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Hogg earns Folkestone second bite of Trophy cherry

Havant & Waterlooville 2-2 Folkestone Invicta
FA Trophy Second Round
Saturday 29 November 2003
by Richard Murrill

A sensational second half comeback saw Folkestone Invicta earn a 2-2 draw away to Premier Division side Havant & Waterlooville in the Second Round of the F. A. Trophy at Westleigh Park on Saturday afternoon.

Anthony Hogg scored both goals as Invicta clawed their way back from 2-0 down and Neil Cugley’s side might even have won the tie as Allan Tait shot inches wide when put through with a great chance to settle the tie.

Invicta had looked dead and buried at half time after a torrid opening 45 minutes during which the home side looked better in all areas of the pitch and led thanks to two goals from striker James Taylor.

Taylor, nicknamed ‘Super Jim’ by the Hampshire club, must love playing against Invicta as he had previously scored three hat-tricks against the Folkestone club, including seven goals in two Premier Division matches last season.

Dean Blake caused Invicta no end of problems on the right flank for the home side during the first half and signalled his intent by curling a shot over the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area after just three minutes when he combined with Taylor.

And it was from a pinpoint Blake cross after 21 minutes that TAYLOR headed Havant into the lead as the rain began to fall.

Invicta created very little in the first half, though left back Paul Lamb saw his shot touched round the post by goalkeeper Gareth Howells when John Ayling played the ball across from the right to James Millar on the left after 25 minutes.

The visitors had goalkeeper Tony Kessell to thank after 28 minutes when he made a vital save with his feet to deny Chukki Eribenne after a ball over the defence had put Havant’s star striker through.

Eribenne then headed wide at the near post when full back Chris Ferrett played the ball over from the left on the half hour mark.

Former Bournemouth striker Eribenne played a big part in Havant’s second goal when he burst down the left hand side after 32 minutes and played the ball back for TAYLOR to sidefoot the ball into the net despite the efforts of Invicta defenders to block the ball.

Invicta had no answer to Blake during the first half and the Havant man terrorised the Folkestone defence again after 39 minutes when his shot from the edge of the penalty area dipped against the crossbar. Kessell saved from Eribenne as Havant kept up the pressure.

A home win at that stage seemed to be a mere formality, although in the context of what was to come, Blake hitting the crossbar can be seen as a turning point.

Neil Champion’s shot flew wide during first half stoppage time after Blake combined with Eribenne as Invicta will have been grateful to hear the half time whistle.

Taykor headed over following a cross from the right after 55 minutes and Havant forced a succession of corners during the opening exchanges of the second half.

But Invicta began to rally, although they appeared to have missed their chance when Tait scuffed his shot when a great ball from Drew Watkins threaded Martin Chandler through down the right hand side in the 57^th minute.

The visitors were then forced into a change when Ayling limped off to be replaced by Lee Blackman after 57 minutes.

Eribenne shot at Kessell after running at the Invicta defence again after 65 minutes as the rain began to fall again.

But Invicta were thrown a lifeline after 68 minutes when HOGG won the ball back and drilled the ball into the net after Tait’s pass had gone astray when Watkins played the ball down the right again.

Invicta had shown great character to come back into the game when the second half could just have been about damage limitation. Instead, the Folkestone side got back into the game with some excellent passing as they began to look increasingly dangerous going forward.

And they sent their travelling supporters into ecstasy after 81 minutes when Tait broke down the left and crossed for HOGG to dive and head his side level in a move also involving Mark Munday and Blackman.

It could have been even better for Invicta a minute later when Hogg won the ball and put Tait clean through, but the pitch thwarted the Invicta striker and he could only shoot inches wide of the post.

Invicta had conceded a last ditch goal in their previous game against Stamford and there was a scare again deep into injury time when Kessell saved from Aaron Skelton following a Havant corner.

HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE: Howells, Champion, Ferrett, Byles, Skelton, Masson, Town, Eribenne, Davis, Taylor, Blake (Ford 84 mins).  Unused subs: Paul, Knight, Turner, Poyser.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Watkins, Lamb, Flanagan, Lindsey, Hogg, Chandler (Everitt 76 mins), Munday, Ayling (Blackman 57 mins), Tait, Millar.  Unused subs: Winfield, Egan, Holdway.

Attendance: 222.