Stephen McCartney (Editor, www.kentishfootball.co.uk) reports from Cheriton Road:

Folkestone Invicta boss Neil Cugley admitted his young side lacked sharpness, despite beating a lively Thamesmead Town side at a windy Cheriton Road today.

The game was settled by a fine 56th minute strike from substitute striker Lee Radford, although Ryman League Division One North visitors Thamesmead were by far the slicker side.

Both sides were without two key players each, as Folkestone Invicta were missing seasoned campaigners Jimmy Jackson (wedding) and James Dryden (away).

Thamesmead were without the returning goalkeeper Steve Northwood (wedding) and summer signing, defender Lewis Tozer was ruled out having contracted swine flu, whilst on holiday in Ibiza.

Mead handed debuts to summer signings James Campbell and Marcus Perona (Whitstable Town), Caleb Kamara-Taylor (ex-Fisher Athletic), Andy Constable (Sevenoaks Town) and Carlton Fairweather (ex Beckenham Town and Fisher Athletic).

With Thamesmead playing their trademark slick football, it was Folkestone Invicta that had the better of the goalscoring chances.

Thamesmead goalkeeper Adam Woodward was called into early action as he was forced to back peddle and tip over a looping cross-come-shot from left wing-back, Josh Burchell.

Folkestone Invicta really should have broken the deadlock after 36 minutes but Darren Smith's left-footed angled drive beat the diving Woodward but smacked agonisingly against the near post.

Woodward was then forced into making low diving saves to prevent Michael Yianni (to score from 35-
yards) and James Everitt (from scoring after some pin-ball in and around the Mead penalty area).

Thamesmead did create their own chances too, the best coming from Kamara-Taylor, who hooked a right-footed volley just wide after chesting Constable's flick on, following Campbell's deep free-kick.

Both sides made a couple of changes at the break, and one of these players, Peter Smith almost played a part in Thamesmead taking a 48th minute lead.

Smith, playing on the right-hand side of midfield, delivered an excellent cross towards the far post and Constable powered his header agonisingly against the near post.

But financially troubled Folkestone Invicta, who other than Jack Delo, Dryden, Jackson, Darren Smith, Liam Friend, James and Micheal Everitt, are relying on local young talent, clinched the victory with a fine finish from Radford.

Liam Dickson burst down the left and centred a peach of a low cross which found Radford at the far post, who slammed his shot through Thamesmead left-back Danny Moore and the goalkeeper.

Smith cracked a right-footed effort over the Folkestone crossbar on the hour but Thamesmead's best chance came of the game in the final minute.

Fairweather weaved clear of the Folkestone defence and was denied by a fine low diving save from substitute goalkeeper Paul Egan.

Cugley, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards, admitted last Saturday's 3-0 home defeat against League One side Gillingham had taken its toll.

“Yes, I think so, it's so early, the players looked a bit rusty,” he said. “We had a hard game against Gills, we were chasing the ball a long time.

“I just felt we weren't comfy on the ball today because that was the first game, proper game, I suppose, against teams of our own standard.

“I felt we could've kept the ball a little bit better and different things like that, but that's why you play friendlies.”

When asked whether he knows his starting eleven for their Ryman League Division One South opener against Dulwich Hamlet here in four weeks time, Cugley replied, “No I don't! It's quite a nice thing because at the end of last year we had the same side every week and that's quite hard this year with having (summer signings Michael) Yianni and people like (Billy) Sommerville and Radford sort of knocking on the door.

“With no Jacko (Jackson) or Jimmy Dryden here today, I'm not a little away and I'm not sure which formation (I should play) yet, so that's quite pleasing in some ways.”

Cugley praised match-winner Radford by saying, “He's a local lad, scored a lot of goals in local football. He's come along pre-season and he's done well in pre-season so we're looking at him.

“I think we had 16 players and fourteen of them are all local lads so it does give them a chance. But that's how I started my career, when you get a chance when the club doesn't have much money, you've got to take your chance.”

But Cugley did praise Thamesmead for the way that they played today.

“To be fair they came down and passed the ball around, but didn't really cause too many problems,” he said.

“They came down and the friendly was played in a good way. They were trying to get it down and play and to be fair to them they've played some good stuff.”

Despite the praise from his opposite number, Mead manager Keith McMahon was disappointed losing his first warm-up game of the new season.

He was, however, pleased with the way that his side played, and all bodes well for the future.

“I thought we played well for 90 minutes to be honest,” he said. “We had eight new lads, it's our first game, yes, I was really pleased with that - lots of plusses.

“We had five minute spells when I thought we gave the ball away but we had 75% of the possession over the 90 minutes.”

It was the first time that Constable, Fairweather and Kamara-Taylor had played together, but McMahon expects big things for the trio.

“I thought they done well, AC was tremendous. He was unlucky with his header, a little more sharpness. We could have gone on and won the game comfortably.

“If it were a league game I think I would've been a little more disappointed. We didn't deserve to lose.

“I'm more over the moon with the new lads and the lads from my squad how well they gelled together especially the midfield. In the first half Scott Mulholland and Marcus Perona basically run the place.

“We kept the ball really well, showed how good they are and James Campbell at the back was immense.

“I hate losing any game, anyone will tell you that. There's no points at stake, you're not out a cup and I think we were superb with what we've done.

“If you can be happy with a defeat and that's the sort of defeat, obviously we want to get off the mark and score. We could've scored with a lot more sharpness but I thought it was a really good test for us.

“Folkestone are going to be a good side, they've got some good players.”

When asked about Fairweather's background, McMahon replied, “Carlton has been at Beckenham and Fisher, I think he went up to Burnley last year and had a long trial for a while and I got him here.

“He's got bundles of pace, he can play on the wing, he can play up front. You saw him in the last five minutes when he flew past four defenders and the keeper made a decent save.

“A bit of fitness, he's only young, but he's going to offer us quite a bit to be honest.

“I said there might be one other coming in, and that's him. Apart from that you've seen how strong our squad is. There's a lot of players trying to get in my 15-126 and that includes Tony Russell, my coach, who didn't get on today.”

Folkestone Invicta: Jack Delo (Paul Egan 79), Josh Vincent (Sam Henson 46), Josh Burchell, Liam Friend, Frankie Chappell, Liam Dickson (Billy Swallow 66), Darren Smith, Billy Sommerville (Lee Radford 46), James Everitt, Michael Yianni (Jon Driscoll 79), Micheal Everitt.

Goal: Lee Radford 56

Thamesmead Town: Adam Woodward, Jack Hopkins (Tom Hopkins 46), Danny Moore, James Brown (Grant Duff 52), James Campbell, Lea Dawson (Steve Cant 57), Scott Mullholland, Marcus Perona (Liam Burgess 61), Andy Constable (Carlton Fairweather 73), Calib Kamara-Taylor, Carlton Fairweather (Peter Smith 46).
Sub: Tony Russell.

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www.kentishfootball.co.uk has decided to dedicated the coverage of this match to the family and friends of Ryan Musgrove, the first team manager of Coney Hall Football Club. The 36-year-old lost his life on Thursday night, having been shot by a callous gunman before the club's training session in West Wickham, here in Kent.