Don't get bullied by Borg's boys

Saturday’s Hertfordshire hosts are positioned one point and one place below the Seasiders in the Ryman Premier League table although Folkestone do have a game in hand.

Invicta go into the match buoyed by a 3-2 victory over Tonbridge Angels last weekend, courtesy of a brace from teenager Marvin Hamilton-Omole and a penalty from Kevin Watson in a match full of incident and controversy stemming from a vast array of peculiar refereeing decisions.

Boreham Wood on the other hand have not played since recording an outstanding 1-0 victory over promotion chasing AFC Wimbledon on the last Tuesday in January at Kingsmeadow.

A fantastic 25 yard curling shot from Leon Archer ended a run a three successive defeats for Saturday's opponents and a run which had yielded only one point out of a possible eighteen.

Seasiders Manager Neil Cugley told www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk  : “I think the teams from tenth downwards are still looking over their shoulder and we are too and one win is enormous as it is so tight and likewise when you lose you can get dragged down again and there's still a third of the season to go.”

The Meadow Park outfit sacked their manager Steve Cook last weekend and announced his successor as George Borg who was appointed as caretaker manager until the end of the season at the beginning of the week.

This weekend's encounter will be Borg's first match in charge, and Cugley said: “I was quite shocked actually that their manager got the sack because he made them a decent side last term, got them into the semi finals of the F.A Trophy a couple of years ago and then left after they beat AFC Wimbledon away which very few sides do! The expectation up there is high and it'll be a tough game.”

Folkestone fans will surely remember the animated Borg from his visits to the Buzzlines Stadium with Braintree Town and he and Cugley have known each other since their non league playing days.

“I know George when we used to play together at Maidstone and he's always been very boisterous when he used to bring his Braintree side down to Cheriton Road so I'm certainly looking forward to it.

“Boreham Wood have always been a very good side to watch and I think he'll make them a little bit more direct and more physical so we're going to have to make sure we don't get bullied on Saturday”.

The Invicta defence will have to be weary of Boreham Wood's leading goal scorer Simon Thomas who has struck 18 goals in total this season, 10 in the league.

Incidentally, the tall striker made his debut for Boreham Wood at the Buzzlines Stadium back in December 2006. Fellow forward, 25 year old doctor Elliot Onochie signed in October 2007, has also scored 10 goals in the Ryman Premier League this season although 7 of these were for former club Harrow Borough.

The Seasiders will be boosted by the return of striker Leigh Bremner who missed the Kent derby win over Tonbridge Angels last weekend through suspension.

The Invicta boss hinted James Corbett (hamstring) may take his place in the squad subject to a late fitness test.

Aside from the knee injury to Roland Edge, which Cugley said “isn't clearing up as quickly as we'd have liked”, Folkestone have no other injury concerns. It is hoped Edge will be fully fit to face Heybridge Swifts at the Buzzlines Stadium a week on Saturday.

With Hamilton-Omole grabbing the headlines for his performance last weekend in attack, Cugley has welcome selection dilemmas as he prepares his side for the weekend. Young reserve forward John Ovard will also take his place in the squad to travel this weekend.

“I like these problems and I'd like to have Corbo fit too so we'd have four strikers available going into the game and that really would give me something to think about,” said the manager.

“John's quite a clever player and especially as you go into the second half of games he's a handy chap to have around because he will get into the right areas and use the ball well so he'll be in the squad on Saturday.”

Neil confirmed that trialist Dinah Diawara, 21, who featured in last week's friendly against Whitstable Town was not offered terms by the Cheriton Road club.

Cugley explained: “I said to him after the game that he didn't do enough for me to get terms off us and he wanted to know what the situation was and obviously he wanted to get a contract in this part of the country and I didn't think he was worth it.

“He was more than welcome to play in the reserves and I don't think we saw the best of him in the friendly but I wanted to have a look just to see if he was worth a chance on Saturday but I probably got that one right by putting Marvin up front.”

Article courtesy of www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk

Boreham Wood v Folkestone Invicta
Ryman Premier League
Saturday 9^th February 2008
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Meadow Park, Broughinge Road, Boreham Wood, Hertfordshire WD6 5AL