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Folkestone Invicta (1) 3 Ashford (0) 1
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RM Dec 26, 2003 Attendance 825.
Folkestone Invicta took the honours in Boxing Day morning's East
Kent derby at home to Ashford Town as Neil Cugley's side avenged
their defeat against the manager's former club back on the August
Bank Holiday Monday.
Adam Flanagan, Martin Chandler and James Dryden scored the Invicta
goals in front of an 825 crowd in a match played amidst blustery
conditions on a heavy pitch.
Invicta welcomed top goalscorer Allan Tait back into their starting line
up after his recent hamstring injury and gave a debut to loan signing
Tim Hambley from Welling United in midfield.
The home side had an early chance when Anthony Hogg's shot from
the edge of the penalty area was turned round the post by goalkeeper
John Whitehouse after Paul Lamb had sent the game's first corner over
from the right hand side.
And it was from another Lamb corner from the right that Invicta were to
open the scoring after 13 minutes. Ashford goalkeeper Whitehouse
found himself under pressure from the incoming Invicta attack and
FLANAGAN got the vital touch to force the ball over the line.
Referee Barry Gee saw nothing untoward and gave the goal, while
Whitehouse was booked for his protests and Ashford captain Joe
Wade continued the discussion with the officials as the players left the
field for half time.
The corner had been forced by Tait down the right after a great ball
from debutant Hambley.
Ashford then got back into the game as they created the better of the
remaining first half chances.
A Paul Jones shot from the edge of the area was touched over by
goalkeeper Tony Kessell as Ashford forced their first corner of the
game after 20 minutes and Adrian Stone cut in from the left and hit a
sweet strike just over the crossbar after 25 minutes.
Kessell then produced a brilliant save after 31 minutes to deny Mike
Azzoapardi when the one-time Invicta player seemed set to equalise
following a well-worked move.
Ashford made a double substitution at half time as Joby Thorogood
and Tommy Adlingotn replaced Jones and Azzopardi.
But Invicta were 2-0 up after 47 minutes thanks to a special strike from
CHANDLER. The 20-year-old midfielder took a ball from Mark
Munday first time from outside the penalty area and had an element of
fortune as his dipping shot struck the post but went in off the
unfortunate Whitehouse.
Invicta were now in the ascendancy and John Guest had a shot
deflected just wide of the post after 50 minutes.
But Ashford were thrown a lifeline when substitute
THOROGOOD pulled a goal back from the penalty spot after
himself being fouled by Lindsey in the 54th minute.
DRYDEN, though, restored Inivcta two-goal advantage after 61
minutes with a great header from Chandler's accurate right wing cross
after Tait had spread the ball out wide.
Chandler had scored one and set one up during the second half, but
the assist was to be his final act as he limped off immediately after the
third goal and misses Invicta's next two matches through suspension.
Ashford goalscorer Thorogood didn't make the most of his chance to
pull another goal back when striking partner Stone pulled the ball back
to him after 75 minutes.
As well as Whitehouse, there were bookings for Invicta's Tait (foul on
Wade after 60 minutes) and for Ashford's Dean Hill (tackle from behind
on Flanagan after 33 minutes) and Sammy Saunders (foul on Dryden
after 67 minutes).
FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Lindsey, Lamb, Flanagan,
Guest, Hogg (Millar 82 mins), Chandler (Everitt 62 mins), Munday,
Dryden, Tait (Ayling 81 mins), Hambley. Unused subs: Blackman,
Egan.
ASHFORD TOWN: Whitehouse, Anderson, Hill, O'Leary, Gillman,
Wade, Azzopardi (Adlington 45 mins), Saunders, Jones (Thorogood 45
mins), Stone, Elliott (Skinner 72 mins). Unused sub: Gardner.
Fisher (1) 1 Folkestone Invicta (1) 1
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RM Dec 20, 2003 Attendance 95.
Folkestone Invicta had to settle for a point at Fisher on Saturday as
player-manager Gary Abbott equalised for the home side in the 38th
minute after Martin Chandler had opened the scoring for Invicta on the
quarter of an hour mark.
The blustery weather made conditions difficult at the Surrey Docks
Stadium, particularly during the first half although the wind had died
down after the interval when it would have been in the visitors' favour.
The draw stretches Invicta's unbeaten run to 11 matches in all
competitions, although they didn't do enough to win the game on this
occasion.
Invicta had an early chance when striker James Dryden shot at
goalkeeper Robert O'Hara after latching onto a poor back pass in the
sixth minute.
At the other end, Fisher captain Steve Aris headed over when the
home side won the game's first corner of the game after ten minutes.
CHANDLER put Invicta ahead when he rifled in a low shot
from the right hand side of the box when Anthony Hogg broke down
the left and played the ball across to the far post.
Mark Munday had a half chance to increase the lead from close range
just two minutes later when James Millar's shot was charged down.
It was looking good for Invicta as Dryden shot across goal when he got
in behind a defender down the left after 22 minutes.
Millar then shot at goalkeeper O'Hara after 32 minutes when Dryden's
cross fell to him.
For Fisher, Taf Islam sent a dangerous ball across from the right after
beating Scott Lindsey in the 36th minute.
And the prolific ABBOTT made it 1-1 after 38 minutes when
he headed Steve Taylor's cross into the left hand corner of the net to
bring Fisher back into the game.
The home side were to have the better of the second half and
threatened after 49 minutes when Islam created problems down the
right again.
Chandler had a chance to score again after 51 minutes when he hit a
low shot wide of the spot from the edge of the penalty area when
Munday sent Dryden away down the left hand side.
Islam got in behind the Invicta defence but shot wide across goal after
59 minutes.
Invicta had lost Drew Watkins to an eye injury after 56 minutes and
then turned to striker John Ayling to conjure up a winner when he
replaced Paul Lamb after 78 minutes. Lamb had been kept on his toes
by the trickery of Goma Lambu on the Fisher flank.
An Ayling header was saved by goalkeeper O'Hara following a cross
from the left after 83 minutes and a 25-yard Chandler shot was
touched over for a corner by O'Hara a minute later.
But Fisher looked the more likely winners in the latter stages as Adam
Young shot at Kessell following a ball from Marlon Patterson after 87
minutes.
The home side also had a couple of chances during injury time as
Patterson shot wide from the edge of the box after shrugging off
Micheal Everitt and Abbott shot at Kessell with virtually the last kick of
the game when Patterson played the ball across.
In what had could have been a shoot out between three of the Eastern
Division's leading goalscorers, Fisher's Richard Brady was reduced to
a bit part substitute appearance, Dryden worked hard in a lone-striker
role for Invicta and Allan Tait took on the role of an unused substitute
as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury.
There were bookings for Fisher captain Aris (foul on Chandler after 45
minutes) and Invicta's Watkins (kicking the ball away after conceding a
free kick after 42 minutes).
FISHER ATHLETIC (London): O'Hara, Taylor, Rouse, Aris,
Hannigar, Khan, Lambu, Young, Abbott, Islam (Brady 82 mins),
Patterson. Unused subs: Fletcher, Scowen, Ponsford.
FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Watkins (Everitt 56 mins), Lamb
(Ayling 78 mins), Flanagan, Guest, Hogg, Chandler, Munday, Dryden,
Lindsey, Millar. Unused subs: Winfield, Tait, Holdway.
Maidstone Utd (0) 0 Folkestone Invicta (2) 3
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RM Dec 17, 2003 Attendance 150.
Folkestone Invicta moved comfortably into the quarter finals of the John
Ullman Kent Senior Cup as goals from Drew Watkins, Anthony Hogg
and John Ayling gave Neil Cugley's side a 3-0 victory away to
Maidstone United at Sittingbourne on a bitterly cold Wednesday night.
This was Invicta's third consecutive midweek win in three different cup
competitions and they now go into the New Year with just a penalty
shoot out F. A. Cup exit at Welling United blotting their cup copybook
so far this season.
The visitors were given a perfect start when WATKINS, a
recent transfer target for Maidstone, hit a 25-yard free kick into the left
hand corner of goalkeeper Kevin Hudson's net.
This was Maidstone's first game since dismissing with manager Jim
Ward after Saturday's F. A. Vase exit at home to Bitton AFC.
Caretaker manager Mal Watkins is a one-time Folkestone player and
he gave a debut to Michael Yianni, who joined the Stones from Hythe
Town on Saturday.
The ambitious Kent League club gave as good as they got during the
first half, but did not take their chances and the game was put firmly in
Invicta's favour when HOGG curled the ball in from the edge of
the area to make it 2-0 after 41 minutes.
Invicta had the first chance of the game when a John Guest shot was
blocked in the second minute after a touch from James Dryden.
But Maidstone had some good chances between the opening two
Invicta goals and Elliott Bradbrook missed a good opportunity after four
minutes when Richard Sinden did well to win the ball in the box and
played a dangerous low ball across the Invicta box.
At the other end, James Millar cut in and shot at former Invicta
goalkeeper Hudson after 12 minutes when the midfielder collected the
ball from Dryden.
Defender Ross Edwards did not make the most of his chance when a
corner from the left fell to him after 21 minutes and Bradbrook hit a
dangerous low shot across the goal when he broke down the left hand
side two minutes later.
Maidstone's best chance came after 25 minutes when Sinden shot
agonisingly wide of the post with the goal gaping when Invicta
goalkepeer Tony Kessell raced out but did not clear after the home
striker was put through.
Sinden then shot wide after 27 minutes when Neil Davey got the ball in
from the right after Aaron Lacy had found him unmarked on the flank.
The home side had penalty appeals turned down when Bradbrook went
down on the left hand side of the box after 28 minutes.
Invicta then began to create some more chances of their own as
Ayling shot wide from the right hand edge of the box in the 36th minute
after a move involving Paul Lamb, Dryden and Millar.
Martin Chandler shot over when the ball fell to him on the edge of the
penalty area after 37 minutes and Hogg's goal gave the visitors
breathing space.
Hogg shot over when Dryden fed him from the right after 58 minutes.
And AYLING made it 3-0 when he ran down the right hand
side after receiving the ball from Hogg and squeezed the ball past
Hudson.
Maidstone had another chance themselves when a ball out of the
defence from right to left sent Danny Kedwell away, but the opportunity
went begging as he unselfishly chose to square the ball across to
Sinden, only for the pass to go beyond his striking partner.
Sinden then shot at Kessell when the ball was played to him on the
right hand side after 72 minutes.
