hampton170905

Invicta suffer cruel blows

Two goals in the closing five minutes condemned ten-men Folkestone Invicta to defeat away to 100% league leaders Hampton & Richmond Borough on Saturday afternoon after the visitors had opened the scoring through Stuart Myall despite the controversial dismissal of John Guest right on half time, writes Richard Murrill.

Guest was sent off in the 45^th minute for what stand-in referee Mr  S. Comerford deemed as deliberate handball when the centre half went to charge the ball down from Lawrence Yaku with his arms raised.

It was one of the game’s major turning points and a disappointing end to a first half in which struggling Invicta had acquitted themselves very well.

The unfortunate Guest had been involved in an even bigger controversy when the sides last met back in January when his much-debated sending off that afternoon ultimately led to referee Gavin Hoare’s infamous walk-off.

But Invicta overcame the loss of Guest to take the lead after 49 minutes when Myall headed in James Everitt’s cross from the right had side after Simon Glover had played the ball back.

It was a shock for the home side who had kept clean sheets in seven of their previous eight matches in all competitions this season.

The lead lasted until the 69^th minute when Francis Quarm switched the play from left to right and Graham Harper smashed the ball into the roof of the net.

Invicta held on at 1-1 until the 87^th minute when substitute Jon Henry-Hayden got the final touch on the line after fellow substitute Luke Fontana slid a low shot goalbound from the left hand side of the box after Elliott Godfrey had thread the ball through.

It was a cruel blow for Invicta and Fontana  rubbed salt into the visitors’ wounds by finding the net from the right hand side of the box with virtually the last kick of the match despite a desperate challenge from Adam Flanagan.

Invicta had gone into the game with new assistant manager Paul Parker taking on his new-found role for the first time and gave a debut to 18-year-old goalkeeper Kieron Mann in the absence of the suspended Tony Kessell.

James Everitt came in for his first start of the season in place of the injured Kevin Watson and Glover replaced the injured Paul Jones in attack.

Invicta set about their task in a purposeful manner as you would have been hard pressed to determine which side had won all their opening Ryman Premier League matches so far this season and which is still searching for its first win.

Glover headed wide as early as the second minute when Myall played the ball in from the right hand side in a move started by Micheal Everitt.

And Myall himself shot wide from the edge of the box in the fourth minute when James Everitt played the ball in from the right.

Invicta’s Flanagan blocked an Alan Inns shot after five minutes and the centre half then got forward to head a Myall free kick from the left wide following a foul on Glover two minutes later.

Teenager Mann made a confident start in the Invicta goal and came out to save and thwart the danger when Yaku nodded the ball on to Kelvin Macintosh after eight minutes.

Mann then got down to save Inn’s low shot a minute later.

Invicta reverted back to the 5-3-2 formation which had served them well for much of last season, with Steve Norman joining Flanagan and Guest at the heart of the defence.

The excellent Norman did well to dispossess Macintosh when danger man Yaku sent him away as Hampton broke following an Invicta throw at the other end.

Macintosh then headed just wide for Alan Devonshire’s side when Yaku sent Harper racing away down the right hand side after 26 minutes.

But Invicta continued to hold their own as James Dryden headed over a deep Paul Lamb cross after 27 minutes and Micheal Everitt shot into the side netting after 32 minutes.

Myall hit a free kick at goalkeeper Matt Lovett after 38 minutes when Dryden was fouled on the edge of the box.

At the other end, captain Scott Lindsey blocked Inns' shot from the edge of the penalty area as Invicta continued to get bodies in the way of the ball when they needed to.

Guest’s dismissal was to overshadow Invicta’s first half performance and came about after Godfrey had taken down goalkeeper Lovett’s clearance very well to feed Yaku.

Hampton had a great chance to equalise just a minute after Invicta’s goal but Godfrey somehow didn’t touch the ball in from close to the line when Yaku played the ball back to Steve Sodje and the left back shot at goal.

Dryden lobbed the ball at Lovett when the striker produced a brilliant piece of skill to tee himself up after 59 minutes and Micheal Everitt volleyed over in the middle when Dryden played the ball in from the left three minutes later as Invicta continued to look very comfortable and even threatened a second goal on the break.

Hampton thought that they had equalised after 66 minutes when substitute Fontana put the ball into the net at the far post when Harper played the ball across from the right, but the ‘goal’ was ruled out for offside after a move involving Quarm, Yaku, Godfrey and Macintosh.

But three goals in the closing 22 minutes were to make it seven wins out of seven for Hampton& Richmond Borough.

The home side’s Macintosh (late challenge on Micheal Everitt after 11 minutes) and Inns (dissent after 64 minutes) were both booked.

Hampton & Richmond Borough:   Lovett, Harper, Sodje (Fontana 60), Elverson, Paris, Wells, Inns (Gardner 67), Godfrey, Yaku (Henry-Haydon 79), Quarm, Macintosh.  Unused subs: Matthews, Connor.

Folkestone Invicta: Mann, J. Everitt, Lamb, Flanagan, Guest, Lindsey (Chandler 88), M. Everitt, Myall, Dryden, Glover (Neilson 75), Norman.  Unused subs: Watson, Hurley. 

Attendance: 292.