Folkestone Invicta manager Jay Saunders on selection call as team suffer 2-1 FA Trophy defeat to AFC Totton; Cheshunt and Wingate & Finchley next in league for Isthmian Premier leaders

Manager Jay Saunders stands by the decision to name a much-changed Folkestone side for their FA Trophy defeat on Saturday.

Invicta squandered a first-half lead as the second-round tie ended 2-1 to National League South high-fliers AFC Totton.

Saunders had rotated his pack in their wins against AFC Dunstable (3-1) and Burgess Hill (4-1) to reach this stage of the competition.

Doing so again against higher-division opponents was always going to be a risk, but the Folkestone boss was pleased with what he saw from the Isthmian Premier leaders’ squad players.

“We completely changed our midfield,” said Saunders. “It was important people like Jack Jebb and Ronnie Dolan, as well as Josh Strouts, got the minutes they needed.

“We have shown already this season we can compete in one-off games. Totton are a decent side and they’re having a good season, and their experience showed on Saturday.

“I walked in at half-time and had people like Ben Mason, Donell Thomas and Ike Orji not even changed by me. If you look at our bench, it was very young. If we had more experience on the bench, we might have got something out of the game.

“But we had to make those changes. We had to make sure everyone was right for the games we have got coming up.

“All in all, it was probably a fair result.”

Striker Jake Hutchinson’s 10th goal in 11 matches put Invicta into the lead on 29 minutes in front of a crowd of 1,053 at Cheriton Road, only for Jimmy Ball’s outfit to promptly equalise, before substitute Scott Rendell the game’s all-important third goal.

Hutchinson had struck in an opening-day 1-1 draw at Chichester but struggled to get going thereafter - but now seems to have done.

“His attitude has been first class,” said Saunders. “In pre-season, he was