Ashford Town (Mx) 1-1 Folkestone Invicta

Honours were even at Short Lane as Folkestone Invicta drew 1-1 away to Ashford Town (Middlesex) on Saturday afternoon in a proverbial game of two halves.

Invicta had taken a 40 th minute lead and enjoyed the better of the first half exchanges.

But the home side were level after the interval with something of a freak goal direct from a free kick.

And with Invicta then holding on somewhat for a point, the visitors had goalkeeper Charlie Mitten to thank for an 84 th minute save to deny Warren Harris a late winner when the 16-year-old was put clean through.

Both clubs went into the game in mid-table positions in the Ryman Premier League but know that they are actively involved in the relegation struggle in what is an extremely tight division. In many respects this was a game which neither club could really afford to lose.

Invicta gave a debut to new striker Lloyd Blackman and had key men Mitten, Samuel Kola Okikiolu and Mark Saunders fit again following Monday night's disappointing 3-0 home defeat against Carshalton Athletic.

Blackman nearly had a dream start when his seventh minute header was touched onto the crossbar by home goalkeeper Paul Burgess after captain Kevin Watson had sent the game's first corner of the game over from the left.

Striker Byron Harrison shot over when the ball was played down the right hand side to him after nine minutes, but Ashford were relatively slow out of their traps in their first home match since Boxing Day.

Invicta lost James Corbett within the opening ten minutes with a recurrence of his hamstring injury and he had to be helped off the pitch by physio Dave Williams and fellow number ten Scott Todd.

Todd himself was also to suffer a first half injury when he sadly had to be stretchered off.

Invicta striker Leigh Bremner drilled a low 15 th minute shot across the face of goal from the right hand side of the penalty area after beating centre half Stuart Bamford following a good combination between Watson and substitute Marvin Hamilton-Omole.

The visitors were making the early running as Bremner hit a low 23 rd minute shot on the turn at Burgess after a Charlie Glyde ball in a move also involving Saunders and Watson.

At the other end, Invicta centre half Frankie Chappell blocked a Paul Johnson shot and Harrison then shot wide when under pressure from Chappell as Johnson turned provider on the right hand side.

Invicta continued to create chances as a low Glyde shot was touched round the post by Burgess after 26 minutes and Hamilton-Omole shot over five minutes later in a flowing move also involving Bremner and Okikiolu.

Right back Vinnie O'Sullivan fired wide for the home side after breaking forward in the 39 th minute.

But Invicta opened the scoring a minute later as a Glyde corner from the right was only partially cleared and BREMNER got a touch before home left back Darren Deegan touched the ball into his own net when Tom Bryant played a low ball back across goal from the left.

Whilst Deegan unquestionably got the final touch, the goal was credited to Bremner, who was probably owed one after being denied official recognition in similar circumstances at Ramsgate over the Christmas period.

It had been a long range Bryant shot which took a fortuitous deflection that had won the corner in the first place.

Harrison shot over in the 42 nd minute after a ball from Gavin Bamford, but it had been a frustrating first half for the home side and captain Bamford was booked for comments made to the referee as the players left the field at half time.

It was a different story during the second half as Invicta's Glyde was booked for encroachment at a free kick and JOHNSON's subsequent 51 st minute set piece evaded everybody and flew straight into the net.

Invicta had a half chance three minutes later when Watson met a Glyde corner from the right after a Bremner shot was deflected wide.

But the home side were now on top and Harrison was wide again under pressure from Chappell after an inviting ball in by substitute Anthony Joseph on the right hand side following a good run by Deegan.

O'Sullivan then shot wide from the edge of the penalty area in the 71 st minute after a one-two with Joseph.

Harrison missed a good chance to put Ashford ahead in the 76 th minute when he shot straight at Mitten from close range after the ball had cannoned off a defender into his path.

It was Harrison's last contribution before being replaced by Gavin Smith, the latter making his first appearance of the season after breaking his arm during the summer.

The home side had to wait until the 80 th minute to win their first corner of the game but piled on the pressure during the closing stages as substitute Smith headed over after initially nodding the ball on to Harris on the left.

And Mitten's vital save from Harris was to secure Invicta's point when Smith headed the ball on to put the youngster one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

The last half chance fell to Invicta when Watson played the ball in from the left to Chappell and Saunders in the middle after 87 minutes, but Burgess was able to save comfortably.

As well as Bamford and Glyde, there were bookings for both number fives - Ashford's Stuart Bamford and Invicta's Bryant.

ASHFORD TOWN (Middlesex): Burgess, O'Sullivan, Deegan, Canderton, S. Bamford, Wellard, Johnson, G. Bamford, Harrison (Smith 75 mins), Todd (Joseph 25 mins), Harris. Unused subs : Weight, Millett, Ross.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA : Mitten, Watson, Friend, Chappell, Bryant, Okikiolu, Glyde (M. Everitt 71 mins), Saunders, Bremner, Corbett (Hamilton-Omole 10 mins), Blackman. Unused subs : J. Everitt, Edge, Stonebridge.