Ashford United 0-0 Invicta

Honours were even as Folkestone Invicta’s pre-season friendly away to Ashford United finished goalless at The Homelands on Saturday afternoon.

Invicta’s best moments came during the first half, whilst Ashford had chances to win the game after the interval.

The Folkestone side had last season’s top goalscorer Stuart King getting his first run out of the summer and the striker was close with the game’s first and last chances.

King hit a low shot just wide as he created a third minute opening for himself and Invicta looked as though they were going to open the scoring two minutes later when Josh Burchell had a chance from close range.

Ryan Philpott then had a well-struck seventh minute shot touched over the crossbar by Ashford goalkeeper Tom Carr and James Everitt was close with a header a minute later as Invicta continued to create early chances.

At the other end, Invicta goalkeeper Jack Delo had to hold at the far post when Dan Morrison played the ball in from the right and Adam Cuthbert blasted over after visiting captain Liam Friend gave the ball away to him in the 29^th minute.

Gary Mickleborough then cut in from the right hand side and hit a low 41^st minute shot at Delo.

As half time approached, Everitt could not quite force the ball in when Darren Smith headed across the penalty area after Lee Gledhill had played the ball in from the right.

Ashford’s Liam Whiting then drilled his shot just wide of the post when Invicta’s Mark Towse fell over during first half stoppage time.

Invicta defender Liam Dickson got forward and fired wide from the left in the 51^st minute before the visiting left back soon became part of a triple substitution as he was replaced by young Casey Williams.

Home substitute Matt Hadlum lifted a shot at Delo from the left in the 58^th minute.

And Paul Chambers’ Ashford had a good chance to break the deadline in the 63^rd minute when Roy Guiver headed wide after meeting a Sam Conlon free kick from the right.

Invicta central defender Friend had to get across to put a head in to prevent the ball from reaching Mickleborough two minutes later after a ball in from the left.

It was Ashford who were now creating the chances as Hadlum fired wide after a Conlon touch when Mickleborough crossed from the right.

Substitute Tom Scorer shot high and wide after running at the Invicta defence in the 74^th minute and Scorer could not quite convert in the middle three minutes later when Hadlum drilled a low ball across after receiving it inside the penalty area from Conlon.

Invicta substitute Joe Lester broke down the right hand side and blasted just wide across goal in the 80^th minute.

But Guiver was again close a minute later with a back heel from a Conlon corner on the left that was cleared from close to the line.

Lester broke down the right again for Invicta in the 84^th minute when a Cade Mortimer shot was blocked by a defender and Smith fired wide a minute later after receiving the ball from Williams.

Conlon shot wide across goal for Ashford in the 88^th minute.

But Invicta threatened a stoppage time winner when King blasted wide.

The sides meet again at Cheriton Road on Tuesday August 7^th.

ASHFORD UNITED: Carr, Walsh, Quigley, Guiver, Morrison, Whiting, Zanone, Jordan, Cuthbert, Takalobigashi, Mickleborough. Subs: Finch, Firth, Hadlum, Conlon, Fisher, Scorer, Allen, Williams, Mant.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Delo (Hayward 53 mins), Gledhill (Lester 61 mins), Dickson (Williams 53 mins), Friend, Chappell, Towse (Boughtwood 72 mins), Smith, Philpott (Mortimer 53 mins), Everitt, King, Burchell