Folkestone Invicta began life in the Ryman League Division One South with an encouraging 2-1 win away to Worthing on Saturday’s opening day after being awarded two penalties, converted by James Corbett and Andy Pugh.
PUGH was one of six in Invicta’s starting line up making their competitive debut for the Folkestone club and the 19-year-old loan signing from Gillingham grabbed the winner with an 88th minute penalty after Justin Gregory had brought down James Everitt.
To compound Worthing’s misery, Gregory was sent off for a second yellow card after earlier being cautioned when he also gave away the first penalty after pulling back Pugh (below, right).
CORBETT then stepped forward to score from the spot in the 31st minute at a sunny Woodside Road.
Club captain Ben ANDREWS had equalised for Worthing in the 71st minute when he followed up to score from close range after goalkeeper Charlie Mitten had touched his initial header onto the crossbar.
The switch of Andrews – making his 150th appearance for the home side – from centre half to centre forward for the second half saw the Rebels come back into the game after Invicta had been on top during the first half.
But Invicta were not to be denied and recorded their first opening day win since 2003, the previous time they had started a season following a relegation.
This was an early encounter between a home side who had been beaten in last season’s play-offs and a visiting side who had been relegated from the Ryman Premier League on the last day of the season. And both clubs are expected to feature in this season’s promotion race.
Corbett had threatened to put Invicta ahead after 28 minutes when he showed great skill to put the ball over two defenders and race clean through, but goalkeeper Alan Mansfield came out to save with his feet.
- Jimmy Corbett's 31st-minute penalty for Invicta -
But Corbett (below, left) did not have to wait long before opening the scoring from the penalty spot when the one-time Gillingham and Blackburn Rovers star struck to equal his Ryman League goal tally from last season’s disappointing campaign.
Worthing’s Andrews joined Gregory in referee Breakspear’s notebook for his protests.
Invicta defender Nick Humphrey was also booked after 37 minutes for a heavy challenge on Chris O’Flaherty.
A 44th minuet cross from Jamie Brotherton just evaded Paul Elliott in the middle and Karl Akehurst’s shot then deflected across the Invicta penalty area.
But it had been a fairly comfortable opening 45 minutes for the visitors’ defence.
It was to be a different story after the interval as Andrews’ switch up front prompted more pressure from the home side.
Invicta, though, threatened to increase their lead within 30 seconds of the re-start when Mansfield made a spectacular one-handed save to deny Corbett after Mark Green had played the ball in from the left hand side.
But Worthing then had their best chance of the game thus far in the 48th minute when Brotherton headed wide O’Flaherty’s corner from the right after Liam Friend had made a saving tackle on Brotherton.
There was more danger inside the Invicta box two minutes later when Andrews nodded on a free kick from the right and Elliott couldn’t quite force the ball in with two attempts from close range.
Lloyd Skinner’s 65th minute cross from the right whizzed across the Invicta goalmouth and the Worthing substitute then shot over the crossbar when the ball came back across from the left.
At the other end, Green played a dangerous 69th minute ball in from the left after skipping past Roy Pook when Jimmy Jackson played the ball out wide.
- Andy Pugh's 88th-minute penalty for Invicta -
And Invicta had a perfect chance to increase their lead after 70 minutes when James Everitt squared a low ball across to Pugh in the middle, but Mansfield came out to make a vital save after the goalkeeper had initially cleared the ball straight to James Dryden.
The visitors were made to pay a big price for that miss as Andrews scored at the other end within a minute.
It was now game on as a Brotherton shot was blocked inside the Invicta box and O’Flaherty couldn’t quite convert at the far post, while Dryden latched onto a high ball over the home defence and shot just wide.
But a late ball in from Green on the left to James Everitt was to lead to the Gregory challenge which gave Pugh the chance to mark his debut with a winning goal.
CORBETT then stepped forward to score from the spot in the 31st minute at a sunny Woodside Road.
A 44th minuet cross from Jamie Brotherton just evaded Paul Elliott in the middle and Karl Akehurst’s shot then deflected across the Invicta penalty area.