Folkestone Invicta boss Jay Saunders won’t rush to bring new players in despite the Isthmian Premier table-topping’s squad being stretched

Manager Jay Saunders will not rush to strengthen Folkestone’s stretched squad.

The Isthmian Premier leaders find themselves in pole position for the title despite last weekend’s 2-1 home derby defeat against Chatham ending a 12-game winning league run.

Saunders does, suddenly, have limited options at his disposal.

Striker Ade Yusuff faces a spell on the sidelines after he sustained a facial injury in an aerial collision during the first half against Chatham while fellow forwards Joe Pigott and Donell Thomas (ankle), as well as midfielder Adam Lovatt, were also unavailable for Invicta’s first game in 2026.

But on the prospect of bringing new faces to Cheriton Road, Saunders said: “We would only do it for the right reasons.

“I think we may have lost Ronnie (Dolan) now to a hamstring injury so the squad, suddenly, is thin. We need to look at what we do.

“I’ll speak to the physio (Paul Smith), speak to the chairman (Josh Healey) and see where we go. If there is the right player available who can make a difference - and if we can do it - then we will.

“But everyone has budgets to work to and we need to make sure that it works for us.”

Yusuff is now facing a second lengthy spell out this season. The 31-year-old also missed nearly two months between mid-September and early November.

But Saunders said: “He’s still chipped in with 10 goals and he’s a handful.

“Going off Saturday, he’s a big loss because I feel he would have played a big part. We lose him for a minimum of three weeks now so that’s something we have got to look at.

“I can’t see Pigs being back anytime soon, either, so it’s something we have got to look at. But that’s football.

“Two weeks ago, we were leaving people out of the squad and, now, we’re struggling to