Folkestone Invicta's James Rogers on the side's FA Cup victory at Dulwich, running the London Marathon and enjoying his football after player-manager spell at Hythe Town

Few footballers will have clocked up anywhere near the miles Folkestone’s James Rogers did over the weekend.

Rogers put in a big shift on Saturday, dropping in at left-back for around an hour to help 10-man Invicta beat National League South Dulwich Hamlet 1-0 in the FA Cup.

But the 37-year-old wasn’t done there.

Having previously deferred a place he had got on a ballot to run the London Marathon, Sunday saw him finally take on the 26.2-mile course.

He said: “My wife put me in the ballot, thinking I had nothing to do. I deferred it for a few years because of Covid but it was finally time to step up to the plate.

“I enjoyed it. It was tough, physically and mentally, but it’s one of the most rewarding things I have done.

“Football is about a team but that was a little bit more personal. I’m definitely feeling the effects now, though!”

Rogers initially didn’t think he would want to do the London Marathon again but - just a day later - he had already changed his mind having finished in just under the four-hour target he had set himself.

“I was pleased at the end,” said Rogers, who timed 3hr59min14sec as he ran for Children with Cancer UK.

“I wanted to do it in under four hours and I just scraped it.

“I didn’t train, either. If I get in next year, I will definitely train properly for it.”

Folkestone, who lost 3-0 at Bishop’s Stortford on Tuesday in Isthmian Premier, with Rogers playing for more than an hour, have been drawn away to Southern Premier South Merthyr Town in the FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round on October 15. The match at Bishop's Stortford also saw Jake Dancer come on for his league debut.

Rogers said: “It’s definitely winnable as long as we turn up and do the right things on the day.

“I’m not sure what will happen