Ramsgate 2-1 Folkestone Invicta

Folkestone Invicta came away empty-handed in their last match of 2007 when an 86 th minute free kick from Ramsgate substitute Dan Dolton gave the Thanet side all three points at the Southwood Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

As at AFC Hornchurch earlier in December, the Folkestone side were beaten by a late goal when they had appeared to have been on course for a share of the spoils.

But this was Invicta's ninth successive away defeat in all competitions. The Folkestone side had topped the away-day league table earlier in the season but their woes on the road have followed since an impressive goalless draw away to AFC Wimbledon back in early October.

All three goals in Saturday's Kent derby came during the final 20 minutes and each could be described as soft.

The home side opened the scoring in the 72 nd minute when the danger initially seemed to have gone following a Steffan Ball corner from the right hand side but Lee Minshull volleyed the ball back into the penalty area and it ricocheted into the path of captain Warren SCHULZ who found the net.

But just as Invicta were cursing their luck, they equalised in similar circumstances four minutes later when a free kick from the left led to a scramble in the Ramsgate penalty area and with Leigh Bremner putting the ball in towards the goal it eventually went in off home centre half Dan TANNER.

It was the first goal Invicta had scored in four Ryman Premier League games against bogey side Ramsgate. But Jim Ward's side were to go on to record a fourth successive league win over Neil Cugley's side with a late set piece.

The winning goal came direct from a free kick from substitute DOLTON – who had only been on the pitch for minutes – which beat both the Invicta wall and 18-year-old goalkeeper Luke Stonebridge.

The set piece had been awarded after Invicta centre half Frankie Chappell had brought down Ramsgate striker Ball as he ran through.

Two minutes earlier, Ball had missed a clear chance to restore his side's lead when he fired over after being given on-side and put clean through by Dean Hill.

Chasing a late second equaliser, Invicta replaced defender Samuel Kola Okikiolu with striker Damian Abel and the substitute hooked the ball at goalkeeper Paul Wilkerson with a 90 th minute strike on goal from outside the penalty area when a free kick from the left came back out.

At the other end, Ball put the ball into the side netting at the far post when substitute Dolton broke down the left and his low cross flashed just in front of fellow substitute Stuart Vahid in the middle.

Charlie Glyde fired over from outside the penalty area with the game's last chance, but there was to be no way back for Invicta.

The Folkestone side went into the game with the same starting line up which had beaten Hastings United on Boxing Day, a result which was followed by the departure of manager Nigel Kane from the Sussex club.

On an un-seasonally sunny afternoon, chances were few and far between in the opening exchanges.

Ball played a one-two with Michael Phillips but fired well wide after five minutes and Phillips hit a free kick over the crossbar after 25 minutes following an infringement by Glyde.

The home side then hit the crossbar in the 27 th minute with a well-struck shot from Andy Hadden following a Laurence Ball pass and Chappell got in to clear when Minshull could not control the rebound.

At the other end, Ramsgate goalkeeper Wilkerson clawed Bremner's ball in from the right away for Invicta's corner of the game on the half hour mark.

There was controversy five minutes later when Bremner and Ramsgate defender Nick Davis were booked following a flare up on the touchline, with Davis appearing to make contact with his head.

The best chance of the first half well to Ramsgate when Ball fired wide across goal in the 40 th minute when Minshull got in behind the Invicta defence from a Wilkerson clearance.

The first half finished with a booking for Invicta captain Kevin Watson for use of his arm on Minshull after he had appeared to be fouled.

Bremner played in a dangerous 51 st minute ball from the left hand side but the visitors did not have anybody in the middle to capitalise.

Two minutes later, Okikiolu cleared in the middle when Minshull and Ball combined to free Schulz down the left flank.

Ramsgate's Hill was then booked for a rash 55 th minute challenge on Liam Friend following a Bremner touch.

Bremner shot wide after 57 minutes when a Watson ball from the right fell to Micheal Everitt inside the box and Ramsgate centre half Tanner somehow escaped punishment for bringing Bremner down on the right hand side of the penalty area after the striker was in full flight.

Ramsgate left back Hill got forward and scooped the ball over the crossbar from close range in the 62 nd minute when under pressure from Okikiolu in a move also involving Ben Laslett, Minshull and Schulz.

Bremner showed great skill to latch onto a 67 th minute Watson ball down the right hand side but could not get enough power on his shot and Wilkerson was able to get down and save.

But this was again to be Ramsgate's afternoon, with local darts hero Kirk Shepherd having completed his win over Peter Manley in a televised quarter final of the PDC World Championships at the Alexandra Palace just prior to kick off.

RAMSGATE : Wilkerson, Ball, Hill, Davis, Tanner, Laslett (Dolton 81 mins), Hadden, Schulz (Graham 90 mins), Minshull, Ball, Phillips (Vahid 69 mins). Unused subs : King, Alliston.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA : Stonebridge, Watson, Friend, Chappell, Bryant, Okikiolu (Abel 87 mins), Glyde, Shittu, Bremner, Saunders (J. Everitt 81 mins), M. Everitt. Unused subs : Sly, Burchell, Conyers.