Millar shot just over with a great strike for Invicta after 82 minutes
following a Chandler pass, while Maidstone were denied a consolation
goal when Kedwell lobbed just wide of the post in the 90th minute
following a great ball from Steve Hogg, brother of Invicta's Anthony and
himself a former Invicta player.
The visitors used the final 20 minutes to give a run out to all three
substitutes, left back Darren Winfield, striker Lee Blackman and even
goalkeeper Paul Egan.
MAIDSTONE UNITED: Hudson, Yianni (McCabe 74 mins), Barton,
Edwards, Davis, Hogg, Lacy, Kedwell, Sinden (Appleton 78 mins),
Davey (Griffin 61 mins), Bradbrook. Unused subs: Austin, Cordice.
FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell (Egan 76 mins), Watkins, Lamb
(Winfield 69 mins), Lindsey, Guest, Hogg, Chandler, Everitt, Dryden,
Ayling (Blackman 69 mins), Millar.
Tonbridge Angels (0) 1 Folkestone Invicta (0) 2
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RM Dec 13, 2003 Attendance 501.
Folkestone Invicta enjoyed a memorable win away to runaway league
leaders Tonbridge Angels on Saturday afternoon as they came back
from being a goal down to take all three points thanks to second half
goals from Anthony Hogg and Mark Munday.
It was Tonbridge's first home defeat in the Dr Martens League Eastern
Division this season and their second successive loss after they had
begun the season with a 17-match unbeaten run.
A hamstring injury to top goalscorer Allan Tait was a potentially
massive blow to the Folkestone side, but there were heroes all over
the pitch for Neil Cugley's side as their travelling supporters enjoyed a
party atmosphere in a 501 crowd at the Longmead Stadium.
The Invicta manager got his tactics spot on as James Dryden worked
tirelessly as a lone striker, with Hogg in an advanced role as the main
support to Dryden.
Hogg was himself a big doubt for the game after sustaining a knee
injury in midweek, but turned in a man of the match performance which
was rewarded with Invicta's equalising goal.
At the back, captain Scott Lindsey and John Guest in particular grew
in stature as the game went on as Invicta were the better side after the
interval.
That was after Tonbridge had got off to a perfect start to the second
half as Nick BARNES put them ahead within 35 seconds of
the re-start when he played a one-two with substitute Lyndon Rowland
and hit a well-struck lob over goalkeeper Tony Kessell and into the net
from the right hand side of the box.
But Invicta were level after 65 minutes when Paul Lamb's corner from
the right was only partially cleared by Tony Dolby and planted back
into the net by HOGG, again from the left hand side of the
penalty area.
The winner came after 78 minutes when a free kick from the right was
headed out but came back in to MUNDAY who volleyed
home.
This had the feel of a big game from the start and Tonbridge had an
early chance when Ray Powell shot into the side netting when put
through as early as the second minute.
Invicta goalkeeper Kessell recovered to save with his feet from Hamid
Barr in the fifth minute after clearing the ball straight to the Tonbridge
man after coming out to thwart Powell when a good ball from Barnes
put the striker through again.
It was a lively start to the encounter as Tonbridge defender Ryan
Royston went unpunished despite bringing down Dryden when Hogg
put him through after eight minutes and Drew Watkins hit the
subsequent free kick just wide.
Kessell had to get down to save after ten minutes when Barr found
Steve Searl down the right hand side and his cross deflected off Invicta
defender Adam Flanagan.
Hogg didn't get enough power on his shot after breaking into the box in
the 18th minute and Tonbridge goalkeeper Jamie Turner did well to
touch Dryden's shot away after 32 minutes when the striker cut in from
the left after a Hogg ball and Watkins blasted the rebound over.
At the other end, Craig Roser's left wing cross deflected dangerously
out for a corner following a Peter Overton ball after 36 minutes.
Barnes' goal right at the start of the second half put Tonbridge in the
driving seat.
Invicta responded as Martin Chandler shot low at goalkeeper Turner
from outside the penalty area when the visitors won their first corner of
the game after 51 minutes.
Royston's header was cleared from close to the Invicta line when Barr
whipped in a free kick from the left after 53 minutes and Powell tested
Kessell from the edge of the penalty area a minute later.
Tonbridge goalkeeper Turner saved with his feet from Dryden when
Hogg's ball came across goal from left to right to the striker at the far
post after 56 minutes.
Dryden then headed wide when Lamb sent the ball over from the right
a minute later.
Hogg's equaliser led to a good spell for Invicta as they began to look
increasingly dangerous going forward.
Turner saved well from Chandler when the midfielder cut in from the left
and let fly following a great ball from James Millar after 69 minutes and
Hogg couldn't quite convert Dryden's right wing cross at the far post
after 72 minutes following a mistake by Royston from a Kessell
clearance.
Invicta dug in for victory after Munday put them ahead. There were a
couple of scares along the way as the ball looped up off an Invicta
defender and over the crossbar after 86 minutes and former Invicta
defender Andy Larkin shot over when Overton's ball fell to him on the
right hand side of the penalty area in the 88th minute.
There were bookings for Tonbridge's Barnes, Powell, Royston and
Rowland and for Invicta's Flanagan, Chandler and Hogg.
TONBRIDGE ANGELS: Turner, Barnes (Beales 66 mins), Roser,
Dolby, Larkin, Royston (Cass 77 mins), Searl, Overton, Powell, Barr,
Piscina (Rowland 45 mins). Unused subs: Hume, Hodge.
FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Watkins, Lamb, Flanagan, Guest,
Hogg, Chandler (Everitt 76 mins), Munday, Dryden, Lindsey, Millar.
Unused subs: Blackman, Winfield, Knott, Holdway.
Folkestone Invicta (1) 4 Chelmsford City (1) 3
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RM Dec 9, 2003 Attendance 195.
Folkestone Invicta progressed to the last 16 of the Dr Martens
(Southern League) Cup as they overcame Premier Division side
Chelmsford City in a seven-goal thriller at the Westbourne Stadium on
Tuesday night.
This was the type of end-to-end game which is much more to manager
Neil Cugley's liking after the drab 0-0 draw at home to Rothwell Town
on Saturday as Allan Tait (2), Mark Munday and James Dryden got
their names onto the scoresheet.
Tait was in electric form as he struck twice within a three minute spell
during the opening ten minutes of the second half to give Invicta a 3-1
lead.
For Chelmsford, there were two goals for Lloyd Blackman, a striker on
loan with the Essex club from Brentford, but who hails from the
Shepway area and is the cousin of Invicta's Lee.
There was goalmouth action within the opening 20 seconds on
Tuesday night as Chelmsford goalkeeper Darren Smith's attempted
clearance rebounded back off Tait and flew just over the crossbar.
At the other end, there was a chance for the visitors after five minutes
when big striker Gary McGee's shot bounced over the Invicta crossbar.
Smith touched a Dryden header round the post after eight minutes
following a deep left wing cross from Paul Lamb and the home side
were to take the lead from the subsequent corner a minute later.
Drew Watkins' set-piece was met superbly by James Millar and the
midfielder's well-struck shot was deflected into the goal by
MUNDAY.
Invicta were playing well and Dryden flicked the ball just over the
crossbar following a great through ball from Martin Chandler after 12
minutes.
Home captain Scott Lindsey missed all that as he was off the field
with a head injury, but returned to the fray sporting a bandage around
his head after 19 minutes.
But Chelmsford levelled after 25 minutes thanks to a diving header
from BLACKMAN following Wes Faulkner's right wing cross.
Smith a great tip over to keep out Anthony Hogg's 25-yard strike after
32 minutes.
But Chelmsford were now enjoying a good spell and McGee shot over
after 37 minutes when Steve Norman's left wing cross was headed
back into the striker's path by an Invicta defender.
Invicta's Chandler became the game's first booking for comments
made to a linesman after 40 minutes.
Home goalkeeper Tony Kessell got down to keep out a Matt Jones
header after 45 minutes from a Jamie Stokeld cross following a saving
tackle by Lamb when McGee burst through the middle.
The home side brought on Micheal Everitt for the injured Hogg at half
time and enjoyed a [positive start to the second half as both Watkins
and Dryden shot at the Chelmsford goal.
TAIT made it 2-1 after 52 minutes with a great run and finish
down the middle.
And TAIT struck again after 54 minutes as he was put through
again and rifled another low shot past Smith. But there was an
element of controversy as a linesman had flagged for offside against
Dryden as he ran back and Invicta had to wait anxiously before referee
Faulkner from Brighton gave the goal after consulting his assistant.
Chelmsford defender Ian Wiles was booked for his comments.
But Invicta's two-goal lead was not to last for long as
STOKELD fired home for Chelmsford after 58 minutes.
Invicta striker Dryden and big Chelmsford centre half Russ Edwards
were both booked following an altercation on the right hand side after
72 minutes.
And Invicta lost leading goalscorer Tait with a hamstring injury after 74
minutes which allowed Invicta's own Blackman to join the action.
The Folkestone side made the game safer after 82 minutes courtesy of
a superb finish across goal from DRYDEN from the right hand
side of the box.
Chelmsford's BLACKMAN was to have an eventful finale to the
game as first he was booked for dissent in the 90th minute and he
then completed the scoring from the penalty spot three minutes into
stoppage time after himself being fouled by defender John Guest.
FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Watkins, Lamb, Lindsey, Guest,
Hogg (Everitt 45 mins), Chandler, Munday, Dryden, Tait (Blackman 74
mins), Millar. Unused subs: Dyson, Winfield, Holdway.
CHELMSFORD CITY: Smith, Faulkner, Norman, Stokeld (Street 79
mins), Edwards (Gough 86 mins), Wiles, Cross, Jones, McGee,
Blackman, Traynor (Butterworth 79 mins). Unused subs: Hopkins,
Nicholls.
Folkestone Invicta (0) 0 Rothwell Town (0) 0
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RM Dec 6, 2003 Attendance 340.
Folkestone Invicta fired a blank at home for the first time this season
as they stuttered to a 0-0 draw against lowly Rothwell Town in front of
a 340 crowd at the Westbourne Stadium on a cold Saturday afternoon.
It was the first goalless draw at Cheriton Road since the visit of
Welling United on Easter Monday 2002.
Having cruised to a 4-1 win at Rothwell on the opening day of the
season, Invicta would have expected to take all three points from this
game.
