Cugley: We must improve our goalscoring

Friday 10th February 2006

Folkestone Invicta manager Neil Cugley has been making further moves in the transfer market, with Mark Corneille and Dean Smith on their way to the Buzzlines Stadium, reports Andy Bown and Tom Marchant – www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk

Right back Corneille is coming into the Folkestone squad on a one month loan from League One side Gillingham, where he has played three first team games and six reserve team games this season.

He has also been on loan at Conference South side Eastbourne Borough this season, making nine first team appearances and scoring one goal away to Basingstoke Town.

Cugley has said that Mark may be on the substitutes bench this Saturday when Invicta take on Redbridge away in Essex, in the Ryman Premier.

Cugley said: “He was on loan for two months at Eastbourne and did well there. Mark Saunders rates him highly and I went to watch him this afternoon for Gillingham reserves, so we’re pleased to get him”. Corneille’s date of birth is 31st May 1986.

Twenty-two year old midfielder Dean Smith previously played at West Ham United with current Folkestone midfielder Martin Chandler. He went to Team Bath last season in the Southern Premier League and has appeared for Thurrock on a few occasions this season in Conference South.

Cugley added: “He’s signed for us, but its non-contract and it’s a case of having a look at him over the next few weeks and seeing if he can add anything”.

He revealed Dean may be in the squad on Saturday, but will definitely play in the friendly against Southern League Division One side Sittingbourne next Wednesday (15th February) at Cheriton Road.

Three players will not be in contention for a place in the Folkestone squad on Saturday; left sided full back Paul Lamb isn’t expected to be fit from a knock he picked up against Windsor and Eton, striker Paul Jones is still out with a groin injury and experienced midfielder Mark Saunders is suspended due to picking up five yellow cards – three of these with Invicta, and two with his former club Gillingham.

Cugley feels that this is a game that his Folkestone side should we winning in order to move further away from the relegation zone, but remarked: “As a manager they’re not games you look forward to because you’ve got so much to lose and the players feel the same way. So it’s just a case of getting there, getting the result and getting home”.

Cugley has stated that scoring goals is a current problem at Invicta, commenting: “Obviously goal scoring is one area we’ve got to improve on and isn’t as good as we’d like it to be, so it’s a worry when you go to these places (Redbridge for example) that you might not be able to see them off, but hopefully we will and get all the points”.

Redbridge have used seventy-six players so far this season, and in total last season they used ninety-six. Folkestone have used twenty-six so far.

The Essex club have recently signed striker Albano Correia from Leyton in order to boost their forward line. Correia is a big, strong forward who has been a three-year full professional with current League One side Bristol City and has played for Hereford United in the Nationwide Conference

Redbridge have also recently signed striker Papa Agyemang from top of the Ryman Premier side Braintree Town. Agyemang is quick and skilful forward, who has spent much of this season on loan at Southern League Division One side Enfield Town. Ian Luck is the top scorer for Redbridge, the eighteen year old having netted six of his side’s nineteen league goals this season. In their last six matches, the Essex side has lost all six, scoring one goal and conceding seventeen.