‘I’m sure he will do well’

New Folkestone boss Jay Saunders will find himself in a unique position for his side’s final home Isthmian Premier fixture this season. Saunders, who only officially took over last Monday, having been due to replace Andy Drury at the helm in the summer after seeing out this season at Tonbridge, will face the man who will replace him at Longmead when Invicta host Lewes on Easter Monday (kick-off 3pm). Lewes manager Craig Nelson will take charge of the National League South side after he was among eight candidates interviewed for the position.

He will do so with the backing of his predecessor. “I rang him when he got the job,” Saunders revealed. “I said ‘We can have a catch-up and a beer.



’. I’m sure we will do that. "He seems like a good guy and I’m sure he will do well.

” While Folkestone and Lewes disappointingly sit mid-table at the business end of the season, Invicta will visit Gary McCann’s Billericay team - who remain in a three-horse title race - on Friday (3pm) before then. Saunders said: “I think it (the title race) is going to go down to the wire. “I know Gary, their manager, really well.

They have got a few players who have played for me in the past and I watched them in the Velocity Cup final (beating Chatham 3-2) last Wednesday. “It will be a tough test but, as a player, it should be one you should look forward to. “I’m looking forward to seeing Craig, as well.

"But playing on our pitch isn’t the easiest thing to do!” While a first game at the helm for Saunders and his management team of No.2 Lloyd Blackman and coach Tom Parkinson resulted in a 2-0 home loss at home to relegated Bowers & Pitsea last weekend, the new manager remained upbeat. He reflected: “You’re always disappointed and you don’t want to lose any game.

“But for us, in a strange way, it was quite good to see what’s here. If we had won 5-0, that could have kind of papered over cracks. “Dan Kennedy, who is our second-choice keeper, had an outfield kit on, and Dean Rance could probably have managed 10 minutes at most.

But we learnt a lot about the team and different players. “It was good for us to see how the club is run on a matchday. “It’s good to see what we’re up against - what we do like and what we don’t like - and where we need to start making decisions on players.

"In two weeks’ time, we will need to make those decisions.” Saunders has opted to start the hard work in earnest with his new charges early, rather than wait until the close season, albeit he won’t have much time on the training ground before then. “It’s an old saying but I said it’s a clean slate when we came in,” said the 46-year-old, who conceded Folkestone’s injury record this term is a concern.

“Should this group of players be where they are? Definitely not. "But ultimately, it’s down to them. “With the Bank Holiday coming up, we have probably only got two more training sessions with them before the end of the season.

“That’s hard but the good thing is that I know 99 per cent of them, anyway, and maybe with some of those that we think we have made up our minds on, there’s still time for them to change that.” Among those handed a chance to impress was young midfielder Brad Walledge. “Brad Walledge is a young lad that came in on Saturday and he did really well,” said Saunders.

“Brad started because he deserved to start. “I’ve given 17-year-olds starts in the National League at Maidstone in the past and I did similar at Tonbridge. I love bringing in these young players and giving them a chance.

“But ultimately, they have got to be good enough.” Folkestone’s match against Bowers was played on the 20th anniversary of Paul Sykes’ death, aged 28, while playing for the club. His family attended the game and also organised a Memorial Fundraiser for the Cardiac Risk in the Young charity on Saturday evening, with signed Folkestone Invicta, Dover Athletic and Margate shirts available for auction.

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