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Margate pile on more cup final heartbreak for Folkestone

Folkestone Invicta 1-2 Margate
John Ullman Kent Senior Cup Final
Wednesday 28 April 2004
by Richard Murrill from the Westbourne Stadium

Folkestone Invicta suffered cup final heartbreak for the sixth successive time when they went down 2-1 at home to Conference side Margate in the John Ullman Kent Senior Cup Final at the Westbourne Stadium on Wednesday night.

Invicta had led 1-0 at half time thanks to a Martin Chandler penalty just before half time, but holders Margate equalised with an Adrian Clarke penalty of their own after 55 minutes and John Keister hit the winner after 83 minutes.

Invicta, beaten finalists in both1999 and 2000, gave a good account of themselves against a Margate side who were disappointing during the first half on a poor pitch.

Neil Cugley’s small squad was stretched to the limit with the absence of suspended captain Scott Lindsey and 19-year-old John Walker came in for his first home starting appearance at right back and Lee Blackman enjoyed a rare start alongside James Dryden in attack.

And the home side started well as Chandler shot wide on the turn when a long Dryden throw in from the right hand side came back out to him on the edge of the box.

Chandler shot at goalkeeper Phil Smith again a minute later following a move involving the composed Walker and Micheal Everitt.

Dryden then let fly at Smith from outside the penalty area after 19 minutes as Invicta’s confidence grew.

Margate’s Darren Annon was booked for a trip on Chandler after 35 minutes. And Annon was lucky to stay on the pitch a minute later for his part in a flare up which resulted in a booking for Invicta striker Blackman as he retaliated after another foul from the Margate full back.

Invicta opened the scoring after 44 minutes when CHANDLER hit his penalty down the middle following a challenge by goalkeeper Smith on Blackman.

Margate had not had a shot on target during the opening 45 minutes, but the game was to open up after the interval.

Drytden shot into the side netting after 50 minutes when Chandler played him in following a great run through the visiting defence in the best move of the match thus far. A second Invicta goal then might well have proved to be decisive.

But Margate equalised after 54 minutes when CLARKE scored from the penalty spot when Walker was adjudged to brought down Jean-Michel Sigere. Former Margate player Paul Lamb was booked for his protests by poor referee Tony Mason from Sidcup who had too much influence on the game.

Walker recovered to make a saving tackle on Sigere after 67 minutes when Rocky Baptiste put him through after an underhit back pass from John Guest put goalkeeper Tony Kessell in trouble moments after Margate goalkeeper Smith had completely missed the ball at the other end.

Margate’s winner came in the 84^th minute when Sierra Leone international KEISTER turned the ball in when Baptiste’s mis-hit shot fell to him after Clarke’s deep cross from the left flank.

Invicta brought on 16-year-old substitute Oliver Waters for his first senior outing after 86 minutes.

And the home side nearly saved the day during injury time when the tireless Dryden shot agonisingly wide across goal from the right hand side of the box.

Margate’s match-winner Keister was chosen as man of the match as the visitors collected the trophy on the pitch at the end of the game.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Walker (Waters 86  mins), Lamb, Guest, Flanagan, Everitt, Chandler, Munday, Dryden, Blackman (Ayling 69 mins), Hogg.  Unused subs: Winfield, Dyson, Mann.

MARGATE: Smith, Oakes, Annon, Edwards, Clarke, Porter, Keister, Baptiste (Pulman 87 mins), Leberl, Sigere, Saunders.  Unused subs: Stodhart, Watson, Abbott.

Attendance: 754.