But though they have only scored seven league goals all season,
Rothwell have tightened up defensively since a recent change of
manager and worked hard for their point on Saturday.
The drama of Invicta's hard-fought extra time midweek F. A. Trophy
replay win over Havant & Waterlooville may also have taken something
out of an Invicta side which is renowned for its attacking prowess.
Strikers Allan Tait and James Dryden are both near the top of the
Eastern Division goalscoring charts, but chances were few and far
between for the pair on this occasion.
When Mark Munday headed at goalkeeper John Hughes from Paul
Lamb's free kick as early as the second minute, you would have
expected it to have been the start of an early onslaught from the home
side.
But, remarkably, it was the closest Invicta were to come during a
disappointing first half.
Rothwell enjoyed a good spell in the run up to half time as Invicta
goalkeeper Tony Kessell had to get across to his left to save James
Le Massurier's shot from the edge of the box after 38 minutes.
Invicta centre half Adam Flanagan then blocked Jonathan Mitchell's
shot when James Thatcher broke down the right after 42 minutes.
And John Guest headed clear from close to the goal line after 45
minutes following a free kick from the left which had been conceded by
the same Invicta defender.
It continued to be a frustrating afternoon for the home side during the
second half and Lee Blackman replaced Martin Chandler after 74
minutes as the Folkestone side finished the game with three forwards.
A Lamb corner from the left reached the far post but took former
Margate colleague Munday by surprise and came off the Invicta
midfielder for a goal kick after 82 minutes.
Invicta's Tait was booked for dissent after 76 minutes and Rothwell's
Le Massurier was cautioned for encroachment at a free kick after 88
minutes.
The game did mark the first appearance on the substitutes' bench of
15-year-striker Oliver Waters, who did find the net four times on the
same pitch the next morning as the youth team beat Deal Town
youths 6-0 in a K. C. F. A. Youth Cup tie.
FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Watkins (Everitt 71 mins), Lamb,
Flanagan, Guest, Hogg, Chandler (Blackman 74 mins), Munday,
Dryden, Tait, Lindsey. Unused subs: Millar, Waters, Holdway.
ROTHWELL TOWN: Hughes, Thatcher, Lester, Porter, Rice, Cook
(Page 74 mins), Quincey, Hanney, Le Massurier, Mitchell, Flannigan.
Unused subs: Capps, Haughton, Smith.
Folkestone Invicta (0) 1 Havant & W'ville (0) 0
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RM Dec 2, 2003 Attendance 337.
A late goal from centre half Adam Flanagan gave Folkestone Invicta a
dramatic extra time F. A. Trophy Second Round replay win over last
season's beaten semi finalists Havant & Waterlooville on Tuesday
night on a remarkable night which saw the visitors reduced to eight
men after having three players sent off.
There were ugly scenes at the final whistle as Havant manager Liam
Daish rebuffed his Invicta counterpart Neil Cugley's offer of a
handshake and referee Mr C. Salt from Pulborough had to be escorted
back to his dressing room where the angry Havant camp continued to
hound the officials.
Havant co-manager Mick Jenkins and defender Alec Masson are
believed to be in trouble for comments made to the officials after the
game.
Neil Davis, Luke Byles and Neil Champions were the three visiting
players to be sent off as Invicta booked a high profile Third Round tie at
home to Conference giants Stevenage Borough on Saturday January
10th.
Davis was the first player to be sent off as he received a second yellow
card for a late tackle on Micheal Everitt after 70 minutes. He head
earlier been booked for a challenge on Paul Lamb after 17 minutes.
The pendulum swung even further in Invicta's favour after 77 minutes
when Byles also picked up a second yellow card for clipping Allan Tait
as the Invicta striker ran through. That was the harshest of the three
dismissals, though Byles had earlier picked up a needless booking for
disputing a free kick decision after 23 minutes.
Havant held on gallantly with nine men and came within six minutes of
forcing a penalty shoot out.
But Invicta eventually found a way through when FLANAGAN
headed in Lamb's corner from the right after 114 minutes. It capped a
strange night for Flanagan, as he had been caught in traffic en route to
the game and only arrived at the Westbourne Stadium within ten
minutes of kick off.
The drama did not stop there as Havant's Champion became the third
player to be sent off when he received a straight red card for a foul on
Lamb after 118 minutes. Champion had also earlier been booked for
dissent after 72 minutes.
Havant's Chukki Eribenne was also booked for a nasty foul on Drew
Watkins after 80 minutes which sparked a mass free-for-all after the
striker then allegedly spat at the Invicta defender.
The night had got off to a dramatic start as Invicta named striker
James Dryden in their starting line up just over two weeks after being
taken away in an ambulance and put into plaster after injuring ankle
ligaments at Hastings.
The home side will have been further boosted by the absence through
injury of Havant's Dean Blake who had terrorised the Invicta defence in
the initial 2-2 draw on Saturday.
Chances were few and far between during the first half and it soon
became apparent that the first goal was likely to be crucial.
The dangerous Eribenne shot on the turn at goalkeeper Tony Kessell
from outside the penalty area after just three minutes and Davis' low
right wing cross just evaded striker James Taylor in the middle after 13
minutes.
Flanagan became Invicta's only booking on the night after 32 minutes
and Byles' subsequent free kick came back off the Invicta post.
Flanagan then did well to recover and tackle Taylor when a ball over
the Invicta defence threatened to put the prolific striker through after 38
minutes.
Eribenne shot against the Invicta post after 57 minutes when James
Ford's ball eluded Watkins in the Invicta defence as the stalemate
continued.
There was little to choose between the two sides as a Mark Munday
shot flashed wide of the Havant post after 63 minutes.
Tait shot into the side netting after 73 minutes when presented with his
first real sight on goal as Lamb threaded the ball through to him on the
left hand side of the box.
With a two man advantage, Invicta threw on a third striker in Lee
Blackman to replace midfielder Martin Chandler after 83 minute. But
the home side still could not find that vital breakthrough as an Anthony
Hogg shot was blocked by a defender when Tait played the ball in from
the right after 85 minutes and Dryden blasted his shot over after 90
minutes following an Everitt ball.
Havant goalkeeper Gareht Howels became the next visiting player to
be booked as he was cautioned for time-wasting as the Hampshire
club held on for extra time.
Howells saved from Dryden after 95 minutes and the Invicta striker
could only put his rebound into the side netting.
Taylor shot into the side netting a minute later as Havant remained a
threat on the break at the other end.
Dryden headed against the post after 102 minutes from a sweet Darren
Winfield cross from the left.
Havant were dealt a further blow when dangerous striker Eribenne
limped off before the end of the first period of extra time.
Invicta just could not turn possession into a goal as a Dryden shot was
blocked after 108 minutes and Blackman couldn't get enough power on
his shot after an Everitt ball three minutes later.
But Flanagan's late winner was to spare Invicta the tension of another
penalty shoot out after their heartbreaking F. a. Cup exit at Welling
earlier in this season.
This was a night which will be remembered for a long time and for a
variety of reasons. Even one of the Stripes' windows was smashed as
Havant cleared their lines at the Cheriton End.
FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Watkins (Winfield 90 mins),
Lamb, Flanagan, Lindsey, Hogg, Chandler (Blackman 83 mins),
Munday, Dryden, Tait, Millar (Everitt 59 mins). Unused subs:
Rainbow, Egan.
HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE: Howells, Champion, Ferrett, Byles,
Skelton (Turner 117 mins), Masson, Town, Eribenne (Paul 108 mins),
Davis, Taylor, Ford. Unused subs: Kerridge, Knight.
Havant & W'ville (2) 2 Folkestone Invicta (0) 2
|
RM Nov 29, 2003 Attendance 222.
REPLAY Tuesday Dec 2
A sensational second half comeback saw Folkestone Invicta earn a
2-2 draw away to Premier Division side Havant & Waterlooville in the
Second Round of the F. A. Trophy at Westleigh Park on Saturday
afternoon.
Anthony Hogg scored both goals as Invicta clawed their way back from
2-0 down and Neil Cugley's side might even have won the tie as Allan
Tait shot inches wide when put through with a great chance to settle
the tie.
Invicta had looked dead and buried at half time after a torrid opening 45
minutes during which the home side looked better in all areas of the
pitch and led thanks to two goals from striker James Taylor.
Taylor, nicknamed 'Super Jim' by the Hampshire club, must love
playing against Invicta as he had previously scored three hat-tricks
against the Folkestone club, including seven goals in two Premier
Division matches last season.
Dean Blake caused Invicta no end of problems on the right flank for the
home side during the first half and signalled his intent by curling a shot
over the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area after just three
minutes when he combined with Taylor.
And it was from a pinpoint Blake cross after 21 minutes that
TAYLOR headed Havant into the lead as the rain began to fall.
Invicta created very little in the first half, though left back Paul Lamb
saw his shot touched round the post by goalkeeper Gareth Howells
when John Ayling played the ball across from the right to James Millar
on the left after 25 minutes.
The visitors had goalkeeper Tony Kessell to thank after 28 minutes
when he made a vital save with his feet to deny Chukki Eribenne after
a ball over the defence had put Havant's star striker through.
Eribenne then headed wide at the near post when full back Chris
Ferrett played the ball over from the left on the half hour mark.
Former Bournemouth striker Eribenne played a big part in Havant's
second goal when he burst down the left hand side after 32 minutes
and played the ball back for TAYLOR to sidefoot the ball into
the net despite the efforts of Invicta defenders to block the ball.
Invicta had no answer to Blake during the first half and the Havant man
terrorised the Folkestone defence again after 39 minutes when his
shot from the edge of the penalty area dipped against the crossbar.
Kessell saved from Eribenne as Havant kept up the pressure.
A home win at that stage seemed to be a mere formality, although in
the context of what was to come, Blake hitting the crossbar can be
seen as a turning point.
Neil Champion's shot flew wide during first half stoppage time after
Blake combined with Eribenne as Invicta will have been grateful to hear
the half time whistle.
Taykor headed over following a cross from the right after 55 minutes
and Havant forced a succession of corners during the opening
exchanges of the second half.
But Invicta began to rally, although they appeared to have missed their
chance when Tait scuffed his shot when a great ball from Drew
Watkins threaded Martin Chandler through down the right hand side in
the 57th minute.
The visitors were then forced into a change when Ayling limped off to
be replaced by Lee Blackman after 57 minutes.
