By Alex Hoad

Folkestone Invicta hope to return to action for the first time in three weeks with a trip to Tonbridge Angels on Bank Holiday Monday.

Last Monday’s Ryman League, Premier Division derby with Maidstone at the Buzzlines Stadium was called off when an inspection found the pitch had not fully thawed, meaning Invicta’s two-week wait for a game extended to three.

Manager Neil Cugley, pictured, said: "I thought for a couple of days before that it was going to be difficult. The goalmouths were not the only problem, the area in front of the main stand was just as bad."

Invicta were able to train on Monday for the first time in more than a week and Cugley was hopeful of at least one more session before the trip to Longmead.

The Invicta boss also revealed he had moved to sign former Maidstone and Margate man Nick Barnes to help his side out during the festive period.

Cugley said: "He was someone we were looking at and I spoke to him about it but it wasn’t something we were able to do from a financial point of view."

The lay-off has given injured skipper Micheal Everitt another week to recover from a knee injury, but Folkestone will be without Josh Vincent and Darren Smith, who both face three games out through suspension. Robbie Kember is also banned, for one match.