Title-winning Folkestone Invicta boss Jay Saunders delivers on promise to captain Kevin Lokko as club bask in Isthmian Premier glory

Title-winning Folkestone manager Jay Saunders delivered on his promise to skipper Kevin Lokko.

Former Football League defender Lokko was among a host of Invicta players to have never tasted promotion - something he immediately set about changing as he signed for the club last summer - before this campaign.

It was perhaps apt, then, for the 30-year-old to get the winner for Saunders’ side in their 2-1 comeback victory at St Albans that clinched the Isthmian Premier title after top scorer Jake Hutchinson had equalised on Saturday.

Two days later in front of a bumper crowd of 2,592 at Cheriton Road, Lokko lifted the trophy alongside injured vice-captain Dean Rance after their 3-2 derby win over Ramsgate, with two-goal Hutchinson and Nathan Paul-Lavaly on target, as the promotion party well and truly started.

Saunders reflected: “I remember Lokko’s goal going in and it was almost like relief.

“You know you’re going to get across the line and you know you’re almost there but, when that went in, (we could relax). It was a weird one on Saturday.

“Although we were 1-0 down, I never felt like we were going to lose the game. I’ve got a good record there and just know this group of players.

“Even on Monday, we weren’t at our best, we made a lot (five) of changes, but we never know when we’re beaten. It was an unbelievable feeling.

“For me, I’ve been fortunate enough to win stuff as a player and as a manager but, when you step back and watch the players celebrating, there’s someone like Kevin Lokko, who got the winner on Saturday.

“He’d never had a promotion before! At the start of the season when I met him, I said ‘We’re going to get promoted. We’re going to win the league and I really do believe that.’.

“For us to do and for him