Folkestone Invicta manager Jay Saunders highlights importance of maintaining strong relationships with lower-league clubs ahead of friendly against Dartford this weekend and trip to Cray Wanderers

Folkestone boss Jay Saunders has highlighted the significance of maintaining strong relationships with lower-division clubs.

Invicta were 5-2 weekend winners against last term’s Isthmian South East play-off finalists AFC Croydon Athletic after a young team drew 3-3 at Combined Counties Premier Division South Sutton Common Rovers last Wednesday.

While Saunders’ side ended up 12 points clear in Isthmian Premier last season, they have remained in touch with many clubs still in the division.

Invicta will host Dartford on Saturday before a journey to another Isthmian Premier club, Cray Wanderers, on Tuesday.

“If you look at the games we have got, every game is really tough,” said Saunders, whose men were defeated 3-2 at Aveley despite goals from striker Joe Pigott and new midfielder Alejandro Machado in midweek.

“When you go up a league, you want to play tough games in pre-season and have good tests.

“Over the next couple of games, we will look to give more players 60 minutes rather than 45. We have a lot of games coming up but, for us, it’s just about getting them through without picking up any injuries.

“Aveley finished second last year and pushed us all the way. Brett [Munyard, manager], I didn’t know him before - but I have got to know him quite well last year.

“Ben [Greenhalgh, player-boss] at Dartford played under me and we have some really good relationships at Cray. You want to build those good relationships.

“Now we have gone up, it’s especially important to have that.”

Folkestone hit the ground running against AFC Croydon Athletic, led by Danny Kedwell - who came up against son Harvey - at Cheriton Road.

Two-goal Machado and Adam Lovatt, alongside a pair of trialists, did the damage, albeit the visitors did finish the match with an outfield player in goal after their keeper collided with a Folkestone trialist.

Saunders, who involved defender Ollie Black for a first appearance since he suffered an ACL injury on the eve of the last campaign, reflected: “It was a decent game.

“For Croydon - and for us - the main thing was to try and not pick up any injuries.

“Unfortunately, their keeper got an injury but we didn’t pick up any new injuries and got minutes into the players that needed them.

"We had some trialists and academy boys involved so it sort of served its purpose.

“Alejandro scored a couple of great goals and it’s nice to see things like that.

"It’s only a friendly but it’s nice for him to get off the mark and give supporters an idea of what he’ll be about. Once their keeper comes off, the game became farcical to a degree.

"But it was a good game until that point.”

After a side of academy players and trialists had featured in the stalemate at Sutton, teenagers Harry Uttley and Dillon Simmons started against the Ravens.

“We want to mix them in,” Saunders explained. “A couple of trialists did well - some struggled - but they did well on Wednesday.

“Harry Uttley, who has been in the academy the last couple of years, did well.

“Kevin Lokko, his missus had their baby on Saturday.

"Ben Mason has a slight knock we don’t want to risk at this stage - similar with John Akinde and Ike Orji - but with some of those players out, some of the younger ones stood out. We’re still looking to add one or two to our squad.

"There’s a few positions we want to add an extra body in.”

Former Folkestone forward Jake Hutchinson has signed for National League Tamworth after his 24-goal haul proved vital in last term’s title-winning campaign.