gravesend160705

Injury mars quick fire Fleet's opening win

Folkestone Invicta began their pre-season programme with a 3-1 defeat at home to Nationwide conference club Gravesend & Northfleet amidst the glorious sunshine of the newly christened Buzzlines Stadium on Saturday afternoon. 

Liam Daish’s full-time Gravesend side took an early stranglehold on the game as they raced into a 3-0 lead after just 20 minutes.

Gravesend legend Jimmy Jackson opened the scoring with a sweet seventh minute strike which flew into the top corner of the net from the edge of the penalty area. 

It was 2-0 in the eleventh minute thanks to a looping header in the middle following a cross from the right hand side. 

And newly signed striker Charlie MacDonald made it 3-0 after 20 minutes when his shot from the right hand side of the box was pushed into his own net by goalkeeper Tony Kessell. 

It had, however, been a sad start to the game for Gravesend trialist Ryan Maxwell who had to leave the field and be taken to hospital with a suspected dislocated shoulder within 30 seconds of his debut.

But it was all Gravesend during the first half as a MacDonald snapshot brought a save from Kessell after 17 minutes.

Invicta gave appearances to summer signings Stuart Myall, Matt Bower and Paul Jones and a second half outing for Andrew Burke who has returned to try his luck with the club again after a couple of spells last season.

The home side came back into the game after the interval and it was to be a memorable afternoon for teenage substitute Ben Sly who pulled a goal back in the 85^th minute on his first senior outing. 

Sly found the net with a well-taken shot across goal when Myall played the ball to him down the right hand side.

A Burke free kick had earlier called Gravesend goalkeeper Aaron Kerr into action after 54 minutes and James Dryden was also close with a low shot which flashed across the goal after 62 minutes.

Folkestone Invicta: Kessell (Mann 70), Watson (J. Everitt 45), Lamb (Burke 45), Flanagan, Guest (Lindsey 83), Lindsey (M. Everitt 45), Norman (Tanner 78), Bower (Sly 73), Dryden (Jones 70), Jones (Glover 45), Myall.

Gravesend & Northfleet (first half): Kerr, Gooding, Smith, McCarthy, Glazer, Slatter (Drury 34), Bowry, Maxwell (Saunders 1), Jackson, MacDonald, Matten. 

Gravesend & Northfleet (second half): Kerr (Mott 79), Heerio, Smith, Gooding, Skinner, Drury, Saunders, Lovell, Boot, Onoyomni, Higham.  Other rolling substitutes: Moore, Groombridge, Yinka. 

Attendance: 154.