Folkestone Invicta crowned Isthmian Premier champions under manager Jay Saunders

Folkestone Invicta have been crowned Isthmian Premier champions.

It means the club can start to prepare for their first season in National League South after coming from a goal down to win 2-1 at St Albans.

Jake Hutchinson cancelled out Sam Smart’s early opener and skipper Kevin Lokko scored Invicta’s second-half winner.

For manager Jay Saunders, who replaced Andy Drury on a four-year deal in March 2025, it’s the perfect end to his first full season in charge as he left Tonbridge Angels for Folkestone.

He swiftly undertook a major overhaul of the playing squad. Only defender Joel-Michael Odeniran and midfielders Dean Rance and Jack Jebb, alongside striker Ade Yusuff, survived from last term’s team.

It marks the conclusion of the campaign in which chairman Josh Healey oversaw the installation of the club's new 3G pitch.

Having started this season by playing their ‘home’ matches at Margate, Ashford United and Chatham Town, Saunders' side started a new era at Cheriton Road in October with a 2-2 draw against Dulwich Hamlet.

While Invicta have never played in the National League system before, they experienced life at Step 2 of the English non-league pyramid between 2000 and 2003, playing in the Southern Premier Division under legendary boss Neil Cugley.

Among the matches Folkestone fans can look forward to during their 2026/27 National League South season are ones against fierce rivals Dover Athletic - provided Whites avoid relegation - while there’s the potential of Kent derbies with Ebbsfleet, Maidstone and Tonbridge, too, who are presently in that division.

They have led Isthmian Premier for much of the campaign and went on a 12-game winning league streak before that was ended by a home 2-1 derby defeat to Chatham in January.

Invicta enjoyed a good FA Cup run, too, and lost 4-1 at promotion-chasing National League Southend United in the final qualifying round in October after they had seen off Horsham (3-2), Maidstone (2-0) and Sevenoaks (3-0) to reach that stage.

Folkestone still have four fixtures left to play this season and host Ramsgate at Cheriton Road on Easter Monday.