Folkestone Invicta boss Jay Saunders on summer phone call with young defender Joel Odeniran, back-to-back clean sheets for goalkeeper Ted Collins, a 3-0 weekend win and a top-of-the-table match against Brentwood Town

Defender Joel Odeniran has shone for Folkestone this season - after a summer phone call with manager Jay Saunders.

Odeniran got the game’s only goal late on as Invicta edged past fellow in-form outfit Wingate & Finchley 1-0 last midweek before a 3-0 home win over Chichester on Saturday.

That took Saunders’ side six points clear at the Isthmian Premier summit as forwards Jake Hutchinson and Joe Pigott, alongside substitute Ronnie Dolan, netted, and Odeniran helped Folkestone to another shut-out.

Saunders has revealed the 20-year-old contacted him for assurances regarding how much first-team football he would play this campaign after captain Kevin Lokko was signed in the close season.

But Odeniran was always part of his plans and has shown exactly why in recent matches.

“We had a good chat,” Saunders said. “When I signed Kevin Lokko, Joel rang me.

“He said ‘He’s a left-footed centre-back so what does that mean for me?’. I said ‘Just to make you aware, I’m going to be signing another one in Ollie Black!’.

“But I said all along that we would need four centre-backs and, if he played well, he would keep his shirt.

"I’m really pleased for him. He’s only young and he’s still learning.

“We have had Liam Smith out, which is a real miss, but Ben Mason has gone in and done well. It’s an area we need to strengthen in, with Ollie Black still out.

“But we’ll only do that if the right player is available.”

Odeniran made his Invicta debut in October 2024, having enjoyed a strong start to last season while out on dual registration at Isthmian South East Herne Bay under then-manager Steve Lovell.

Saunders admitted: “Some of the younger lads, they didn’t always get the minutes they wanted last year. They were worried it would be a similar