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Folkestone maintain promotion push

James Dryden's early strike beats Kent rivals

Folkestone Invicta 1-0 Dartford
Saturday 13 March 2004
Dr Martens League Eastern Division
by Richard Murrill

A fifth minute goal from striker James Dryden gave Folkestone Invicta all three points as they maintained their challenge in the top four of the Dr Martens League Eastern Division.

The early goal was not, as it turned out, to act as a springboard for any kind of a repeat of the six goals Invicta had scored against Dartford three weeks earlier.

But the points proved valuable for Invicta as the three sides above them in the table all drew.

What turned out to be the only goal of the game was a good one as Tim Hambley showed excellent vision to play the ball into space in the penalty area for DRYDEN to latch onto it and apply a sweet finish.

For Dryden it was a second goal in consecutive matches following the sale of top goalscorer Allan Tait to Crawley Town and it was an important contribution from Hambley, who returned to the side after a calf injury in a more attacking role alongside Dryden.

Hambley was involved again after 33 minutes when he played the ball into the stretching Martin Chandler who volleyed at goalkeeper Jimmy Simpson.

Invicta were close to increasing their lead after 40 minutes when Dryden played the ball into the path of Micheal Everitt and the right back’s shot was deflected just wide of the post for a corner.

Mark Munday was close with a header after 62 minutes from a Chandler corner on the left, but Simpson palmed the ball away and it was cleared by a defender for another corner.

Anthony Hogg shot over with a good chance after 79 minutes when substitute Lee Blackman combined with Everitt.

Dartford had a late chance to equalise when striker Paul Sykes shot into the side netting after 83 minutes with the visitor’s only real chance of the game when a sliced Munday clearance went back into the Invicta penalty area.

Dartford goalkeeper Simpson made a good save from Hogg during stoppage time after the midfielder had got in behind defender Barry Gibson.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Everitt, Lamb, Flanagan, Guest, Lindsey, Chandler, Munday, Dryden, Hambley (Blackman 77 mins), Hogg.  Unused subs: Walker, Winfield, Watkins, Mann.

DARTFORD: Simpson, Gibson, Osborne, C. Tedder, Ratchford, McClements, Kwashi, Hales, Sykes, May (Ansell 45 mins), Fagan (Nicholls 81 mins).  Unused subs: Potter, Avery, J. Tedder. 

Attendance: 407.