Folkestone manager Jay Saunders has revealed he gave a glowing reference about Tonbridge boss Alan Dunne to chair Sophie Purves as he prepares to face his former club.

Saunders and joint-assistant managers Lloyd Blackman and Tom Parkinson will make their first Longmead returns since they left Angels for Cheriton Road in March 2025 tonight.

While it was Craig Nelson that replaced Saunders at Tonbridge, former Bromley No.2 and Millwall captain Dunne is now at the helm.

His team have made a superb start to the season and sit seventh. But they are just two points ahead of 10th-placed Invicta in their inaugural campaign at the level.

“I don’t know what reception I’ll get,” said Saunders.

“To be fair, I wasn’t there long enough, I’d like to think, to be hated or loved! I’m quite used to it and it is what it is.

“At the time, I felt it was the right decision for both parties and I’m really pleased with the way they have gone. They’ve gone to the day-time model and Dunney is someone I get on really well with.

“I remember, when Sophie was looking, she asked me about Dunney - and I gave him a glowing reference. I’m really pleased for him.

“They’re a good club with good people so I’m looking forward to seeing everyone. We know it will be a really tough game. This is a really tough league.

“If you look at it, you say that we had a little dodgy spell but, all of a sudden, we’re in and around it. Teams seem to have runs in it and I’d say the consistent ones are normally the ones near the top.

“They’re a good side, they have some good, experienced players, and I’m looking forward to going back there.”

Folkestone head into the derby on the back of a 2-0 success against out-of-form Farnborough at a rain-soaked Cheriton Road last weekend.

They had been on a seven-match winless run but responded with three home wins in a week in all competitions, with victory over Spencer Day’s Farnborough side seeing No.1 Ted Collins keep a first clean sheet since August.

Saunders, without captain Kevin Lokko and fellow defender Dan Quick, said: “It’s big because we didn’t have Lokko, playing.

“It’s easy for people to say ‘Oh well, it’s since Lokko got injured [that Folkestone haven’t kept a clean sheet].’ I thought the back three - Liam (Smith, stand-in skipper), Ben (Mason) and Jamie (Fielding) - did really well.

“It does their confidence the world of good and we have been unlucky. When they hit the post, I know Spencer was saying ‘How did we miss that?’.

“But we’ve been having deflections fly in so, sometimes, that’s the little bit of luck you need. We said at half-time ‘Come on, we need a clean sheet.’.

“I’m pleased we got that.”

Folkestone have been handed an FA Trophy second-round home draw against Isthmian Premier Cray Wanderers, a game which will see forward Ade Yusuff make a Cheriton Road comeback.

Teenage Invicta forward Freddie Francis has joined Ashford on loan and came off the substitutes’ bench in a 2-0 weekend win.

Spanish midfielder Alejandro Machado has departed Folkestone.