East Thurrock United 2-1 Folkestone Invicta

Folkestone Invicta’s 11-match unbeaten run came to an end when they went down to an 89th minute goal away to East Thurrock United on Tuesday night despite creating several chances at Rookery Hill.

Substitute Gary ANSELL rifled in the home side’s late winner with a low shot into the corner of the net as the rain fell after fellow substitute Akwasi Edusei had showed great skill to touch the ball back to him.

Invicta had fallen behind to a 30th minute goal from Danny Harris despite having the better of the first half, but equalised with a great strike from Leigh Bremner after the interval.

The visitors were then left to rue chances that went away from centre forward Ellis Remy either side of Ansell’s winner.

Invicta went into the game without injured defender Samuel Kola Okikiolu, a former East Thurrock player. Kevin Watson moved across to join youngsters Liam Friend and Frankie Chappell at the heart of the defence, with James Everitt starting at right back and Ryan Briggs coming into the midfield.

And the visitors started brightly as Remy headed wide at the near post when Watson sent the game’s first corner over from the left hand side in the fourth minute.

Centre half Chappell then headed over from another Watson corner three minutes later.

Remy managed to get past his defender down the right hand side of the penalty area after 20 minutes but goalkeeper Shane Gore saved and then dived on the ball to prevent it from crossing the line.

But it was the home side who opened the scoring with their only real chance of the first half when HARRIS poked the ball into the net at the second attempt after his initial effort had come back off a defender.

It was the first goal Invicta had conceded in 485 minutes of football and ended their run of five successive clean sheets, with new goalkeeper Charlie Mitten beaten for the first time on his fifth appearance for the club.

Invicta continued to create chances as Chappell’s 39th minute header hit the top of the crossbar when Watson sent over a hanging corner from the left.

Micheal Everitt then had a chance to score on his 25th birthday four minutes later when Gore came out to save at the expense of a corner when the elder Everitt was given on-side after a ball from younger brother James.

A Briggs chip was cleared off the line when the subsequent corner was played back to him just outside the penalty area and his rebound cannoned off a defender for another corner.

James Everitt was pushed forward to support the attack for the second half.

But it was now the home side who began to create the better chances as Leli Bajada shot against the crossbar after 50 minutes when Friend lost the ball to East Thurrock captain Lee Burns and Max Cornhill side-footed the rebound over the crossbar with a great chance to increase his side’s lead.

The unmarked former Leyton danger man Bajada then headed wide at the far post after 61 minutes when Burns played the ball over from the right hand side in a move also involving right back David Collis and striker Jamie Richards.

And the home side were made to pay as Invicta went straight down the other end and equalised courtesy of a great 20-yard strike from BREMNER which simply flew into the net and left Gore with no chance.

Former Gillingham and Welling United striker Edusei added a spark to the East Thurrock attack when he came on and the substitute let fly with a well-struck shot which flew over the crossbar from just outside the penalty area after 69 minutes.

The versatile James Everitt moved deeper into midfield for his third different position of the night when Damian Abel replaced the injured Mark Saunders.

It was game on for the closing stages and Bremner shot wide across goal in the 80th minute when Micheal Everitt played him through and presented the striker which another chance to score again.

A great 85th minute run from Remy saw him turn Bradley Stevens and go past another defender before shooting wide of the post when he seemed set to put the visitors ahead having done most of the hard work.

Ansell had replaced injured goalscorer Harris just before half time and found himself also on the scoresheet with his side’s late winner.

Both sides had chances during stoppage time as Mitten got across to make a flying save round the post to deny Burns a spectacular goal from 30 yards.

Remy then got clear of the home defence but took one touch too many and goalkeeper Gore came out to save.

A late flare up saw bookings for East Thurrock substitute John Turnbull and Invicta’s Micheal Everitt.

Invicta had won all four of their previous meetings against East Thurrock, but the Essex side is stronger this season and this victory took them up to fifth place in the table and halted Invicta’s own progress up the table.

EAST THURROCK UNITED: Gore, Collis, Dumas, Stevens, Faulkner, Cornhill, Burns, Bajada (Turnbull 81 mins), Williams, Richards (Eduesi 65 mins), Harris (Ansell 42 mins).  Unused subs: West, Patterson.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Mitten, Watson, Edge, Chappell, Friend, Briggs, M. Everitt, Saunders (Abel 73 mins), J. Everitt, Bremner, Remy.  Unused subs: Sly, Corbett, Burchell, Stonebridge.