Folkestone Invicta without Scott Heard at start of the season as midfielder’s hit with additional four-game suspension

An early-season blow has been handed to Folkestone.

Isthmian Premier Invicta began their season with an emphatic 4-0 victory at Wingate & Finchley last weekend - but they did so without Scott Heard.

The influential midfielder has been slapped with an additional four-game suspension by The FA for “abusive and/or insulting and/or improper” language he used after getting a second yellow card in March’s 2-1 home loss to Lewes.

Joint-boss Roland Edge confirmed: “Heardy has another four-game ban from last year.

“I understand The FA’s decision, I do get it, but it’s a real blow. I cannot remember how many times Heardy has been sent off in however many games he’s played.

“He’s not a bad lad but they’ve thrown the book at him.”

His absence wasn’t felt too sorely in north London, though, as frontman Ibrahim Olutade bagged a hat-trick and David Smith rounded off the win at Wingate with his first competitive goal since he rejoined in the summer.

Edge said: “You cannot ask for too much more, can you?

“Pre-season, going into the first game of the season, there’s always a divide in the pace and tempo of the game. I always believe that whoever gets to that tempo quicker can nick quite a few points early on in the season.

“We spoke to the lads about that before the game. I think that the lads bought into that approach and thoroughly deserved the result.

“You don’t win the league first game of the season, you don’t lose it, but it’s all about getting momentum as fast as you can.

“It’s now about kicking on from there.”

Adding to Invicta’s early issues in midfield, player-coach Andy Drury came off in the first 10 minutes.

He was replaced by Will Moses, the former versatile Dover defender one of several late summer recruits, which included