Heybridge Swifts 1 Folkestone Invicta 1 aet (0-0 at 90, 3-2 on pens)

RM Feb 22, 2004 Attendance:

Folkestone Invicta suffered the heartbreak of defeat on penalties as they lost Tuesday night's shoot out 3-2 on a cold night in Essex in the quarter finals of the Bryco Cup away to Heybridge Swifts following a 1-1 draw after extra time.

After going out of the F. a. Cup this season at home to Harrow Borough and last season away to Welling on penalties, this was another cruel cup exit for Neil Cugley's side.

The penalty shoot out got off to a poor start for Invicta as Micheal Everitt struck the first kick over the crossbar and Simon Glover then had his penalty saved by goalkeeper Paul Rutherford.

Invicta were thrown a lifeline when Ian Cousins hit Heybridge's second penalty over the crossbar, but when Rutherford saved Invicta's final penalty taken by James Everitt it meant that the home side did not have to take their fifth penalty as their goalkeeper took the plaudits.

There had been successful strikes for Heybridge's Scott Forbes, Kelly Pollard and Cliff Akurang and for Invicta defenders Paul Lamb and Adam Flanagan.

The game itself had finished 1-1 at Scraley Road, with both goals coming during extra time as former Chelsea youngster Akurang put Heybridge ahead after 99 minutes, only for Glover to equalise after 109 minutes.

AKURANG, a recent signing from Conference South club Thurrock opened the scoring from close range after Invicta goalkeeper Tony Kessell had saved an initial shot when the ball was pulled back from the left hand side in a move involving Pollard.

Invicta responded at the start of the second period of extra time as James Everitt went close after a Glover shot was charged down and the visitors' protested in vain for a penalty for handball.

And GLOVER made it 1-1 when he thumped the ball home following a corner from the left hand side.

Kessell then made a great tip over to deny Mike Shinn with five minutes of extra time remaining and Invicta survived again a minute later when former Margate striker Jean-Michael Sigere's low ball in from the right was only sliced away and it was then Heybridge's turn to have penalty appeals for handball turned down when the ball was deflected off the line.

Invicta had centre half John Guest back from suspension in a five-man defence which saw teenager Will Dunlop make a first starting appearance. Captain Scott Lindsey, however, was a late withdrawal as his wife gave birth to a baby girl late in the afternoon, with Mark Munday taking over as skipper.

Coincidentally, recently appointed Heybridge assistant manager Barry Lakin also became the father of a baby girl on Tuesday.

Heybridge are currently on a good run under new manager Brian Statham and were close as early as the second minute when big centre half Chris Wild poked the ball wide.

A dangerous cross from the right by Dwayne Edwards then flew across the Invicta goal after 13 minutes when a Kessell clearance was headed back by the home side.

For Invicta, centre half Flanagan mis-kicked when Glover played the ball in from the left after 34 minutes when the latter combined with Paul Sykes in a move started by Flanagan himself who brought the ball out of defence.

James Everitt then drilled a low shot wide when the ball fell to him on the right hand side in a first half of few clear cut chances.

Invicta had the ball in the net after 57 minutes when Flanagan turned the ball in after Sykes had nodded on a Guest free kick, but the 'goal' was ruled out for offside when the ball originally came in.

Two minutes later, Shinn shot over from just outside the box at the other end.

Shinn then curled a shot wide from the edge of the area as Heybridge threatened again after 69 minutes with the tie delicately poised.

Invicta went up the other end and won their first corner of the game after 70 minutes when a fierce Micheal Everitt shot was deflected wide.

James Everitt came to Invicta's rescue after 75 minutes when he cleared off the line at the far post after Wild met a corner from the right.

Invicta had a chance to go ahead when Munday played striker James Dryden through, but Rutherford got down to save the subsequent shot after 81 minutes.

With extra time looming, Kessell made a brilliant save from Akurang after 90 minutes when Guest got caught in possession inside the Invicta penalty area with the Folkestone side temporarily reduced to ten men as the influential Flanagan was forced to leave the field with blood on his shirt.

