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Staines give Invicta a lesson in finishing

Folkestone Invicta went down 3-0 in their last home match of the season when for the second successive Saturday they were given a lesson in finishing despite creating chances of their own.

Like Heybridge Swifts the previous weekend, Staines took all three points courtesy of some quality finishing from captain Matt Flitter and striker Tariq Nabil.

Centre half FLITTER opened the scoring in the 32^nd minute when he headed in an Andre De Lisser free kick.

NABIL made it 2-0 in the 47^th minute when he applied a good finish after being put through by Richard Gell.

And it was NABIL who struck again after 65 minutes when he curled in a great finish from the edge of the penalty area following a good run by Jon McDonald.

It had been a hectic few days for Invicta following their home win over Slough Town - which maintained their Ryman Premier League status on Thursday night and the emotion of Paul Sykes’ funeral on Friday.

Staines had the game’s first real chance when Invicta goalkeeper Tony Kessell saved with his feet to deny the outstanding Clement James after just three minutes following a move involving Gell and Nabil.

Invucta striker James Dryden had as lob pushed away by Staines goalkeeper Matt Lovett in the seventh minute, while Nabil shot at Kessell at the other end a minute later.

Invicta then went desperately close to going ahead when Dryden hit a spectacular shot on the turn against the post from 20 yards after 12 minutes.

Dryden hit a volley at Lovett after 23 minutes and defender John Guest headed straight at Staines goalkeeper Lovett after 28 minutes when Stuart Myall played in a corner from the left hand side.

But it was to be Flitter who put Staines ahead.

Mark Munday couldn’t quite divert a fierce Paul Lamb shot into the net after 34 minutes, while Nabil shot at Kessell again following a De Lisser run three minutes later.

Invicta were close again after 42 minutes when Munday headed a far post cross from the right back across goal and Dryden was unable to force the ball over the line from very close range.

Nabil’s goal at the start of the second half was put to put the Swans firmly in control.

Invicta tried to force an instant way back into the game when Dryden broke down the left hand side of the box and brought another save from Lovett.

But Staines were close again after 55 minutes when James hit a rocket of a shot against the post when Nabil played a low ball across to the edge of the box as Staines forced their first corner of the game.

When Nabil made it 3-0 the game was effectively over as a contest.

James and Nabil were pulling the strings for Staines and the former hit a dipping 25-yard free kick just over the crossbar from the right hand side after 68 minutes.

For Invicta, substitute Joe Neilson couldn’t quite turn the ball in when Simon Glover put a low cross over from the left hand side after 75 minutes.

Invicta gave a first senior outing to young goalkeeper Kieran Mann late in the game.

Staines’ Leon Gordon did not make the most of a late chance when he shot wide across goal from the right hand side of the box in the 89^th minute.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell (Mann 82), Norman, Lamb, Flanagan, Guest, Lindsey
(J. Everitt 73 ), M. Everitt (Neilson 56), Myall, Dryden, Munday, Glover.  Unused subs: Walker, Coleman.

 STAINES TOWN: Lovett, D. Gordon, McDonald, Ifura, Flitter, James, De Lisser, Manuella, Nabil, L. Gordon, Gell.  Unused subs: Maskell, Currie.

Attendance: 394.