Dulwich Hamlet 2-2 Folkestone Invicta - We've got to defend better, says Cugley - EXCLUSIVE

DULWICH HAMLET 2-2 FOLKESTONE INVICTA
Pre-Season Friendly
Tuesday 7^th August 2007
Stephen McCartney reports from Champion Hill

Some words of inspiration from manager Neil Cugley during the half-time interval, sparked Folkestone Invicta back into life during the second half, as they deserved to claim a draw in their penultimate pre-season friendly at Champion Hill tonight.

Dulwich Hamlet, expected to do well in the Ryman League Division One South this season, deserved their 2-1 lead at the break, as Craig Edwards’ side capitalised on slack Invicta marking from corners.

The Kent side, making six changes to the side that lost 2-1 to Gillingham last Friday, weren’t pleased about their marking as Stanley Mugno and Benson Kpaka both converted two Phil Williams’ corners, after 19 and 23 minutes.

Micheal Everitt’s 20-yard lob - within 20 seconds of Mugno’s opener - brought some relief to the Ryman Premier League visitors’ before Hamlet restored the lead just three minutes later.

But Folkestone Invicta took heed of Cugley’s wise words as striker Ellis Remy scored his fourth pre-season goal, just 18 seconds into the second half, to level.

“I think we just tried to overplay first half in the wrong areas and made it difficult for ourselves and didn’t mark very well at corners,” admitted Cugley afterwards, when he EXCLUSIVELY spoke to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“But sometimes it’s good because as a manager you can go in and try and sort it out and we did that and second half, like I say, we did very, very well.”

Dulwich Hamlet almost broke the deadlock within the opening two minutes of the game when right-sided midfielder, Shawn Beveney cracked a right-footed shot from eighteen-yards against the top of the left-hand post, following their first corner of the game, taken by Williams.

And almost immediately, Folkestone’s summer signing from the south London club, Leigh Bremner saw his angled drive comfortably saved by the much-travelled goalkeeper, Chuck Martini.

Unfortunately, the former Cray Wanderers striker was substituted later in the half, due to an injury “to his side.”

Mugno was unlucky not to score after ten minutes when he unleashed a right-footed drive that flashed just past the right post, after bursting down the middle.

Folkestone’s injury prone goalkeeper, Charlie Mitten, who was later forced off the pitch due to a thigh strain, made a smart save when he tipped Daniel Morris’ 30-yard angled shot over his crossbar.

Dulwich issued their visitors a warning when Shawn Beveney powered an eight-yard header just past the post from Willams’ resulting corner.

Bremner went close again for Folkestone after eighteen minutes, glancing Jimmy Corbett’s left-wing cross just past the near post from eight-yards.

But three goals in a space of just four minutes gave Dulwich a deserved lead at the interval.

Williams’ corner, their third of the game, after 19 minutes, was glanced towards the far post by Shane Mangodza, who was wearing a bandana, and Mugno turned and rifled a shot into the roof of the net from just three-yards.

But Folkestone’s reply was instant, as Micheal Everitt’s twenty-yard right-footed lob dropped over Martini and into the net, stunning the south Londoners.

More slack marking from another Williams’ corner, however, gave the hosts their second goal of the game, after 23 minutes, when the unmarked Kpaka headed home from six-yards at the near post.

Veli Haki, who was the only player booked, chipped the ball over the top for Morris to latch onto, but this time, his right-footed shot from sixteen-yards, drew a fine block from Mitten.

And Folkestone Invicta should have drawn level, from their first corner of the game, after 34 minutes.

Corbett drove an intelligent corner back to midfielder, Ryan Briggs, whose right-footed cross was turned over by Kevin Watson from just four-yards.

Luke Stonebridge, who had replaced Mitten after 38 minutes, was called into action on the stroke of half-time.

Dulwich had got behind the visiting defence but Morris, who saw the young goalkeeper race off his line, saw his sixteen-yard lob tipped around the post.

With Cugley’s words still ringing in their ears, the Kent side drew level after just 18 seconds into the second half.

Substitute Damian Abel burst into the Dulwich Hamlet penalty area before squaring the ball to Remy, who tucked the ball to Martini’s right to find the bottom left-hand corner from four-yards.

Revealing what he said to his players at the interval, Cugley said: “I just felt it was too like a pre-season friendly, in the sense of no urgency and we’re backing off them and giving them too much time.

“They can hit quality balls up to their front lads and it causes a lot of problems.

“But to be fair to the players, they responded to that and kicked on well.”

A more dominant display from Folkestone, however, denied their hosts any real chances on Stonebridge’s goal.

And Folkestone almost took the lead after 65 minutes but Roland Edge’s header, following Corbett’s far-post corner, was headed off the line.

And at the other end, the impressive Williams, flashed a right-footed drive past the left-hand post.

James Everitt, who replaced his older brother, and goalscorer, Micheal, blazed over with a right-footed shot on the angle.

A move involving Remy and Corbett opened up a chance for former Hythe Town striker, Abel, whose right-footed shot on the angle from 20-yards brought a fine save from Martini, who tipped the shot around the post.

Haki deservedly received the game’s only booking with fifteen minutes remaining, for a crunching tackle on Briggs.

And Remy had a chance to win the game with nine minutes left, but he drove a shot straight at the Moroccan goalkeeper, at his near post.

Folkestone have now shipped 19 goals during eight pre-season matches, and this is concerning Cugley.

“Yes I am (concerned)”, he said. “But to be fair we’ve had so many different teams out and different goalkeepers, it’s not been stable, so it hasn’t helped.

“But I think we’ve got to build on from the second half, we build on from that, then I’ll be happy.”

If Mitten isn’t fit, Cugley can choose between Stonebridge - or Kieron Mann - for their final friendly at Horsham YMCA on Saturday.

He added: “Charlie’s been struggling with a thigh injury for a little while and we’re hoping it would clear up but it’s still there, so we’d have to review that after Saturday’s game.

“I’ve got another lad called Kieron Mann as well who sometimes plays as well, whose quite good, we’ll wait and see on that one.”

But Cugley admitted that he was impressed with Dulwich tonight, and believes they will do well in their league this season.

“I would have thought so, looking on that,” he said. “I think they had so much pace. They played three up, they’re all very quick lads and they caused us a lot of problems, I have no doubt about that.

“Ok, I moan about our lads over playing in certain areas, but give them a lot of credit, they were very, very sharp.

“I would have thought they’d take some stopping, they’ll definitely score some goals.”

Dulwich Hamlet: Chuck Martini, Stuart Booth, Ricky Dobson, Benson Kpaka, Shane Mangodza, Helder Valdez, Shawn Beveney, Veli Haki (Bily Chataway 87), Daniel Morris (Craig Braham 77), Stanley Muguo (Cedric Kobongo 85), Phil Williams (Jamie Findlay 77).
Subs: Sheikh Ceesay, Justin Bowen.

Booked: Veli Haki 75

Goals: Stanley Mugno 19, Benson Kpaka 23

Folkestone Invicta: Charlie Mitten (Luke Stonebridge 38), David Piper, Roland Edge, Kevin Watson, Liam Friend, Samuel Okikiolu (Frankie Chapple 70), Micheal Everett (James Everitt 70), Ryan Briggs (Charlie Glyde 77), Ellis Remy, Leigh Bremner (Damian Abel 22), Jimmy Corbett.
Subs: Roy Guiver, Mark Saunders.

Goals: Micheal Everitt 20, Ellis Remy 46

Attendance: 125
Referee: Mr Steve Daly
Assistants: Mr Matt Worwood & Mr Peter Cruise