-born Rowland made his debut in Saturday’s 4-0 friendly win over Ashford United and claimed a goal and an assist.

Cugley added: “Other than Alfie Paxman, who lives in the same town as him, he did not know anyone but he came straight in and did well.

“He’s a strong, determined character and what I liked was that his goal was a nice little tap-in at the far stick, the sort of chance we didn’t always put away last year.”

Invicta launch their Bostik Premier campaign at home to Enfield on Saturday and, after surprising many people by finishing fourth last season, Cugley knows they are unlikely to slip under the radar again.

He added: “It’s going to be difficult to surpass what we did last season because it was an amazing season but we’ll give it everything we can.

“It looks like being a highly competitive league again, with a number of clubs spending big money but the players have proved they can do it once, what they’ve got to do now is show they can do it again.”

Sam Hasler (illness) and Josh Vincent (wedding) are expected to return after missing the Ashford friendly but Cugley has a doubt over Nat Blanks who is nursing a broken toe.

Cugley confirmed that no deal has yet been offered to London-based trialist Luis Medina.

He has scored in Invicta’s last two friendlies but was due this week to train with another

club.

Invicta are in action again on Tuesday when they travel to Corinthian Casuals.