Gills defender Bryant ends Invicta loan spell

TEENAGE DEFENDER Tom Bryant returns to League One side Gillingham this week having played his last match for Folkestone Invicta - against Boreham Wood at the weekend, writes Andy Bown and Tom Marchant.

The Seasiders could justifiably consider themselves unlucky not to return without a point after a dominating second half performance in Hertfordshire.

Bryant came into the side back in mid November, starting away at Maidstone United. The defender was brought in at a time where consistent defender Samuel Kola Okikiolu was suffering with a troublesome calf injury and the Gillingham player jumped at the chance to play competitive matches for Folkestone after featuring sparingly for the League One side since signing professional terms back in May last year.

The left sided centre back came down to the Buzzlines Stadium on the recommendation of player-coach and Gillingham legend Mark Saunders.

Bryant also knew fellow youngsters Frankie Chappell and Charlie Glyde who were reluctantly released by the League One side at the end of last season but were snapped up by Folkestone.

Manager Neil Cugley told www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk:  “Saturday was his last match for us and it’s time for him to return to the Gills after his three months with us.

“He has got his faults but again he’s only a young man and he and Chaps have done ever so well with Kola’s experience beside them and then you’ve got young Liam at left back and all of their performances have been very pleasing to see.

“Tom has done really well overall and he probably didn’t have the best of debuts against Maidstone but since then every game he has got better and better and we wish him all the very best in his football career.

“Ideally Roland Edge will come in now on Saturday and that’ll mean we won’t have to change things very much at the back”.

On the subject of loans, local attacking midfielder Ben Sly looks set to continue to play for Kent League Premier side Hythe Town for a further month.

Sly struck a hat trick for Hythe when they demolished Thamesmead Town 5-0 at Reachfields in the Kent League Cup at the end of January, a match watched by Cugley and chairman Gordon Wallis.

And Cugley said: “Well the loan ran out last week and we’re happy for him to continue down at Hythe because once it goes into the second month we can call him back at anytime we like.

“We don’t want to call him back straight away only for him to sit on the bench and not get involved which doesn’t suit anybody.

“I’ve watched him recently and I’ll be watching him again tonight against Deal and he’s progressing well which is good to see.”

Damian Abel’s one month loan spell at Ramsgate has still got a few matches to run and the Folkestone boss said, “That actually runs out a week on Saturday and we’ll see how that progresses. He has been playing for Ramsgate and although he hasn’t scored yet reports back to me have been good and again it’s because he has been playing and players like Damo and Ben need to be playing games”.

Article courtesy of www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk