Folkestone Invicta 1-1 Horsham YMCA

Folkestone Invicta’s poor home record continued on Saturday afternoon when they needed a 76th minute equaliser from Mark Saunders to keep their F. A. Cup dreams alive against Ryman League Division One South side Horsham YMCA at a sunny Buzzlines Stadium.

The visitors had opened the scoring through Joe Keehan just before half time and held onto their lead deep into the second half after Kevin Watson missed a penalty for the home side.

As Invicta threw players forward as they went in search of an equaliser, SAUNDERS was moved up to centre forward when Ben Sly replaced the injured Leigh Bremner. And it was the player-coach who headed home when James Everitt played the ball across following a good run down the left hand side of the box in a move started by Watson.

Watson had himself moved from right back into left midfield as Invicta went three at the back for the closing stages and the late introduction of striker Ellis Remy gave Neil Cugley’s side added attacking impetus.

But the home side survived a late scare when Roland Edge had to clear off the line from substitute Dan Taylor deep into stoppage time when Steve Davies was sent clear and squared the ball across goal as Horsham YMCA seemed set to snatch victory. Davies had been given on-side after an assistant referee had dropped his flag!

Centre half Liam Friend had missed Invicta’s best chance of a late winner from close range at the far post when Remy met Watson’s 83rd minute free kick from the left.

Edge then got up to head over a Sly corner from the right hand side after 88 minutes before Taylor’s later chance for the visitors.

After three consecutive league defeats at the Buzzlines Stadium so far this season, this was an afternoon during which Invicta had been expected to finally give home supporters something to cheer.

And the home side came close to scoring within the opening minute when Saunders got into the penalty area to head at goalkeeper Chris May from Bremner’s ball in from the right.

There was another aerial chance in the third minute when Bremner himself got up in the middle but could not get sufficient power on his header.

But the visitors held their own and Invicta goalkeeper Kieron Mann had to race out to beat Matt Percival to the ball in the eighth minute and striker Davies then lobbed wide of the post from the right hand side of the box following a 15th minute ball over the defence.

Horsham YMC threatened again when Mann dropped a 19th minute cross and both Matt Russell and Glen Woodburn tried in vain to force the ball over the line as the visitors won the game’s first corner.

A solo run from Bremner took the Invicta striker through the visitors’ defence after 24 minutes, but May was out to block and James Everitt could not quite force the ball past the goalkeeper as the ball came back out.

There were key moments at both ends in the run up to half time as one-time Invicta goalkeeper May made a superb 43rd minute tip over to keep out James Everitt’s far post header following an inviting Damian Abel cross from the left.

And that save became even more significant when KEEHAN put the visitors ahead with a looping header which found the corner of the net after captain Tim White had played the ball into the penalty area as Invicta again looked vulnerable to crosses.

The visitors started the second half strongly as Andy Ottley ran through the middle and saw his shot dip just over the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area.

Invicta captain Edge then became the game’s only booking for a 52nd minute foul on Davies as the home side’s frustration grew.

But Invicta were to dominate the second half, with James Everitt going close from virtually on the goal line after 52 minutes when Ryan Briggs played in a dangerous ball from the left hand side.

May made another important save, this time with his feet from Bremner after 59 minutes, when the striker shot on the turn after James Everitt had played the ball over from the left to Abel on the right hand side of the penalty area.

You sensed that it was not going to be Invicta’s day when Watson’s penalty went over the crossbar after Russell was penalised for a challenge on James Everitt. And May came out to claim the ball when James Everitt played a low ball through to Abel after 67 minutes.

The versatile Everitt had been played in a forward role in this game, though by the end of the match the home side had numerous bodies in attack.

But they could not find a winner and managed to survive that stoppage time scare when the visitors threatened to pile on the misery.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Mann, Watson, Edge, Chappell, Friend, Saunders, M. Everitt, J. Everitt, Bremner (Sly 68 mins), Abel, Briggs (Remy 80 mins).   Unused subs: Okikiolu, Dickson, Stonebridge.

HORSHAM YMCA: May, Duffield, Ottley, Keehan, Woodburn, Percival (Carden 30 mins), Russell, White, Death (Taylor 71 mins), Davies, Simpson (Kezemi 88 mins).  Unused subs: Carter, Keaney.