Folkestone Invicta’s boss Andy Drury keen to avenge 5-0 Isthmian Premier home defeat to Hastings United - one of lowest points of his career - on New Year’s Day

Manager Andy Drury is out to right the wrongs from one of the lowest points of his career when Folkestone face Hastings.

The teams will lock horns at Cheriton Road in Isthmian Premier on New Year’s Day (3pm).

They met at the same venue on Boxing Day 2023, the away side securing a convincing 5-0 victory.

Much has changed since, though, and play-off chasing Folkestone will start 2025 in mid-table while Hastings are third-bottom despite Saturday’s 1-0 victory at basement boys Bognor Regis.

“In this league, anyone can beat anyone on their day,” said former Luton and Ipswich midfielder Drury, whose troops visit another struggling side, Bowers & Pitsea, on Saturday (also 3pm).

“If you have an off-day and someone has a good day and they’re up for it, they’ll win. When Hastings beat us 5-0, that was probably the lowest point of my whole career in football.

“It’s time, in my opinion, to right a wrong for the club and the supporters.”

The game is expected to attract another healthy attendance after a 1,175-strong crowd saw Invicta win 3-2 at home against Wingate & Finchley last weekend. It was a result which moved them level on points with the north London club but with a league fixture in hand.

Drury said: “It was a good crowd, considering they wouldn’t have brought many at all. I think the crowds have been good this year.

“They can probably see we do play good football, we try to get on the front foot, and we have just been a bit ravaged this year - with suspensions in the early part of the season and then injuries in the past month or so - which we’re just kind of getting to the back-end of now.”

Goals from skipper Ian Gayle and substitute Tom Derry added to experienced Evans Kouassi’s first-minute goal against Wingate after a