Eribenne shot at Kessell after running at the Invicta defence again after
65 minutes as the rain began to fall again.
But Invicta were thrown a lifeline after 68 minutes when HOGG
won the ball back and drilled the ball into the net after Tait's pass had
gone astray when Watkins played the ball down the right again.
Invicta had shown great character to come back into the game when
the second half could just have been about damage limitation. Instead,
the Folkestone side got back into the game with some excellent
passing as they began to look increasingly dangerous going forward.
And they sent their travelling supporters into ecstasy after 81 minutes
when Tait broke down the left and crossed for HOGG to dive
and head his side level in a move also involving Mark Munday and
Blackman.
It could have been even better for Invicta a minute later when Hogg won
the ball and put Tait clean through, but the pitch thwarted the Ivictas
striker and he could only shoot inches wide of the post.
Invicta had conceded a last ditch goal in their previous game against
Stamford and there was a scare again deep into injury time when
Kessell saved from Aaron Skelton following a Havant corner.
HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE: Howells, Champion, Ferrett, Byles,
Skelton, Masson, Town, Eribenne, Davis, Taylor, Blake (Ford 84
mins). Unused subs: Paul, Knight, Turner, Poyser.
FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Watkins, Lamb, Flanagan, Lindsey,
Hogg, Chandler (Everitt 76 mins), Munday, Ayling (Blackman 57
mins), Tait, Millar. Unused subs: Winfield, Egan, Holdway.
Folkestone Invicta (0) 2 Stamford (1) 2
|
RM Nov 22, 2003 Attendance 376.
An injury time equaliser from Stamford's Kevin Byrne denied
Folkestone Invicta victory at the Westbourne Stadium on Saturday
afternoon in a game during which the visitors opened and completed
the scoring.
Byrne struck over two minutes into stoppage time after Invicta had
turned the game around with a much improved second half
performance.
Invicta were caught out by a long ball over the home defence which
BYRNE latched onto to take the ball round goalkeeper Tony
Kessell and earn his side a share of the spoils.
The visitors had taken an early lead through Mark Paul, but second
half goals from top goalscorer Allan Tait and new signing Anthony
Hogg appeared to have been enough for Neil Cugley's side.
With skipper Scott Lindsey serving a one-match suspension, Invicta
adopted a 4-4-2 formation, with Drew Watkins coming in for Micheal
Everitt at right back and Mark Munday taking over as captain.
But the home side were rocked after 11 minutes when PAUL
unleashed a scorcher into the top corner of the net from 20 yards.
On a heavy pitch, things did not go Invicta's way during the first half as
Hogg couldn't force the ball over the line from close ranger after 20
minutes when Czech goalkeeper Ludek Michalik saved from James
Millar after the midfielder had combined with John Ayling.
Big Michalik got down to his left to push a low Ayling shot round the
post for a corner after the striker had won the ball back and skipped
past a couple of challenges after 36 minutes.
But Stamford had further chances of their own as goalkeeper Kessell
tipped a Paul shot over following a scramble in the Invicta box after 38
minutes and Byrne didn't make the most of his chance when a big
kick from Michalik eluded centre half John Guest.
Invicta then had Kessell to thank for a vital save from Gareth Pritchard
during first half stoppage time when an attempted clearance from
Guest hit Byrne who played the ball across.
There was still time for Invicta's Tait to break down the left and force a
save from Michalik before half time.
Invicta went at Stamford during the second half as Tait shot on the turn
at Michalik when a throw in from the right fell to him after 47 minutes.
Michalik then made a great save to deny Ayling after 51 minutes when
Tait played the ball into his path following a good combination between
the two Invicta strikers.
Ayling shot over following an attack down the left after 54 minutes as
Invicta enjoyed a spell of pressure.
And TAIT made it 1-1 when he nodded in from just in front of
Michalik when Paul Lamb dinked the ball in from the left after 56
minutes.
Invicta were now playing some good stuff and a Stamford defender
good back to deny Hogg after 59 minutes following a great Martin
Chandler through ball when Ayling and Tait combined well again.
Guest headed over Lamb's subsequent corner as the home side were
now on top.
But, at the other end, Pritchard hit the outside of the Invicta post from
a 20-yard free kick after 65 minutes following a foul on Ian Edge.
Invicta went ahead after 69 minutes when HOGG celebrated a
permanent move from Gravesend & Northfleet to Invicta by drilling the
ball home after a Tait shot had been charged down when Ayling played
the ball to him.
It could have been better for the home side as Michalik touched a Tait
header onto the top of the crossbar when Watkins sent in a deep
cross from the right after 71 minutes.
The Stamford goal led a charmed life as Tait and Ayling both saw
shots somehow stay out when a ball in from the right led to a
goalmouth melee.
Hogg tested Michalik again after 74 minutes when Watkins played the
ball in to him and Chandler hit a great shot at the goalkeeper when
Hogg's cross from the left came all the way across to him on the right.
Paul drilled his shot wide from the edge of the box after 79 minutes
when he was allowed to run at the Invicta defence.
But Stamford were to get one last chance and Byrne was to take full
advantage.
FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Watkins, Lamb, Flanagan, Guest,
Hogg, Chandler (Everitt 86 mins), Munday, Ayling (Blackman 90
mins), Tait, Millar. Unused subs: Winfield, Dyson, Holdway.
STAMFORD: Michalik, Nash, Peaks, Ashby, Blowers, Green, Edge,
Pritchard, Byrne, Paul, Ainslie (Thompson 72 mins). Unused subs:
Naylor, Forgacs.
Folkestone Invicta (4) 6 Fleet Town (0) 1
|
RM Nov 18, 2003 Attendance 351.
Folkestone Invicta equalled their biggest ever win in the Dr Martens
League as they overwhelmed Fleet Town at the Westbourne Stadium
on Tuesday night, with striker Allan Tait helping himself to a first half
hat-trick.
John Ayling, Lee Blackman and Anthony Hogg scored the other goals
as Invicta repeated the 6-1 winning margin recorded at Baldock during
the Folkestone club's promotion-winning season of 1999-2000.
Ayling scored a hat-trick on that afternoon in Hertfordshire four years
ago and was given his first league start of the season in place of the
watching James Dryden who was put in plaster after being taken away
in an ambulance with ankle ligament damage at Hastings on Saturday.
And it was 21-year-old AYLING who opened the scoring after
26 minutes with a simple tap in after Micheal Everitt had headed
against the post from Mark Munday's right wing cross.
The opening goal came just a minute after Everitt had hit the crossbar
with a diving header when Tait played the ball in from the left.
By then Munday had already seen his header strike the crossbar via a
defender's head on the goal line when the Invicta man's former Margate
team mate Paul Lamb sent over a corner from the right hand side on
his home debut.
The rest of the first half belonged to Tait as he hit a hat-trick in an
eight-minute spell to end a barren spell of just one goal in his previous
six matches.
TAIT made it 2-0 with a stunning finish from the edge of the
penalty area after 37 minutes. And the 22-year-old striker struck again
two minutes later when he latched onto a through ball from Martin
Chandler and went round goalkeeper Calvin Sparshatt to put the ball
into the back of the net following a move started by Ayling.
TAIT completed his hat-trick in the 45th minute when he was
put through by Ayling, took his time and picked his spot to send a
cool, low finish into the corner of the net.
Everitt had gone close again after 40 minutes when he was put clean
through by Chandler but blasted straight at goalkeeper Sparshatt.
Fleet pulled a goal back after 54 minutes when Craig
LEWORTHY - son of non-league legend Dave - took the ball round
goalkeeper Tony Kessell and placed the ball into the net from the left
hand side of the box.
Tait shot against the post as Invica struck an upright again after 65
minutes when substitute Blackman played the ball to him after
defender Lee Blakely had given the ball away.
It was 5-1 after 72 minutes when BLACKMAN fired home his
first home goal for the club in a move also involving James Millar and
Tait.
And fellow substitute HOGG completed the scoring two
minutes later with a spectacular strike from outside the penalty area.
Invicta had dominated from the start as Munday might have got in the
end of a Lamb free kick after just two minutes and goalkeeper
Sparshatt palmed away a Tait shot when Everitt threaded the ball
through after seven minutes.
Fleet had a few chances just after the half hour mark when Leworthy
fired over from the edge of the box after 33 minutes, Ed Hare shot into
the side netting a minute later from a Leworthy cross and Ben
Buckland blasted over at the far post following a deep cross from the
right after 36 minutes.
Captain Craig Anstey then hit a low shot at Kessell from the edge of
the box after 43 minutes.
But this was a night when Invicta were to fill their boots and Tait shot
just wide of the far post when he skipped past a defender after
collecting the ball from Munday in the 60th minute.
Everitt then shot at goalkeeper Sparshatt from the edge of the box on
the hour when Tait played the ball in to Millar.
At the other end, an ambitious 30-yard free kick from Anstey was not
too far away from the Inivcta goal after 68 minutes.
FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Everitt, Lamb (Winfield 78 mins),
Flanagan, Guest, Lindsey, Chandler (Hogg 63 mins), Munday, Ayling
(Blackman 52 mins), Tait, Millar. Unused subs: Dyson, Egan.
FLEET TOWN: Sparshatt, Clark, Blakely, Hare (Smith 76 mins),
Millerick (Saunders 62 mins), Jeffrey, Black, Anstey, Whitcher,
Leworthy, Hale (Proctor 76 mins). Unused subs: Kendall, Catlin.
Hastings Utd (0) 1 Folkestone Invicta (1) 2
|
RM Nov 15, 2003 Attendance 331.
A last ditch free kick from Drew Watkins gave Folkestone Invicta a
dramatic late winner away to Hastings United at the Pilot Field on
Saturday afternoon, but the victory came at a price as the visitors had
popular striker James Dryden stretchered off and taken away in an
ambulance with what turned out to be ankle ligament damage.
It had been feared that Dryden had broken his ankle as he was clearly
in pain after losing his footing in a pothole on a poor pitch after he had
done very well to beat David Henham down the left flank after 38
minutes.
The 23-year-old striker went into the game as joint top goalscorer in
the Eastern Division and his great work rate will also be a big loss to
Invicta.
Invicta also had centre half John Guest sent off for dissent in the last
minute, having been booked for same offence just five minutes earlier.
The visitors had opened the scoring in the 22nd minute through
Mark MUNDAY, but by the final whistle the visitors will have
been mightily relieved to have taken the three points.
