We bring the curtain down on the 2024/25 Isthmian Premier Division season at the Alcaline Stadium on Easter Monday as Invicta welcome Lewes.
Monday will be our final fixture on the grass pitch at Cheriton Road.
Family Entertainment
Aside from the entertainment on the pitch, we will have face painting, balloon making and a magician at the Alcaline Stadium for Monday’s match.
End of Season Awards
Following the match we will be holding our End of Season Awards Presentation in The Dugout Sports Bar. Awards will be presented to both out men’s and women’s 1st teams for the 2024/25 seasons. Our women’s team will also be presented with their SECWFL Kent Division 2 East trophy.
Supports can vote online for Supporters’ Player of the Season and the Invicta TV goal of the season.
Ups & Downs
With Bowers & Pitsea already relegated, the final 3 relegation spots at the bottom of the Isthmian Premier Division were settled on Saturday, as Bognor Regis Town, Hastings United & Hendon all failed to win while Dulwich Hamlet secured an injury time victory over Canvey Island.
At the top of the division, all 3 sides still chasing the title won on Friday, leaving them separated by 2 points with 2 games to go. Dartford continue to lead the way, with Billericay Town and Horsham hoping to pounce if they slip. Dartford will take on 2 sides in the top 10 with Cray Wanderers (a) and Carshalton Athletic (h), Billericay take on Canvey Island (a) and Cheshunt (h) who are both now safe from the drop while Horsham face relegated Bognor Regis (a) and 8th placed Hashtag United (h).
Cray Valley need just 2 more points to secure themselves an away playoff spot, while Dover and Chichester City battle to join them. Dover sit 2 points above Chichester heading into Easter Monday, with the 2 sides set to meet in Sussex on the final day of the season.
Ramsgate secured the Isthmian South East title on Friday with a 4-0 win at Hythe, confirming their promotion to the Premier Division. Barring miracles, the playoffs have already been set with Sittingbourne to host Merstham and Margate to travel to Burgess Hill Town on Tuesday 29th April before the final on Friday 2nd May.
Brentwood Town are just 2 points from securing the Isthmian North title and promotion to the Premier Division. Waltham Abbey have already secured a playoff place and Brightlingsea Regent need 2 more points to join them, Bury Town and Felixstowe & Walton United.
Welling United joined Aveley in being relegated from the National League South on Friday with defeat at home to Maidstone. St Albans City currently occupy the final relegation place in the National South, 3 points behind Salisbury. Enfield Town need just 1 more point to secure another season at step 2.
From The Manager
Jay Saunders spoke following our Good Friday defeat to Billericay: “I’ve just said to the boys, really important for me now that they do their recovery, look after themselves and we try and go out on a win in the last home game. Obviously it’s been a tough season and it’s not ended the way anyone wanted at the club. So we’ve sort of said to the boys, really important now we get a good attitude, we take the positives from today and try and take them into Lewes.
Lewes will be a good side, they try and play, obviously the pitch makes it difficult but we’ll look forward to it. We’ll try and go out with a win and obviously it’s the last home game on the grass at the ground, so it’s really important for me that we go out with a positive result.”
You can see the full interview with Jay here:
Team News
Invicta are likely to head into Easter Monday with a similar squad to that which travelled to Billericay on Good Friday, with no injuries or suspensions picked up. Manager Jay Saunders said defender Joel-Michael Odeniran has an “outside chance” having been on the bench but not featured at Billericay.
The Opposition
Lewes had a flying start to the season that saw them top of the Isthmian Premier Division in mi-October after 10 games, but a poor end to 2024 saw The Rooks drop into mid-table, currently sitting in 12th.
Last 6
15/03 – Canvey Island (H) – Lost 4-0
22/03 – Cray Valley PM (H) – Won 4-1
29/03 -Chichester City (A) – Lost 3-0
05/04 – Wingate & Finchley (H) – Drew 0-0
12/04 – Cheshunt (A) – Won 2-1
18/04 – Carshalton Athletic (H) – Lost 3-1
Recent Meetings
Invicta are 3 unbeaten against Lewes, with home and away 3-1 wins last season and a goalless draw on Boxing Day this season. Lewes made the trip to the Alcaline Stadium on Good Friday last season
Last 6
26/03/22 – Invicta 1-2 Lewes
08/11/22 – Lewes 3-2 Invicta
18/03/23 – Invicta 1-2 Lewes
09/09/23 – Lewes 1-3 Invicta
29/03/24 – Invicta 3-1 Lewes
26/12/24 – Lewes 0-0 Invicta
The Manager
Jay Saunders will be coming up against his successor as Tonbridge Angels manager on Monday, with Craig Nelson due to take over at Longmead Stadium at the end of the season. Nelson joined Lewes from SCEFL side Glebe last summer after leading them to the playoffs.
Key Man
Lewes top goalscorer Danny Bassett looks set to miss the match having received an 8-month ban from the FA, but Shae Hutchinson has stepped up to the mark in recent weeks and comes into the game having found the net in his last 2 appearances. The 24 year old is a product of the Norwich City academy and has previously featured for Braintree, Farnborough, Cheshunt and Potters Bar amongst others.
Admission
Supporters can pay on the gate for this fixture or purchase online in advance from our online ticket shop.
- Adults (18-59): £12
- Concession (60+, student, disabled, Blue Lights Card): £9
- Young Adult (13-17): £6
- Child (under 13): FREE
How To Follow
Charlie Prescott and Adrian Dawkes from Seasiders Radio will be there to bring you live radio commentary from the Alcaline Stadium.
You can also keep up to date with the action with updates from our X (formerly Twitter) account and live score updates are available on Football Webpages.
Food & Drink
The Dugout Sports Bar will be open from 11:30am, with the Dugout Kitchen open for food. The Dugout accepts both cash & card.
Food and refreshments will also be available from the food truck inside the stadium, located between The Dugout and the Folkestone Bowls Club building.
We have four fanzone bars around the ground serving draught beer, Guinness, water and soft drinks. 2 bars are adjacent to The Dugout, one beside the tea hut window and one beside the disability shelter. These bars are CARD ONLY.
The Dugout Sports Bar
The Dugout Sports Bar will be open from 11:30am showing all of the days live sport, including:
- 12:30pm – EFL Football
- 3pm – EFL Football
- 5:30pm – Burnley v Sheffield United
- 8pm – Spurs v Forest