And Kessell got down to save from Heybridge substitute and debutant Paul Abbott deep into stoppage time.

The drama had only just started.

There were bookings for Invicta's Flanagan (unceremoniously bringing down Sigere after 63 minutes), Lamb (foul after 85 minutes) and Dryden (challenge on goalkeeper Rutherford after 11 minutes) and for Heybridge's Wild (raising his hands in a melee after the Dryden incident).

HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS: Rutherford, Artun, Cousins, Shinn, Wild, Pollard, Edwards (Abbott 57 mins), Gillespie, Akurang, Forbes, Sigere. Unused subs: Barber, Marks, Otalor.
FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, J. Everitt, Lamb, Flanagan, Guest, Dunlop, M. Everitt, Munday, Dryden, Glover, Sykes (Neilson 76 mins). Unused sub: Walker, Watson, Morrin.

Folkestone Invicta 0 Northwood 0

RM Feb 20, 2004 Attendance: 314

Folkestone Invicta had to settle for a point in their first home goalless draw of the season on a bitterly cold and windy afternoon against mid-table Northwood on Saturday afternoon.

With Invicta now one of four clubs just one point outside the dreaded bottom four relegation zone, this was a game they would have been looking to win in an increasingly close bottom half of the table.

Pre-match team news saw Paul Lamb passed fit after limping off in Tuesday night's last-gasp defeat at Tonbridge, with the left back's former Margate colleague Mark Munday coming in for Paul Sykes.

But Invicta were dealt an early injury blow when defender Steve Norman was stretchered off with an ankle injury following a tackle with striker Ben Abbey which left both players requiring treatment after just eight minutes.

That gave a first league outing to teenager Will Dunlop who, for one, can take credit from this game for a clean sheet against experienced strikers Abbey and Steve Hale.

James Dryden fired high and wide when Joe Neilson got a touch after a good ball forward from captain Scott Lindsey in the 15th minute and Invicta were close again a minute later when Munday shot at goalkeeper Dean Lindsey following an exchange of passes between strikers Dryden and Neilson.

Hale was close with a glancing header for Northwood following a corner from the left hand side after 23 minutes.

Northwood goalkeeper Lindsey was called into action again on the half hour mark when he got across to save when Munday met James Everitt's cross from the right with a glancing header.

Arguably the best moment of the game came after 33 minutes when goalkeeper Lindsey touched over Munday's free kick from right on the edge of the penalty area after Northwood captain Luke Evans was penalised for a challenge on Adam Flanagan.

Abbey shot wide across goal from the edge of the penalty area after 38 minutes, but Invicta were close again during first half stoppage time when Dryden poked the ball at goalkeeper Lindsey after Munday had threaded the ball through.

The second half started in much the same fashion as Neilson shot at Lindsey from outside the penalty area when Munday touched the ball on in the 50th minute.

Neilson then diverted a Simon Glover shot wide when Munday pulled the ball back on the hour after Flanagan had played the ball down the left hand side.

And Dryden shot into the side netting from the left hand side of the box when captain Lindsey played the ball over the visiting defence two minutes later.

Invicta introduced striker Sykes from Neilson after 77 minutes, but there was to be no late winner.

Northwood substitute James Bent became the game's only booking for a late challenge on James Everitt after 89 minutes.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, J. Everitt (Walker 90 mins), Lamb, Flanagan, Norman (Dunlop 10 mins), Lindsey, M. Everitt, Glover, Dryden, Munday, Neilson (Sykes 77 mins). Unused sub: Coleman, Waters.
NORTHWOOD: Lindsey, Reeks, Dennison, Smith, Evans, Carter, Moore, Hart (Nolan 87 mins), Hale, Abbey (Bent 81 mins), Sargent. Unused subs: Moore, Yeoman

Tonbridge Angels 3 Folkestone Invicta 2

RM Feb 15, 2004 Attendance: 368

Folkestone Invicta were thrown right into the relegation dogfight when they conceded two goals in the last five minutes to throw away a winning position away to third-from-bottom Tonbridge Angels at the Longmead Stadium in Tuesday night's Kent derby.