Hastings equalised after 61 minutes when Ryan PETERS
fired a free kick from the edge of the box which flew past goalkeeper
Tony Kessell following a foul on Steve Hafner by Micheal Everitt.
Peters and Hafner both had spells with Invicta in the Premier Division
last season and had both only come on minutes earlier as part of a
triple substitution by the home side.
The bold move by home manager Steve Lovell paid instant dividends
with the equaliser but was also to backfire on Hastings as they then
lost right back Henham with injury and had to play the last 20 minutes
or so with ten men.
It was a brave second half display from Hastings and looked like being
a frustrating afternoon for Invicta until WATKINS' late winner
after 89 minutes. The Invicta right back attracts banter from opposing
supporters with his silver boots and has been dubbed in some quarters
as a 'baby Beckham' for his appearance.
But the former Cray player was to have the last laugh as there was
something Beckham-esque about the free kick he planted into the net
from the edge of the box following a foul on James Millar.
The drama did not end there as Guest was sent off for comments
made to referee Mark Basten from Sevenoaks as he disputed a corner
decision.
Hastings kept the pressure on until the end as substitute Peters
chipped at Kessell with virtually the last kick of the game following a
Stuart Myall ball.
Invicta gave a debut to new signing Paul Lamb at left back, though
Martin Chandler failed a late fitness test on an injured ankle.
The visitors looked the more composed early on, but Chris Honey hit
over for Hastings from the left hand edge of the box after 11 minutes.
A long throw in from Dryden on the left was met spectacularly by Millar
after 19 minutes, but straight at uncertain home goalkeeper Will Toal.
And the visitors opened the scoring following a foul on Allan Tait when
Watkins' deep free kick was headed back across goal by Guest and
hooked in by Munday.
A minute later, Hastings goalkeeper Toal tipped over a Tait header
from Watkins' right wing cross when Dryden played the ball out wide
as Invicta forced the game's first corner.
Toal was in action again on the half hour mark when he got down to
make a great save to keep out another Tait header from a Watkins free
kick following a foul by Charlie Belcher on Lamb.
At the other end, Kessell came out bravely when the ball was headed
into the path of Mitchell Sherwood.
Sherwood became the game's first booking for a bad challenge on
Watkins during first half stoppage time.
Hastings signalled their intent at the start of the second half as Carl
Rook shot wide with a good chance after 48 minutes.
There were chances at both ends after 51 minutes when Kessell saved
from Myall following a Rook ball and Ayling headed over for Invicta.
A Tait shot was deflected for a corner when Ayling played the ball to
him on the right hand side of the box after 54 minutes and two minutes
later Millar shot wide across goal from a Tait ball.
Peters' equaliser was to chance the complexion of the game.
An Adam Flanagan header was touched over for another Invicta corner
after 64 minutes, while a minute later Rook was desperately close to
putting Hastings ahead in the middle following a dangerous run by
Sherwood down the left.
Millar didn't make the most of his chance when Tait played the ball in
to him from the right after 69 minutes and Ayling headed over.
Invicta had former Hastings goalkeeper Kessell to thank when he got
down to make a great save to keep out another low Peters piledriver of
a free kick when Kessell himself had been pulled up by a linesman for
handling outside his penalty area as he cleared the ball after 76
minutes.
Invicta's Tait and captain Scott Lindsey were both booked after 78
minutes as they protested when referee Basten waved away penalty
appeals as Ayling went down under challenge from Russell Eldridge.
Goalscorers Peters and Munday soon joined them in the referee's
notebook.
Invicta were now becoming increasingly desperate as substitute
Anthony Hogg shot wide when Lamb's ball in from the left was headed
down by Tait after 84 minutes and Flanagan shot over when another
Lamb ball was nodded down to him after 87 minutes.
But it was all to turn out okay thanks to Watkins' first Dr Martens
League goal.
Guest's dismissal means that he will miss Invicta's F. A. Trophy tie
away to Havant & Waterlooville on November 29th.
HASTINGS UNITED: Toal, Henham, Startup, Eldridge, Elford (Peters
58 mins), Belcher (Spiller 58 mins), Myall, Ringwood, Sherwood
(Hafner 58 mins), Honey, Rook. Unused subs; Stickney, Morris.
FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Watkins, Lamb, Flanagan, Guest,
Lindsey, Everitt (Hogg 81 mins), Munday, Dryden (Ayling 39 mins),
Tait, Millar. Unused subs: Winfield, Dyson.
Folkestone Invicta (1) 3 Fisher Athletic (1) 2
|
RM Nov 11, 2003 Attendance 229.
An 89th minute header from centre half Adam Flanagan took
Folkestone Invicta through to the Third Round of the Dr Martens
League Cup after an exciting finale against Fisher Athletic (London) on
Tuesday night.
FLANAGAN met substitute Drew Watkins' corner from the left
to put Invicta ahead for the third time after Fisher substitute
Richard Brady had made it 2-2 in the 87th minute.
And three minutes into stoppage time, Fisher came agonisingly close
to forcing extra time when Taffazul Islam somehow blasted the ball
wide with virtually the last kick of the game after Invicta goalkeeper
Tony Kessell had done very well to touch a Gary Abbott shot onto the
post.
Invicta had earlier twice gone ahead through John Ayling, but Fisher hit
back and the home side had goalkeeper Kessell to thank for a penalty
save from Islam with the scores level at 1-1.
Manager Neil Cugley had brought Ayling and Darren Winfield in for
their first starts of the season and restored Micheal Everitt to the
Invicta starting line up after Saturday's disappointing 3-0 loss at
Bashley.
Allan Tait shot at goalkeeper Michael Holder when a long ball from
Winfield put him through after just five minutes.
And AYLING opened the scoring with a great finish from the
edge of the box which left Holder rooted to the spot after ten minutes
when a James Dryden free kick was blocked following a foul on Martin
Chandler.
But Fisher were level after 16 minutes when Daniel
HOLLINGTON smashed the ball into the roof of the net from the
edge of the box.
A Dryden shot from the left hand edge of the box was saved by Holder
a minute later.
Kessell made a great save to keep out a Paul Lorraine header
following a Fisher corner from the right after 21 minutes.
At the other end, Holder made a point blank save from Ayling after 24
minutes.
A minute later, Goma Lambu fluffed his chance when Mathalieu Danial
put him through.
It was end-to-end stuff as Holder made a great save to tip a Dryden
header over from a Winfield corner on the right after 36 minutes.
But Fisher were awarded a penalty after 38 minutes when Chandler
brought Danial down after initially giving the ball away when Invicta's
last man. Kessell came to the home side's rescue by first saving
Islam's spot kick and then making an even better save to keep out
Steve Taylor's rebound, with Mark Munday there to clear off the line.
AYLING restored Invicta's lead after 52 minutes when he
nipped in to stab home an under hit back pass at the near post after
Dryden had played the ball in from the left following a good run by
Chandler.
Ayling had scored two goals in the previous round at Hastings and
chipped at goalkeeper Holder after 58 minutes when another good run
again highlighted his skill.
Invicta made a triple substitution after 77 minutes when Watkins,
James Millar and Anthony Hogg all came on.
But it looked like being extra time when BRADY followed his
hat-trick at Tonbridge in the First Round by making it 2-2 when he
turned in Islam's cross from the left.
Enter Flanagan and Invicta's narrow escape right at the end.
There were bookings for Invicta's John Guest and Fisher's Michael
Smith.
FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Everitt (Watkins 77 mins), Winfield
(Millar 77 mins), Flanagan, Guest, Lindsey, Chandler, Munday,
Dryden, Tait, Ayling (Hogg 77 mins). Unused subs: Larkin, Egan.
FISHER ATHLETIC (London): Holder, Taylor, Scowen (Khan 54 mins),
Young, Lorraine, Hollington (Brady 70 mins), Lambu, Smith, Islam,
Danial, Rouse (Abbott 81 mins). Unused subs: Ponsford, Quinn.
Bashley (2) 3 Folkestone Invicta (0) 0
|
RM Nov 08, 2003 Attendance 114.
Folkestone Invicta slumped to their heaviest defeat of the season when they were beaten 3-0 away to Bashley in the New Forest on Saturday afternoon.
This was one of those days where little went right for the Folkestone side as they trailed 2-0 at half time and failed to score in the league for the first time this season.
Striker Martin WHIDETT opened the scoring on his first start for Bashley after 11 minutes when goalkeeper Tony Kessell came out but could not claim a Michael
Jackson cross from the left.
It was 2-0 after 43 minutes when Andy CULLIFORD blasted in when the ball was headed back into his path by Ollie Cherrett following an Aaron Cook free kick from
the left.
The goal infuriated the visitors as they argued that referee Oliver McGuinness had played an advantage and then pulled play back after the home side had lost possession.
Mark Munday was booked for dissent and manager Neil Cugley had words with the Minehead official as the players left the field at half time.
Invicta replaced midfielder Martin Chandler with striker John Ayling at half time. But things did not get any better and any hopes of a comeback were extinguished after 61
minutes when Bashley broke following an Invicta corner at the other end and Danny GIBBONS fired a low shot across goal into the net after a ball from man of the
match Cherrett.
After 19 goals in their previous four matches, this was an afternoon probably best forgotten for Invicta.
The visitors had the real chance of the game when an Anthony Hogg shot flashed just wide of the post after five minutes when a throw in from the right fell to James Dryden.
At the other end, John Guest blocked a shot from Culliford after nine minutes and Whidett was unable to force the ball in from close range.
Having gone a goal down, Invicta's best chance to equalise came after 13 minutes when goalkeeper Michael Hookway saved with his feet to deny Allan Tait after Hogg had
played the ball out to him on the left when Invicta took a quick free kick when the home side had thought that the referee had given the decision in their favour.
Kessell did very well to scoop Whidett's effort away after 22 minutes when Paul Gazzard's throw in from the right came across the Invicta goalmouth.
Dryden blasted over after 26 minutes when he had nodded the ball on to Tait and the ball came in from the left following a crossfield ball from Drew Watkins.
A low James Millar shot was deflected for a corner when both Dryden and Tait touched on a big Kessell kick after 36 minutes.
Bashley's second goal initially seemed to have hit the side netting, but it left Invicta with a lot to do and it could have been worse during first half stoppage time when
Culliford found Mark Clothier on the right and his dangerous low cross was touched away by Watkins for Bashley's first corner of the game. Cherrett headed just over from
Clothier's subsequent set piece.
