Folkestone Invicta 1-1 Margate

Folkestone Invicta moved on from Saturday’s F. A. Cup disappointment with a 1-1 draw at home to Margate in Tuesday night’s Kent derby in a game which will be best remembered for the quality of its two goals.

Ben SLY marked his first starting appearance of the season with his first senior goal to put Invicta ahead when he cut in from the left and side and let fly from outside the penalty area with a great strike after 39 minutes which left goalkeeper Scott Chalmers-Stevens with no chance.

That will always be a memorable moment for 20-year-old Sly who clearly enjoyed his goal.

But Margate replied with a wonder goal of their own after 56 minutes when right back Ryan PETERS – on loan from Brentford - brought a high crossfield ball from the left down and unleashed an unstoppable shot past former Margate goalkeeper Charlie Mitten.

The visitors enjoyed the better of the second half, but finished the game with ten men as Dean Standen was sent off for violent conduct following a fracas involving players from both sides during stoppage time after an initial challenge by Jay Saunders on Micheal Everitt.

And Invicta came desperately close to snatching a winner from the subsequent free kick right on full time as the ball came off a Margate player and shaved the far post when it came in from the right towards Liam Friend.

Following Saturday’s big cup blow against Billericay and after three successive defeats in three different competitions, Invicta made three changes as Sly, Damian Abel and Micheal Everitt came in for Roland Edge (cut face), Remy and Mark Saunders (knee).

Friend moved across to left back in a four-man defence, with Kevin Watson taking over as captain in the absence of Edge.

Standen sidefooted wide from the edge of the penalty area for Margate after ten minutes, but the visitors had to make an early change when player-manager Robin Trott replaced Justin Skinner after 13 minutes.

There were half chances at both ends as Friend got forward and chipped over after 21 minutes, while striker Rob Haworth hit a snapshot over the Invicta crossbar when the ball came in from the right a minute later.

Margate defender Louis Smith blocked an Abel shot after 27 minutes in a good move also involving Leigh Bremner and James Corbett and a James Everitt shot was charged down when Abel played the ball across from the right six minutes later.

And Sly’s goal was just the tonic Invicta needed.

Mitten comfortably dealt with a Haworth header when Trott played the ball in from the left after 40 minutes, but Peters’ great strike was to bring Margate level after the interval.

Margate were awarded a free kick right on the edge of the penalty area when Peters went down after a run through the middle and Mitten kept out Jimmy Jackson’s subsequent strike as Margate stepped up the pressure.

Mitten then reacted well when substitute Kieran Morris’ shot from the edge of the penalty area bounced up at him after 79 minutes.

But Invicta were close after 84 minutes when substitute Ellis Remy couldn’t quite convert the ball at the far post when Abel whipped the ball in from the right in a move also involving Corbett.

At the other end, a James Pinnock cross from the right just eluded striking partner Haworth at the far post when Morris played the ball forward.

As well as Standen’s dismissal, there were bookings for Invicta’s Bremner (challenge on goalkeeper Chalmers-Stevens outside the penalty area after 61 minutes) and Micheal Everitt (dissent after 74 minutes) and for Margate’s Smith (bringing down Sly on the left hand side of the penalty area after 53 minutes) and Daniel Young (kicking the bal away after 87 minutes).

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Mitten, Watson, J. Everitt, Chappell, Friend, Okikiolu, M. Everitt, Sly (Briggs 78 mins), Abel, Bremner (Remy 75 mins), Corbett.  Unused subs: Saunders, Burchell, Stonebridge. 

MARGATE: Chalmers-Stevens, Peters, Skinner (Trott 13 mins), Moir (Morris 45 mins), Young, Smith, Standen, Saunders, Pinnock, Haworth, Jackson.  Unused subs: Watson, Summers, Bowles.