Invicta had twice taken the lead through Adam Flanagan and James Dryden, but have still won just once on their travels in the Ryman Premier League so far this season as the late twists in the tale completely turned the game on its head.

First defender John Farley equalised for Tonbridge to make it 2-2 after 85 minutes and then recent signing Richard Brady grabbed all three points with a dramatic winner in the 88th minute.

It was a devastating blow to Invicta and a huge relief to the home side for whom this was a 'must win' game in their bid for survival.

Unlikely hero FARLEY had made one loan appearance for Invicta during the 2000-01 season and set up the grandstand finish when he headed in after player-manager Tony Dolby's free kick was headed on.

And Dolby was also involved in his side's winner two minutes later when he ran forward and played the ball in to substitute Jay May who touched the ball on for BRADY to dink the ball into the net and complete a remarkable turnaround. Invicta defender Steve Norman was booked as Invicta protested in vain for a foul on substitute Luke Coleman.

The visitors had gone for an attacking line up as teenager Joe Neilson joined Paul Sykes and Dryden in a three-pronged attack, with Simon Glover given licence to run at the home defence from midfield.

And Invicta were in charge for most of the first half and could have opened the scoring as early as the third minute when Dryden was played in down the right hand side but his shot was saved by home goalkeeper Jamie Turner.

Centre half FLANAGAN opened the scoring after 14 minutes when he was there at the far post to convert Paul Lamb's corner from the right hand side close to the line. The goal came following a succession of early Invicta corners, although the decisive one was disputed by the home side.

Invicta were close again after 20 minutes with a Sykes header from a Lamb cross.

Tonbridge were frustrated and Dolby was booked for dissent after 31 minutes and George Lay for a challenge on goalkeeper Tony Kessell after 42 minutes.

Dolby shot just wide from the edge of the box following John Beales' long throw from the right hand side after 36 minutes and Invicta goalscorer Flanagan was booked for a foul after 44 minutes.

Invicta had enjoyed the ascendancy during the first half but Tonbridge were to equalise during stoppage time when they forced their first corner of the game which was not held by Kessell and FARLEY eventually thumped the ball home with some aplomb.

But Invicta regained the lead after 50 minutes when Glover ran forward and Sykes picked out DRYDEN with a good ball through to the right hand side of the box and the top goalscorer found the net with a low shot across goal.

At the other end, Kessell immediately showed his worth with an acrobatic one-handed save to keep out Craig Roser's 25-yard shot after 51 minutes.

Roser fired wide from the left hand side of the box after 55 minutes following a move involving Lay and Leroy Huggins and Kessell made another excellent save to keep out Beales' hooked shot a minute later.

Beales was then involved at the other end after 61 minutes when he blocked a Dryden shot after Glover had played the ball down the left hand side of the box.

A Nick Barnes ball came in from the left hand side and flew just in front of striker Brady in the middle after 74 minutes and Brady shot wide on the turn three minutes later.

It did not look like being Tonbridge's night, but that was all about to change during the dramatic closing minutes. Quite what effect this has on both clubs' prospects of avoiding the drop remains to be seen.

TONBRIDGE ANGELS: Turner, Wilson, McNamara, Dolby, Beales, Farley, Roser, Lye (May 75 mins), Huggins (Street 90 mins), Brady, Barnes. Unused subs: Piscina, Cass, Humphrey.
FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, J. Everitt, Lamb (Walker 60 mins), Flanagan, Norman, Lindsey, M. Everitt, Neilson (Coleman 77 mins), Dryden, Sykes (Munday 52 mins), Glover. Unused sub: Morrin.

Nov 2004/ Feb2005 Matches click here