Invicta captain Scott Lindsey was booked for dissent when Bashley were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box after 50 minutes as this was not Invicta's day. And
Bashley's third goal put the result beyond any reasonable doubt.
A minute after Bashley's third goal, Watkins drilled a similar chance wide of the far post at the other end.
Whidett nearly got on the end of a Clothier cross from the right after 64 minutes as Bashley were beginning to enjoy themselves.
A Tait shot was blocked in the box after 84 minutes and he shot wide at the second attempt.
And Kessell was called into action again when he saved from Culliford after 88 minutes when Bashley spread play to the left.
Bashley's Cherrett was booked for dissent after 83 minutes.
BASHLEY: Hookway, Gazzard, Graves, Cherrett, Darnton, Cook, Clothier (Connolly 80 mins), Gibbons, Jackson (Jones 34 mins, Gee 73 mins), Whidett, Culliford. Unused
subs: Hussey, Colverson.
FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Watkins, Lindsey, Flanagan, Guest, Hogg, Chandler (Ayling 45 mins), Munday, Dryden, Tait, Millar. Unused subs: Larkin, Everitt,
Winfield, Dyson.
Folkestone Invicta (1) 4 Hemel Hempstead (0) 1
|
RM Nov 01, 2003 Attendance 363.
Folkestone Invicta made it 19 goals from their last four matches as
they overcame Ryman League Division One North side Hemel
Hempstead Town in Saturday's F. A. Trophy First Round tie at the
Westbourne Stadium.
The match was decided during the final 20 minutes as Neil Cugley's
side scored three times after the visitors had levelled at 1-1.
Adam Flanagan, James Dryden, John Ayling and Allan Tait scored the
goals as Invicta were made to work for their victory in a match that was
for a long period closer than the final scoreline would suggest.
Invicta were not at their best during the first half, but took the lead in
the 41st minute when centre half FLANAGAN headed in Drew
Watkins' corner from the left.
But Hemel Hempstead levelled in the 67th minute when substitute
Brian JONES got the final touch in a goalmouth scramble
after Tony Kessell had touched a Nick Jackson shot onto the
crossbar.
Invicta responded by replacing Martin Chandler and Anthony Hogg with
Micheal Everitt and John Ayling and soon regained their lead.
It was in-form striker DRYDEN who restored the home side's
lead when he thumped the ball home in the 70th minute after centre
half John Guest had met another Watkins corner from the left.
Substitute AYLING made it 3-1 in the 77th minute when he
squeezed the ball in off goalkeeper Wayne Hughes' foot at the near
post from the left hand side. It had been Ayling who had started the
move before receiving Dryden's deep cross from the right.
Dryden was again the provider for the final and best goal of the game
when his left wing cross was met by a sweet volley from TAIT
in the 86th minute.
Tait has been out-of-sorts by his own very high standards in the past
couple of matches but will have been lifted by one of his best goals in
Invicta colours.
The pre-game attention had centred on local MP and Conservative
Party leader elect Michael Howard, whose attendance attracted
hordes of cameras from the nation's media.
When the match got under way, it was the visitors who looked more
composed during the opening exchanges.
Jackson volleyed wide from the edge of the box after 18 minutes when
Glen Parry's corner from the right fell to him and Bryan Hammatt tried
his luck from 40 yards when he spotted Kessell off his line after 21
minutes.
A screamer from Bobby Highton then flew wide for Hemel Hempstead
after 24 minutes.
Dryden had been wide with a couple of shots for Invicta and then got
under the ball and shot over after 26 minutes as things were not going
as well as Invicta would have hoped.
Dryden put James Millar through after 27 minutes, but Hughes saved
for a corner from which Jackson cleared off the line at the far post
following a deflection.
At the other end, James Bent bizarrely chose to try and chip Kessell
when put clean through on the right hand side after 28 minutes and
Kessell touched over Gary Fitzgerald's shot after 36 minutes when
Mark Munday gave the ball away inside his own penalty box.
Flanagan's goal was to put Invicta's noses in front as half time
approached and goalkeeper Hughes touched over Watkins' goalbound
free kick during first half stoppage time.
It didn't look as though it was going to be Tait's day as he couldn't
force Dryden's ball in from the left home in the 47th minute. And then
Tait was unable to convert from the edge of the box after 56 minutes
when goalkeeper Hughes came out to block from Dryden following a
through ball from Hogg.
A Dryden shot was deflected for a corner after 61 minutes and Munday
headed just over from Watkins' subsequent ball in.
Substitute Jones' equaliser raised the prospect of a reply before
Invicta's late flurry settled the issue.
Hemel Hempstead captain Fergus Moore headed over from close
range after 79 minutes, but Ayling had made a difference for Invicta
and shot against the post in the 82nd minute.
Ayling was close again in the last minute when Hughes saved with his
feet.
There were bookings for Invicta's Chandler (foul on Bent after 51
minutes) and Millar (foul after 88 minutes) and for Hemel Hempstead's
Moore (bringing down Tait after 45 minutes) and Parry (foul on Hogg
after 62 minutes).
FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Watkins (Winfield 77 mins),
Lindsey, Flanagan, Guest, Hogg (Ayling 67 mins), Chandler (Everitt 67
mins), Munday, Dryden, Tait, Millar. Unused subs: Larkin, Egan.
HEMEL HEMPSTEAD TOWN: Hughes, Bruce, Moore, Leach, West,
Fitzgerald, Highton, Parry (Jones 63 mins), Bent, Hammatt, Jackson
(Kodra 79 mins). Unused subs: Grieves, McDonagh, Perrin.
Hastings Utd (2) 2 Folkestone Invicta (1) 6
|
RM Oct 28, 2003 Attendance 190.
Folkestone Invicta recovered from going 2-0 down within the opening
ten minutes to turn the game around with five second half goals in a
6-2 Dr Martens League Cup win away to Hastings United on Tuesday
night.
Drew Watkins had pulled a goal back during the first half at the Pilot
Field before James Dryden (2), John Ayling (2) and John Guest struck
to give Invicta what was by the end a comfortable victory against a
young Hastings side.
Like its professional counterpart, the League Cup is now an often
derided competition in some quarters and one in which managers are
inclined to experiment. Hastings opted to start this tie with just
goalkeeper Will Toal out of the eleven which had begun Saturday’s
Eastern Division win over Ashford Town.
But the home side played some inventive football, particularly during
the first half, and stunned Invicta with two early goals from Danny Ellis.
Ellis lobbed Invicta goalkeeper Tony Kessell to open the
scoring after just seven minutes when a big kick from goalkeeper Toal
took the ball over the Invicta defence down Hastings’ right hand side.
And Ellis struck again to make it 2-0 after ten minutes with a
low shot from the edge of the penalty area when Hastings broke again.
But Invicta were thrown a lifeline after 16 minutes when
Watkins was presented with a simple tap in when goalkeeper
Toal made a mess of dealing with Mark Munday’s cross from the left
after a misunderstanding with defender Graham Morris.
Hastings continued to create chances as Russell Eldridge shot at
Kessell when the home side spread play from right to left after 19
minutes and Steve Hafner shot just wide at the far post against one of
his former clubs after 22 minutes.
At the other end, Toal failed to hold Dryden’s cross from the left after
27 minutes and was relieved to see the ball come back off the far post.
Ryan Peters forced a corner for Hastings just before half time following
a dangerous run into the Invicta box as the home side took a lot of
positives out of their first half performance.
A turning point came after 52 minutes when Ellis was denied a
hat-trick as his low shot came back off the Invicta post following
another neat one-two with Hafner.
Within five minutes Invicta were ahead as Dryden struck twice
for the visitors on his 150th starting appearance for the club.
It was 2-2 after 55 minutes when Simon Stickney was booked for
bringing down Anthony Hogg and Dryden’s header from a deep James
Millar free kick on the left went in via the underside of the crossbar and
goalkeeper Toal.
Dryden put Invicta ahead when he calmly slotted the ball
home after Micheal Everitt had put him through.
It was now all Invicta as Allan Tait was put through the middle on the
hour, but Toal managed to keep out his shot.
Toal made a great save after 64 minutes when a cross from the right
came off a home defender and that same minute Millar struck the
crossbar with a shot from outside the penalty area, with Dryden unable
to make it two hat-tricks in consecutive matches from the rebound.
Watkins then scuffed his shot at the far post after 68 minutes when
Dryden sent the ball over from the left after Dan Larkin had played the
ball down the flank.
Ayling was to replace Dryden after 70 minutes and was soon in the
action as he volleyed against the crossbar after 73 minutes when the
ball came in from the right hand side.
Substitute Ayling was not to be denied as he intercepted a
weak back pass to go round goalkeeper Toal and make it 4-2 after 76
minutes.
Centre half Guest made it 5-2 on his 50th starting appearance
for the club when he headed in substitute Darren Winfield’s corner from
the right after 84 minutes.
And Ayling completed the scoring with the last kick of the
match when he burst through the middle from a Watkins ball and
made the finish look easier than it probably was.
There were first half bookings for Invicta’s Hogg (foul on Ricky Spiller
after 24 minutes) and for Hastings’ Russell Eldridge (bringing Watkins
down after 26 minutes).
HASTINGS UNITED: Toal, Henham, Morris, Stickney, Sands
(Heasmer 72 mins), Peters (Cruttenden 74 mins), Spiller, Hafner,
Eldridge, Graham, Ellis (Cornwall 62 mins).
FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Everitt, Lindsey, Larkin, Guest,
Hogg, Watkins, Munday (Chandler 79 mins), Dryden (Ayling 70 mins),
Tait, Millar (Winfield 79 mins). Unused subs: Flanagan, Egan.
Folkestone Invicta (3) 5 Chatham Town (0) 1
|
RM Oct 21, 2003 Attendance 313.
Folkestone Invicta followed up their four goal win at Corby Town on
Saturday with a comprehensive 5-1 home victory over fellow Kent side
Chatham Town on Tuesday night.
23-year-old striker James Dryden led the way with his first Dr Martens
League hat-trick as he took his career total to 50 goals for Invicta.
Mark Munday added his third goal in three consecutive games,
21-year-old centre half John Guest completed the scoring with his first
goal of the season and fellow 21-year-old John Ayling came on to
complete record of 100 appearances as a substitute for the club.
This was always look to be an uphill struggle for a Chatham side one
place of the bottom and having parted company with manager Peter
Coupland at the end of the previous week.
