harlow261105

Thursday 01st September 2005

Cugley: Small squad back fired on us

Saturday 26th November 2005	FA Trophy Third Qualifying Round	Richard Murrill reports from Hammarskjold Road
Harlow Town	2	Salmon 50 Ositola 62
Folkestone Invicta	1	Norman 86

Folkestone Invicta crashed out of the FA Trophy on Saturday on a miserable afternoon for the club away to Harlow when just about anything that could go wrong did in their Third Qualifying Round tie, writes Richard Murrill.

Invicta had to change what has become a settled starting line up as Paul Lamb pulled out on the morning of the game with flu and things got worse as James Dryden (dead leg), John Guest (ribs) and James Everitt (foot) all went off injured during the game.

The visitors even faced the embarrassment of finishing the game with ten men as they only had number two goalkeeper Kieron Mann available to come on when the younger Everitt brother was carried off after 84 minutes.

This was a disappointing performance from Invicta at a soulless ground where a running track between the supporters and the pitch did little for the atmosphere.

Harlow enjoyed the better of the first half and went on to win the game with two goals during the first 20 minutes of the second half before Steve Norman pulled a goal back direct from a free kick with five minutes remaining.

Invicta had a chance in the opening minutes when the ball bounced off James Everitt’s chest and across the Harlow goal.

But most of the action was to be at the other end as Harlow had the wind in their favour.

Guest cleared off the line for Invicta after nine minutes when the visitors found themselves under pressure in their penalty area and the home side also had penalty appeals turned down.

At the other end, centre half Adam Flanagan headed just wide in the 13^th minute from left back Kevin Watson’s free kick.

Marc Salmon shot just wide for Harlow after a corner from the left in the 21^st minute and Austin Berkley’s shot from the left hand side of the box flashed just wide of the far post on the half hour mark.

Former Chelmsford man Berkley was causing Invicta problems and he let fly again after 35 minutes following a ball out to the left from Leon Lalite. And Watson blocked a Salmon shot, with Berkley heading over when the ball was played back into the middle a minute later.

Sammy Winston shot at goalkeeper Tony Kessell when Berkley played the ball into Kenny Davis following some trickery from Lalite down the left hand side after 38 minutes.

Both sides lost their number nines to injury in the urn up to half time as Dryden failed to shake off an early injury and was replaced by Joe Neilson, while Tobi Ositola replaced Winston for the home side.

Harlow had further chances during the first half stoppage time caused by Winston’s injury as Ositola played a dangerous ball across from the left and Invicta captain Scott Lindsey blocked a Lalite shot for a corner after another dangerous break from Ositola.

Micheal Everitt came on for Invicta a minute into the second half for Guest as Invicta went four at the back.

But it was Harlow who opened the scoring in the 50^th minute with a good finish from Salmon after Kessell had made a good save to keep out a Lalite free kick.

Berkley then shot at goalkeeper Kessell a minute later following a run from Davis as the Essex side threatened again.

Micheal Everitt shot at goalkeeper Jamie Riley from outside the penalty area after 59 minutes.

But Harlow increased their lead in the 62^nd minute when a quickly taken throw in from the left hand side took the visitors by surprise and substitute Ositola made it 2-0 when the ball was played across into the middle for him.

Invicta substitute Neilson showed good skill down the left hand side from a Watson ball and shot at goalkeeper Riley after 69 minutes as Invicta sought a lifeline.

At the other end, Davis headed just over from Berkley ’s right wing cross after 74 minutes.

Invicta threw midfielder Stuart Myall further forward and he shot at goalkeeper Riley when the Folkestone side’s first corner of the game fell to him at the far post after 76 minutes.

Invicta were then unlucky after 78 minutes when a Micheal Everitt shot struck the crossbar from outside the penalty area.

Davis was close for Harlow from near the Invicta goal line after 82 minutes and substitute Gregg Williams also went close to making an instant impact as the ball came across to the far post from the left. James Everitt hurt his foot on the post during that incident and had to be helped off.

With Invicta down to ten men, Norman pulled a goal back after 85 minutes with his first goal for the club courtesy of a well-struck free kick.

A 90^th minute Norman corner from the right was then cleared from close to the Harlow line as Invicta threatened to get out of jail.

Harlow ’s Neil Moore and Invicta’s Martin Chandler were the game’s only bookings during stoppage time when a chandler foul led to retaliation from Moore and something of a free-for-all.

In an EXCLUSIVE interview with www.kentishfootball.co.uk, Cugley admitted he had "no complaints" as his side missed out in a place in the first round proper of the competition, and a prospect of a possible clash with a Conference club.

He said: "To be fair they had some good players and we've got no complaints. It's quite a shock that they're not doing better in their league with the players they've got there."

Cugley, with Dryden, Guest and James Everitt, doubtful for Monday night's home game against Slough Town, where victory will see his side climb above their visitors, admitted he had no choice but to name only two outfield players on the bench.

He said: "Sometimes you have bad days. As we've said before we run on a very small side and sometimes it back fires and yesterday it did.

"Paul Lamb was unwell and it was difficult to get another player in. The manager of Hampton moaned in Friday's Non-League Paper that he runs on 18 paid players - it's a different world for someone like us."

Moving forward to their game against Slough, Cugley added: "Everything went a bit wrong on Saturday and whoever we pick will be up for it and get the points we need."

After Monday, Cugley takes his side to second from bottom Windsor & Eton next Saturday, before they host Hendon the following Monday, and travel to Wealdstone on Friday 9th December.

"We've got to pick up points for obvious reasons," said Cugley. "They are all near the bottom to be fair so we need to put points on the board.

"Long term the main thing is to quite well in the league - that's the main aim of the club.

"We've got a busy time ahead, we've got to start putting some points on the board to get out of the bottom four."

Harlow Town: Riley, Moore , Hollenbach, Berkley (Williams 81), Warren , Taylor , Lalite, Wraight, Winston (Ositola 44), Davis , Salmon. Subs: Tague, May.

Folkestone Invicta: Kessell, J. Everitt, Watson, Flanagan, Guest (M. Everitt 46), Lindsey, Chandler , Myall, Dryden (Neilson 40), Jones, Norman. Sub: Mann.

Attendance: 184.