Folkestone return to league action this weekend seeking a win joint-head coach Roland Edge hopes will ignite their campaign.

Invicta are at home to play-off chasing Horsham this Saturday in Isthmian Premier before they host strugglers Bowers & Pitsea next Wednesday.

They lost 1-0 at Margate on Tuesday in the Velocity Cup in a lively match which saw Folkestone's Robbie Dolan sent off alongside Margate midfielder Ade Cole.

It’s been a tough league season so far, too, but Folkestone progressed in the FA Trophy last Saturday in the Second Round at Beaconsfield Town, winning 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

Edge said: “It’s about getting a run of wins together. Our league is tight, to be honest.

"If you string three wins in a row together, you are in a good position.

“But it’s easier said than done. That’s what we are working towards.”

• Invicta defender makes team-of-the-week

The key attacking duo of striker Ade Yusuff and midfielder Scott Heard were among those missing through injury at Beaconsfield, while winger Kadell Daniel came off with a hamstring problem.

But fellow head coach Micheal Everitt is optimistic Yusuff and Heard will return on Saturday for the 17th-placed outfit.

“I think Ade will be fine for the weekend, Scott may be back as well,” he said.

“I would say about six are carrying problems at the moment. I would not use the word depleted lightly but Matt Newman has an ankle problem.

“Ian Draycott and Kadell Daniel have hamstring problems, and JV [Josh Vincent] is only just back so we have got a lot of injuries.”

Frontman Ira Jackson scored for Invicta - just his third goal of the season - before keeper Bailey Vose came up with the vital save in the shoot-out at Beaconsfield.

Everitt said: “He did really well. But the lads who took penalties were all clinical, well done to those boys as well.

“But Bailey’s save is, obviously, the most important in the context of the shoot-out. It was nice Ira got the goal as well.

“That was good for him and young Lenny [Atherton] came on as well as a substitute because we had a few late drop-outs.

"He just gets on with it. He’s a confident lad and did well.”

Edge didn’t rule out adding to Folkestone’s squad, having signed former Stoke and Republic of Ireland under-18 forward Shola Ayoola, who started in the Velocity Cup loss in midweek. However he admits they could also look to give young players first-team chances.

This week, under-18 players Brad Walledge, Jack Bone and Aiden Cassidy penned first-team forms. They were all on the bench at Margate while there was a first-team debut for Academy scholar Fin Dent.

He said: “We are always looking.

"But there’s no point just getting players in. The young lad, Lenny, did really well. Sometimes, you need to try something in your own camp.”

Their Trophy triumph came after a 5-2 Isthmian Premier home loss last Tuesday to Aveley, despite efforts by Nathan Green and Ian Draycott, with the defender also setting up Jackson’s goal at Beaconsfield.

“Greeny is a very good player,” Edge said.

“He is, not only a good player, but he has a great attitude. If you get more of them on your team than not, you end up winning a lot more than you lose!”

Folkestone have been drawn at home to Leiston in the Third Round of the FA Trophy on December 17.