Invicta had the first real chance when goalkeeper Gavin Hopper saved
a deflected Drew Watkins shot in the eighth minute.
But there was an early scare for the home side at the other end after
13 minutes when Martin Chandler had to head off the line at the far
post when a Chatham head met the first corner of the match on the
right hand side.
Watkins was to enjoy a good game in the Invicta midfield and it was
from his run and cross on the left that DRYDEN headed
Invicta into the lead after 16 minutes.
DRYDEN struck again to make it 2-0 after 22 minutes when
he was there to follow up after Micheal Everitt had been denied by
goalkeeper Hopper when he broke through the middle following more
good play from Watkins.
Chandler was also looking inventive for the home side and Hopper got
down to save the midfielder's low shot from the edge of the box
following a crisp one-two with Dryden after 27 minutes.
It was 3-0 after 29 minutes when MUNDAY was there to
convert after Hopper had palmed a Guest shot into the air.
There was no way back for Chatham and Garry Tilley couldn't beat
Tony Kessell when he received the ball on the left hand side and cut
inside.
Invicta put the visitors under more pressure at the start of the second
half as Hopper saved when an Allan Tait shot was deflected after 48
minutes following another great crossfield ball from Watkins.
Within a minute Dryden had volleyed over in the middle when Tait
played the ball across from the right hand side and Hopper then got
down to touch a James Millar shot away after 49 minutes.
DRYDEN duly completed his hat-trick after 52 minutes when
he tucked away a Chandler through ball at the end of a flowing Invicta
move which also involved Millar down the left hand side.
GUEST then headed in a Watkins free kick from the right to
put Invicta 5-0 up after 55 minutes.
But that was to be an end to the scoring for Invicta and, remarkably,
they had to wait until the 85th minute to force their only corner of the
game when Hopper saved from substitute Darren Winfield after play
had been spread to the left hand side.
Chatham were to get at least some form of consolation when Tom
BINKS pulled a goal back with a low shot from outside the penalty
area in a move also involving substitute Adam Douglas.
Invicta's biggest win of the season came without a goal from leading
marksman Tait, who lobbed wide during injury time when Chatham
goalkeeper Hopper mis-cued a clearance straight to the striker.
There were bookings for Invicta's Millar (foul after 41 minutes) and for
Chatham's Steve Best (foul on Watkins after 59 minutes), Nick
Berkhauer (dissent after 69minutes) and substitute Richard Radbourne
(foul after 90 minutes).
FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Everitt (Ayling 74 mins),
Lindsey, Larkin, Guest, Watkins, Chandler (Winfield 63 mins),
Munday, Dryden (Blackman 79 mins), Tait, Millar. Unused subs:
Dyson, Egan.
CHATHAM TOWN: Hopper, Binks, Robinson (Cooke 76 mins),
Berkhauer, Boyle, Best, Collin, Spriggs, Rutter (Douglas 45 mins),
Billeness, Tilley (Radbourne 60 mins). Unused sub: Forster.
Corby Town (0) 0 Folkestone Invicta (2) 4
|
RM Oct 18, 2003 Attendance 84.
Folkestone Invicta put the disappointment of their F. A. Cup penalty
shoot out defeat at Welling United behind them with a resounding 4-0
win at Corby Town as they returned to Dr Martens League Eastern
Division action.
Mark Munday, Allan Tait, James Dryden and Lee Blackman scored
the goals amidst the Northamptonshire sunshine.
An athletics track between the pitch and one stand and an attendance
of just 84 makes the Rockingham Triangle Stadium one of the less
atmospheric grounds on the circuit. But this is just the sort of fixture
that Invicta needed to win as they catch up on their league programme
after their recent cup exploits.
It took Invicta until the 38th minute to open the scoring on Saturday
when MUNDAY headed in Drew Watkins' free kick from the
right.
And the visitors put themselves firmly in charge when TAIT
made it 2-0 in the 45th minute with a low shot across the goal into the
far corner of the net when put through on the right hand side.
DRYDEN made it 3-0 after 50 minutes when he headed a
pinpoint cross from Tait back across goal and into the net when James
Millar played a great ball down the right flank.
Goalscorers Tait and Dryden were then given some well deserved rest
after 77 minutes and it was their replacements Blackman and John
Ayling who were involved in the final goal.
Ayling showed great footwork and skill down the right hand side after
82 minutes and BLACKMAN converted his low cross in off the
crossbar for his first senior goal for the club.
Corby had held their own in the opening exchanges and might have
taken an early lead when Richard Challinor shot wide from the edge of
the penalty box within 30 seconds of the start.
At the other end, home defender Steven Julian cleared off the line to
deny Dryden after the Invicta striker had gone round goalkeeper
Richard Lavin in the 12th minute following a weak back pass from
Jamie Hawthorn.
Goalkeeper Lavin then saved well from Tait after 14 minutes when
Dryden put him through after Everitt had won the ball in midfield.
At the other end, James Le Masurier shot at Tony Kessell after turning
on the edge of the penalty area after 16 minutes.
Corby had further chances as Kessell got down to save when Dean
Foley let fly from 35 yards after 31 minutes and La Masurier shot just
wide when the ball fell to him on the right hand edge of the box after 34
minutes.
Tait had two shots blocked in the penalty area when a Millar free kick
was charged down after 36 minutes when Dryden was fouled on the
edge of the box.
But Munday was to open the scoring seconds later and Invicta were
then always in control.
Foley's free kick from 25 yards deflected off an Invicta defender for a
corner in the 48th minute.
But Tait and Dryden's goals either side of half time made the game
well and truly safe for Neil Cugley's side.
Lavin saved well to push Millar's shot from the left hand edge of the
box over the crossbar for a corner after 61 minutes after Everitt had
played the ball in to Watkins.
Corby's Danny Marlow didn't get enough power on his shot when
picked out on the left after 67 minutes and Kessell got down to turn Le
Masurier's shot around the post for a corner following a dangerous run
from substitute Michael Sneddon after 71 minutes.
Blackman will remember his first Dr Martens League goal and could
have struck again after 84 minutes but was denied by goalkeeper Lavin
after the substitute had capitalised on an error from Foley down the
middle.
CORBY TOWN: Lavin, Yardey, Vallance, Foley, Julian, Hawthorn,
Marlow, Kennedy, Hardie (Sneddon 55 mins), Le Masurier (Moore 82
mins), Challinor (Stanton 82 mins). Unused subs: Marshall, Glover.
FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell. Everitt, Lindsey, Larkin, Guest,
Watkins (Winfield 71 mins), Chandler, Munday, Dryden (Blackman 82
mins), Tait (Ayling 82 mins), Millar. Unused subs: Dyson, Holdway.
Welling Utd (1) 2 Folkestone Invicta (1) 2 aet (Welling win 5-3 on pens)
|
RM Oct 14, 2003 Attendance 602.
Folkestone Invicta'S F. A. Cup adventure ended in heroic failure when
they suffered the heartbreak of a penalty shoot out defeat after a gutsy
2-2 draw after extra time away to Welling United in Tuesday night's 3rd
qualifying Round replay.
Invicta were left to rue the chances that had gone astray over the two
games as Welling goalkeeper Glen Knight emerged as the hero by
saving Mark Munday's spot kick in the pivotal moment of the penalty
shoot out.
Munday had earlier been Invicta's hero when he equalised to make it
2-2 right at the end of the first period of extra time to set up the fateful
shoot out.
Paul Booth, Simon Beard, Tim Hambley and Tom McGowen all scored
their penalties for Welling to leave substitute Tobi Jinadu the task of
hitting the winning penalty low down the middle.
James Millar and Drew Watkins were both successful with Invicta's
first two spot kicks before Knight's ultimately decisive save from
Munday when he got across to his right to palm the ball past the post.
John Ayling stuck his penalty away to keep Invicta temporarily alive,
but Jinadu's successful strike meant that Invicta were beaten without
having to take their fifth penalty.
Goalkeeper Knight had been left out of the Welling side for the initial
1-1 draw on Saturday, but kept his side in the tie with several crucial
saves even before the crowning glory of keeping out Munday's penalty.
Invicta had gone into the game with Dan Larkin and Drew Watkins
replacing Adam Flanagan (ankle injury) and Saturday's goalscorer
Martin Chandler (suspended).
There were early danger signs for the visitors when Booth was put
through the middle in the opening couple of minutes and Booth
became the night's only booking after just four minutes when he
protested to the referee for a penalty after a challenge by goalkeeper
Tony Kessell.
And Welling opened the scoring after just six minutes when the
game's first corner was headed on for Dave POWELL to find
the net.
Powell had scored a hat-trick when Invicta crashed 5-1 in a 4th
Qualifying Round replay at Welling two years ago.
But this was to be a different story as this time Invicta responded by
creating chance after chance against their Premier Division opponents.
Watkins hooked the ball wide after eight minuets and a Millar shot
flashed wide of the post from outside the penalty area a minute later.
An Anthony Hogg shot was saved but not held by Knight after ten
minutes and a James Dryden shot flashed just wide of the post from
the edge of the penalty area after good build up play from Munday and
Allan Tait after 12 minutes.
A Dryden shot across goal was saved by Knight after 13 minutes and
it was then Millar's turn to go close a minute later when Knight
touched the ball over as the visitors' forced their first corner of the
game.
Centre half john Guest was close from the subsequent set piece as
Invicta somehow remained behind.
But TAIT made it 1-1 after 18 minutes when he put the ball
over the line after Micheal Everitt's shot had been blocked in a goal
mouth scramble when Knight spilt Watkins' first time volley following
Millar's cross from left to right.
Welling had to replace defender Lew Watts with former Invicta man
Anthony Henry after 20 minutes and the substitute was soon called
upon as he blocked a Dryden shot two minutes later.
At the other end, Anthony Riviere sent in a dangerous cross from the
right after 23 minutes, but Austin Berkeley could only put the ball back
across goal at the far post.
Dryden curled a shot at Knight from the edge of the area after
combining with Tait in the 28th minute, while Welling's Booth shot at
Kessell from the right hand edge of the box a minute later.
Knight then kept Welling level by producing a brilliant save from Millar
after 37 minutes and then saving from Tait after 40 minutes when
Everitt set up the chance.
Hogg shot at Knight from 25 yards as Invicta threatened again before
half time.
Invicta soon carried on when they had left off as Knight denied Tait
once more when Watkins played the ball in after 47 minutes.
