Folkestone Invicta boss Jay Saunders reacts to their 2-2 Isthmian Premier home draw against Dartford

Boss Jay Saunders was disappointed with Folkestone’s defensive display in their Isthmian Premier derby draw against Dartford on Saturday.

Invicta played out an eventful 2-2 stalemate against Ady Pennock’s Darts in front of a crowd of 1,488 at Cheriton Road as they moved to within three victories of claiming the league title.

Folkestone found themselves behind at half-time, two-goal Callum Jones doing the damage for the away side, with his brace being sandwiched between a goal from the hosts’ impressive Bromley loanee debutant Nathan Paul-Lavaly.

They also missed a penalty through 22-goal top scorer Jake Hutchinson but, minutes later, fellow forward Joe Pigott levelled.

Saunders reflected: “It was probably a really good game for the neutral.

“I felt we started really well for the first 10 minutes, we got in behind them and we had a couple of half-chances, but we didn’t take them. Then, they scored and I thought they had a good foothold in the game and were on top from that point.

“I felt half-time probably couldn’t come quickly enough.

“It was very unlike us, defensively. We were all over the shop, which is unlike us. You have to give credit to the opposition.

“We didn’t start the second half particularly well but, once we got a foothold in it, I thought we started to look dangerous. We were linking a few passes and I did feel it was sort of a matter of time before we scored. Thankfully, we did.

“Obviously, we had the penalty - but we didn’t let that (missing it) sort of disappoint us and we managed to get the goal.

“All in all, it’s a point but the derbies are never easy.

“Ady is trying to get his team into the play-off places, they’re fighting for everything, so it was never going to be easy.”

It took Paul-Lavaly, who will now remain at Folkestone for the rest of this season, just four minutes to create his first chance and he struck shortly before the half-hour mark, firing beyond ex-Invicta goalkeeper Jonny Henly from a pass by Pigott.

“There were glimpses,” said Saunders, who got the 19-year-old through an hour on his bow.

“He has trained really well this week. It’s difficult when you go into a game from training. He didn’t really know anyone and didn’t really know what we were about.

“You give them as much information as you can but that will have been good for him today.”

On what his message had been to his players, who found themselves behind at half-time, Saunders added: “It was to get on the ball and link passes.

“For me, we were just too edgy on the ball today. It was a case of saying ‘Get on the ball, be bright, move it and just be positive in everything we do.’. Once we started doing that, we looked good.

“If you look at our best moves over the whole afternoon, they came from good passing moves. But we didn’t do it enough, to be honest, so that was what the team-talk was.

“Dartford’s front boys are very good at getting hold of the ball and I was just saying ‘You keep turning it over.’. If you’re going to keep turning it over, you’re giving them opportunities.

“I just felt, once we got on the ball and settled down a bit, we were better for it and we could cause them problems.”

Hutchinson, 23, could have equalised for Folkestone with a penalty after referee Simon Cutler ruled Dartford striker Dan Smith, who was at Cheriton Road last term, to have fouled defender Joel-Michael Odeniran.

Hutchinson was denied by Henly - albeit Pigott did level with his 17th goal of the campaign a matter of minutes later.

Saunders revealed: “Having managed Jonny before and knowing what Jonny is about, I probably should have told Hutch not to do what he did.

“But I’ll take the blame for that and I have no issue with that - and I said that to Hutch afterwards.”

It was a third successive game where Invicta had conceded first.

But Saunders again highlighted those out of his squad as he praised his table-topping team once more.

“If you look at actual chances, we would probably think we had some really good ones,” said Saunders, who will now have versatile defender Liam Smith back at his disposal after a two-match ban.

“Early on in the season, when we were creating chances early, we were taking them. We’re not doing that at the moment but what I would say is that we’re showing good character.

“We went behind, didn’t panic and got back in the game. In the end, we could have won it, I think Jonny has made a great save from Ryan Kingsford, and we had a few chances to maybe win it.

“We have been top of the table since November so I’ll give the boys nothing but praise. You have to remember, as well, the amount of players we have got out at the moment.

“When you look at the sideline, Liam Smith is out, Ade Yusuff is out, Dean Rance is out, Ike Orji is out and Ollie Black’s been out all season! But we have carried on and the boys have produced.

“For me, there’s always positives. I was disappointed with how we were defensively today.

“Again, I’ll give credit to their front boys but, if you look at the two goals we have conceded, from our point of view, they’re very poor.”

Folkestone, who can now finish no lower than fifth, visit third-placed Brentwood next Saturday after their 3-2 weekend win at struggling Hashtag United.