Folkestone Invicta’s promotion credentials persuaded Joe Taylor to turn down a reunion with Jim Ward at Whitstable and sign instead for Neil Cugley’s side.

Taylor made his Invicta debut in Saturday’s FA Cup goalless draw with Margate – his hometown club – after joining late last week.

He then scored in the replay on Tuesday as Folkestone went down 3-1 at Hartsdown Park.

The striker scored 27 goals for Sittingbourne last season and earned himself a summer move to Farnborough but things didn’t work out at the Vanarama Conference South club.

Having played for Ward at Sittingbourne and Ramsgate in the past, Taylor had the chance to team up with the Scot again but he couldn’t turn Folkestone down.

Taylor said: "Folkestone is a club I’ve admired for a long time and they’re always near the top of the league. It’s a place I’ve loved going to in the past.

"I had a lot of calls when Farnborough announced I had left. It felt right for me (to go to Folkestone) because I wanted to start enjoying my football again and go to a club that was going to be at the top of their division. They’re a good group of lads and I’d heard a lot of good things about Neil Cugley, so I wanted a chance to work with him.

"I had a few years working under Jim Ward and he always had good words to say about Neil Cugley. Jim did try to get me to go to Whitstable but I went over to Folkestone and as soon as you look around the place, you can see everything’s going in the right direction."

Read the full interview in the Folkestone & Hythe Express.