Chelmsford City 3-0 Folkestone Invicta

There is a real momentum about former Canvey Island supremo Jeff King’s Chelmsford side after their return to the city following their groundshare at Billericay and the Essex side drew 1-1 at home to Aldershot in front of a 2836 crowd in the First Round of the FA Cup on Saturday.

Their new stadium boasts impressive facilities, although the athletics track around the pitch does not make it spectator friendly from the sidelines.

Invicta competed well enough on Monday but were undone by a 35^th minute free kick from Mario Noto and conceded second half goals to pacy front men Jason Hallett and Kezie Ibe.

Both sides had to make late adjustments as players arrived late due to traffic congestion as Gavin Heeroo came in for Jeff Minton for Chelmsford and James Everitt came into a 4-4-2 formation for Invicta in place of Walid Matata.

The visitors made a positive start as new boy Damian Abel broke down the right hand side and crossed onto the roof of the net in the fifth minute and striking partner Paul Jones shot over from outside the penalty area four minutes later.

At the other end, goalkeeper Tony Kessell comfortably dealt with Noto’s low 25-yard free kick after ten minutes.

Invicta captain Adam Flanagan headed the ball out for another corner after 21 minutes when the game’s first corner on the left was played back to full back Chris Duffy who sent the ball over to Ricky Holmes.

Flanagan cleared again when Heeroo played the ball in from the left hand side five minutes later.

The home side opened the scoring when Noto’s well-struck 20-yard free kick went in off the underside of the crossbar after Flanagan had been adjudged to have fouled Ibe in a move involving big Fiston Manuella and goalscorer Noto.

Heeroo shot over from the edge of the penalty area when Ibe broke down the right hand side two minutes later.

But Invicta responded well and Jones burst through the middle after 38 minutes, only to be thwarted by goalkeeper Richard McKinney.

A stretching Mark Saunders was then desperately close to applying a decisive touch after 40 minutes when Flanagan headed on a Steve Norman throw in from the left.

Noto ran into the Invicta penalty area and hit a low shot at Kessell after 48 minutes.

But Invicta were still in the game as McKinney saved from close range when the ball fell to Jones in the box after 58 minutes and Jay Conroy cleared from James Everitt when Flanagan played the ball into the penalty area five minutes later.

But it was 2-0 after 69 minutes when striker Hallett clinically converted the rebound after Kessell had saved from Ibe following a good interchange between the aforementioned Chelmsford pair.

Hallett broke again a minute later but was this time denied by goalkeeper Kessell.

Invicta won their only corner of the game after 75 minutes when an Abel shot was deflected and Luke Howell met Kevin Watson’s ball in from the right at the far post.

Hallett struck the far post when a low Conroy cross came in from the right hand side after 79 minutes in a move started by Holmes.

But it was 3-0 after 86 minutes when Hallett found Duffy down the left hand side and Ibe’s deflected shot completed the scoring when the cross was headed back across the Invicta box by a defender.

The visitors gave a late first league outing to substitute Simon Rainbow and also welcomed back fellow substitute Mark Towse.

CHELMSFORD CITY: McKinney, Conroy, Duffy, Chenery, Ward (Glover 87), Manuella, Noto (Minton 77), Heeroo, Hallett, Holmes, Ibe (Ainsley 87). Subs: Battersby, Harrison.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Watson, Norman, Flanagan, Friend, J. Everitt (Rainbow 87), M. Everitt, Howell, Saunders (Matata 77), Abel, Jones (Towse 87). Sub: Stonebridge.

Attendance: 576.