Walton and Hersham 2-1 Folkestone Invicta

Folkestone Invicta went out of the F. A. Carlsberg Trophy when they were beaten 2-1 in Saturday’s First Qualifying Round tie away to Walton & Hersham despite leading at half time thanks to an early goal from James Corbett.

The home side turned the game around with two goals in quick succession early in the second half and Invicta were unable to retrieve the situation, with James Everitt missing a gilt-edged chance to equalise during the closing stages.

After an 11-match unbeaten run, this was Invicta’s second successive 2-1 away defeat following their midweek reverse at East Thurrock.

And this loss followed a similar pattern to Invicta’s 3-1 defeat at Stompond Lane last season when Walton & Hersham again hit back after the Folkestone side had taken an early lead.

Invicta welcomed Samuel Kola Okikiolu and Corbett back into the starting line up after recent injuries in place of both Mark Saunders and Leigh Bremner (hamstring) who watched from the sidelines.

And it was CORBETT who opened the scoring in a sunny afternoon in Surrey with his first goal of the season.

The one-time Gillingham and Blackburn Rovers star headed in from close range after just six minutes when Ryan Briggs’ good ball in from the left was headed back across goal at the far post by captain Roland Edge.

Invicta had threatened a minute earlier when the ball was headed off the Walton & Hersham line after centre forward Ellis Remy hooked the ball back across goal from the right hand side of the penalty area when Corbett sent over the game’s first corner.

James Everitt then shot wide for Invicta from 25 yards after 17 minutes as everything was going to plan for the Folkestone side early on.

 Invicta centre half Liam Friend got back to deny Richard Thompson after 22 minutes when the home striker chased down an attempted headed back pass from Okikiolu.

But it had been Invicta’s half and the Swans’ frustrations boiled over as manager Les Cleevely was banished to the stands by referee Alison Chapman after 43 minutes.

A low Thompson shot rolled across the Invicta goal and past the far post from the edge of the penalty area following a Will Jenkins ball after 49 minutes.

And the Swans equalised in the 57th minute when they won their first corner of the game and Adam Moriarty’s ball in from the left led to a mix up between Micheal Eveirtt and goalkeeper Charlie Mitten which presented THOMPSON with the chance to touch the ball into the net despite James Everitt’s efforts to clear off the line.

An assistant referee’s flag confirmed that the ball had crossed the line and the game was again all square.

And everything turned in the 62nd minute when Invicta were close at one end and Walton & Hersham then scored again at the other.

Corbett put the ball over from close range for Invicta following a Kevin Watson corner on the right.

But from the subsequent goal kick, Rob GEORGE latched onto a header from Invicta defender Friend down the right hand side and slotted the ball into the net across goal.

Home substitute Mark Peters showed good skill in the penalty area after 68 minutes and shot wide of the far post from the left hand side of the penalty area when a free kick was headed down to him.

Dan Nwanze got in before James Eveirtt in the penalty area in the 78th minute after an Edge touch in a move also involving substitute Damian Abel, who had replaced defender Okikiolu to pep up Invicta’s attack as they chased an equaliser.

James Everitt headed wide from an 80th minute Watson corner on the left, while at the other end Mitten saved with his feet to deny substitute Peters two minutes later when Friend got a tackle in to stop Jenkins after the striker had burst through the middle.

Invicta then missed their best chance of saving the day as James Everitt headed wide from close range in the 83rd minute when a short corner between Watson and Abel on the right hand side caught the home defence by surprise.

Home goalkeeper Stuart Searle got across to keep out a 25-yard Abel shot after 88 minutes when a Watson corner from the left came back out.

But as Invicta threw players forward, they were caught short at the back a minute later as Mitten got up to save from Jenkins when Moriarty played the ball in from the right.

Searle parried a stoppage time James Everitt shot away for a corner after the goalkeeper had flapped at the ball when it came in from a free kick.

At the other end, striker Jenkins headed just over deep into stoppage time following a free kick on the right.

As well as manager Cleevely’s dismissal, there were bookings for Walton & Hersham’s Nwanze, Lee Richardson, Matt Elverson and Ryan Bernard and for Invicta’s Friend.

WALTON & HERSHAM: Searle, Bernard, Nowacki (Williams 79 mins), Richardson, Elverson, Nwanze, Moriarty, George, Jenkins, Thompson (Peters 60 mins), Carter.  Unused subs: Graham, Kargbo, Boosey.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Mitten, Watson, Edge, Chappell, Friend, Okikiolu (Abel 73 mins), M. Everitt, Briggs (Sly 84 mins), J. Everitt, Corbett, Remy.  Unused subs: Dix, Saunders, Stonebridge.