Kessell was called into action a minute later when he saved Powell's
header after Tim O'Shea had played the ball in from the right.
But it was still Invicta in the ascendancy as Tait's low shot flashed just
wide of the far post after he had combined with Dryden when Scott
Lindsey played the ball out of defence after 53 minutes.
Invicta forced a corner when Knight flapped at a Hogg shot after 59
minutes and Watkins let fly from 25 yards two minutes later, but this
time Knight held it.
Welling had a chance after 63 minutes when Kessell did well to save
with his feet from Powell after a dummy in the box when Riviere
squared the ball to Hambley in the middle.
Millar shot just wide for Invicta when the ball fell to him in the box after
80 minutes, but Invicta had to re-adjust when they lost both Everitt and
Hogg to injuries in quick succession.
Larkin made a vital interception to deny Booth when Berkeley got the
ball in from the left after 89 minutes.
Millar shot wide when Knight let the ball slip again after substitute
Darren Winfield played the ball in from the left during injury time and
the hard-working Dryden shot at Knight from outside the penalty area
as Invicta went forward until the end.
But Berkeley nearly won it for Welling five minutes into stoppage time
when he burst down the left but blasted over the crossbar.
BOOTH restored Welling's lead after just three minutes of
extra time when he got a lucky ricochet in the middle and ran through
to calmly slot the ball home.
But Invicta were not finished and MUNDAY made it 2-2 after
104 minutes when he got through the middle after Tait had played the
ball to Dryden in the box.
Welling enjoyed arguably their strongest spell during the second
period of extra time as both sides continued to give their all.
A Beard shot flashed across the Invicta goal after 106 minutes and, at
the other end, Watkins burst through a minute later only for Knight to
save again.
A low right wing cross from Riviere caused problems in the Invicta
goalmouth after 113 minutes, with Hambley unable to force the ball
home from close range.
And so to the drama of penalties.
This was a night on which it was a shame there had to be a loser.
Sadly for Invicta it was once again to be them on a big cup night at
Park View Road. You could only feel sympathy for the players and
manager Neil Cugley who could scarcely believe their fate.
WELLING UNITED: Knight, Hambley, McGowen, O'Shea, Watts
(Henmry 20 mins), Slatter, Riviere, Beard, Powell (Jinadu 79 mins),
Booth, Berkeley. Unused subs: Standen, Burgess, Ventor.
FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Everitt (Ayling 84 mins), Lindsey,
Larkin, Guest, Hogg (Winfield 87 mins), Watkins, Munday, Dryden,
Tait, Millar. Unused subs: Blackman, Dyson, Egan.
Folkestone Invicta (1) 1 Welling Utd (1) 1
|
RM Oct 11, 2003 Attendance 734.
History repeated itself for Folkestone Invicta as they twice hit an
upright at the Cheriton End before having to settle for a F. A. Cup
replay against Welling United.
Two years ago it was James Dryden who twice headed against the
crossbar as Invicta drew 1-1 in a 4th Qualifying Round tie before
crashing 5-1 in the replay at Park View Road.
This time it was Allan Tait who hit both the post and the crossbar
within the first quarter of an hour of the second half as Welling again
lived to fight another day in Saturday's 3rd Qualifying Round tie.
Invicta had opened the scoring after eight minutes when Martin
CHANDLER converted a penalty on his 100th starting appearance
for the club.
The spot kick had been awarded when an Anthony Hogg shot hit
Anthony Riviere on the hand, though the Welling player didn't have
much of a chance to get out of the way.
The goal gave Invicta the perfect start and it could have been even
better after 13 minutes when Dryden got in behind defenders Tom
McGowen and Lew Watts, but his shot deflected off Watts and was
well saved by Jonathan Ventor.
The young South African goalkeeper had been boldly selected ahead
of the experienced Glen Knight and was called into action again on the
quarter of an hour mark when he spilt Hogg's shot from the edge of the
penalty area, with Dryden not quite able to force the ball over the line
from close range.
A second early goal then would surely have put Invicta on the road to
victory. But the home side lost their early initiative as their Premier
Division opponents started to come back into the game.
Goalkeeper Tony Kessell gathered comfortably when a cross from the
right deflected off Austin Berkeley in the middle after 19 minutes and
Dave Powell didn't get enough power on his header following a cross
from the left after 23 minutes.
Kessell tipped over when Dean Standen let fly from the edge of the
penalty area to force the game's first corner after 35 minutes when
Danny Slatter played him through.
And Welling were level after 37 minutes when Simon BEARD
headed in Slatter's corner from the left.
Kessell did well to tip over after 44 minutes when left back McGowen's
30-yard free kick was bound for the top corner after Paul Booth had
been bundled over.
Invicta lost centre half Adam Flanagan with an ankle injury at half time,
with Dan Larkin coming on as substitute.
But the home side again raced out of the blocks at the start of the
second half.
Neil Cugley's side had a big, big chance in the 47th minute when
Dryden battled well to put Tait clean through down the middle. The
striker appeared to have done everything right as he went round
goalkeeper Ventor but saw his shot come back off the post with the
goal at his mercy.
It was a huge let off for Welling and they survived again two minutes
later when Ventor touched Dryden's chip from the left hand side of the
box away when it was heading for the far corner of the net.
Tait then came agonisingly close to putting his side ahead again after
57 minutes when his shot on he turn hit the crossbar when Hogg
played the ball to him after defender Tim O'Shea had headed a big
Kessell kick into the Invicta midfielder's path.
Booth volleyed over from the edge of the penalty area with a half
chance for Welling after 65 minutes when substitute Larkin couldn't get
enough power on his headed clearance.
James Millar headed over Tait's right wing cross as Invicta continued to
go in search of a winner after 67 minutes.
Dryden threatened to snatch the tie at the end when he out paced
O'Shea and substitute Anthony Henry down the left but was denied by
goalkeeper Ventor at the near post.
Welling's O'Shea was the game's only booking for taking out Hogg
when he surged through the middle after 50 minutes.
FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Everitt, Lindsey, Flanagan (Larkin
45 mins), Guest, Hogg (Ayling 83 mins), Chandler, Munday, Dryden,
Tait, Millar. Unused subs: Blackman, Watkins, Egan.
WELLING UNITED: Ventor, Standen, McGowen (Henry 72 mins),
O'Shea, Watts, Slatter, Riviere, Beard, Powell, Booth, Berkeley
(Hambley 52 mins). Unused subs: Jinadu, Burgess, Knight.
Oxford City (1) 1 Folkestone Invicta (2) 4
|
RM Oct 4, 2003 Attendance 149.
Folkestone Invicta moved comfortably through in the F. A. Trophy
when they won Saturday's Preliminary Round tie 4-1 away to Oxford
City thanks to goals from Anthony Hogg, James Millar, Martin
Chandler (penalty) and substitute John Ayling.
Invicta now play at home to another Ryman League Division One North
side Hemel Hempstead in the First Round on Saturday November 1st.
Saturday's win came without the services of top goalscorer Allan Tait
who needed a small operation after injuring a nerve in his finger after an
accident on Thursday in his job as a greenkeeper at a golf course in
East Grinstead.
Tait's absence gave a first start of the season to young striker Lee
Blackman.
And Invicta were always in control at Court Place Farm after opening
the scoring as early as the seventh minute when HOGG
drilled in a low shot in off the post when Micheal Everitt's throw in
from the right fell to him on the edge of the box. It was Hogg's second
goal of the week after his midweek F. A. Cup strike against Hitchin.
It was 2-0 after 38 minutes when MILLAR thumped the ball
home after Hogg had touched an indirect free kick to him inside the
box.
The free kick had been controversially awarded close to the Oxford
goal when defender Kamaran Abbassi attempted to clear the ball but
only succeeded in slicing Blackman's right wing cross back to
goalkeeper Steve Benbow after Everitt had played the ball out of
defence.
But Invicta's two-goal advantage was not to last for long as Andrew
BALLARD made it 2-1 after 40 minutes when he scored at the
second attempt after goalkeeper Tony Kessell had saved his initial
effort when centre forward Colin Simpson nodded down a cross from
the right.
As Oxford celebrated the goal, their Jermaine Ferriera was booked for
comments made to the referee as the home side still felt aggrieved
about the free kick decision which had led to Invicta's second goal.
Invicta's Everitt then hit a dipping shot against the crossbar from the
edge of the penalty area in the 45th minute after showing perseverance
down the right hand side.
The visitors went 3-1 up on the hour when CHANDLER blasted
his penalty into the roof of the net after referee Creighton had spotted a
tug on Blackman by Abbassi, although the young striker was still able
to get his shot in at Benbow.
With the game looking safe, Invicta were able to give a run out to
substitutes Drew Watkins, Dan Larkin and Ayling.
And it was AYLING who was put through the middle to
complete the scoring in the last minute when Oxford again had call to
question the referee for not giving a back pass decision against Invicta
at the other end.
Invicta had scored four goals on a previous visit here three years ago
and had an early chance in the 4th minute when centre half John
Guest did not get enough on his shot when the ball fell to him after
Millar had whipped in a free kick from the left.
At the other end, Simpson blasted a 35-yard free kick just wide after
12 minutes either side of Invicta's first two goals.
Oxford tried to get back into the game at the start of the second half
as Adam Flanagan twice had to head clear to deny Simpson in the
47th minute.
Chandler played a dangerous low ball across the Oxford goal from the
right after 54 minutes and goalkeeper Benbow got down to save from
Millar a minute later when the ball was played across to the midfielder
on the left hand side.
James Dryden missed a good chance after 63 minutes when he
skipped past Julian Dark through the middle to put himself through
after Oxford had given the ball away, only to shoot wide of the post.
Oxford's Ferriera raced past both Flanagan and Invicta captain Scott
Lindsey after 66 minutes and hit his shot over Kessell but wide of the
post.
OXFORD CITY: Benbow, Abbassi, Dark, Antonowicz, Brown (Wise
53 mins), Shepherd, Lee, Ferriera, Simpson, Charles (Crosby 57
mins), Ballard (Jenkins 76 mins). Unused subs: Craker, McTaggart.
FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Everitt, Lindsey, Flanagan, Guest,
Hogg, Chandler (Watkins 74 mins), Munday, Dryden (Ayling 80 mins),
Blackman, Millar (Larkin 79 Mins). Unused subs: Dyson, Egan.
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