Folkestone Invicta 0-1 AFC Wimbledon

Folkestone Invicta went down 1-0 at home to high profile AFC Wimbledon in an absorbing game at a sunny Buzzlines Stadium on Saturday afternoon in front a season’s best 1082 crowd, writes Richard Murrill.

The only goal of the game came in the 74th minute just three minutes after Invicta had themselves missed a penalty.

Striker Richard Jolly was Wimbledon’s match-winner as the Dons’ deadline day signing from Heybridge Swifts volleyed in after the unmarked Steve Ferguson had broken away down the left hand side and played the ball into the middle.

The three points were vital to the ambitious south London club to stay ahead of Margate in the play off positions after the Kent side’s 3-1 win at Chelmsford City.

But it could have been a different story as visiting goalkeeper Andy Little saved home captain Kevin Watson’s 71st minute penalty after James Corbett had gone down in the box when he made room for himself from a Damian Abel ball in.

All the game’s major incidents took place during a hectic five-minute spell as Invicta’s player-coach Mark Saunders was then sent off for an off-the-ball clash – and an alleged elbow – with left Luke Garrard on the floor after 75 minutes. The Wimbledon man was also booked following a melee involving players from both sides.

Invicta responded positively to being reduced to ten men and threw full back James Everitt forward to form part of a three-pronged attack.

Centre forward Ellis Remy was fouled right on the edge of the penalty area in the 84th minute when Micheal Everitt played the ball up to Abel and a Corbett corner from the left led to an almighty scramble in the Wimbledon penalty area after 89 minutes.

The Dons threatened to exploit their one-man advantage and increase their lead right on full time when goalkeeper Richard Martin saved on his line from substitute Jermaine Darlington after fellow substitute Steve Wales had played the ball in following a break also involving Jolly and Wes Daly.

Invicta’s last four home matches have all been tight affairs, with just two goals scored at either end and Jolly’s strike is the only time the highly-rated Martin has conceded at the Buzzlines Stadium during that period.

The Folkestone side went into the game without injured skipper Adam Flanagan and gave starts to youngsters James Everitt and Ben Sly.

It was a first half of few clear cut chances, though an extremely well-struck Daly shot flew just wide of the Invicta post after 12 minutes.

A seemingly innocuous Saunders ball into the penalty area threatened to embarrass Little after 33 minutes, whilst at the other end Ferguson shot just wide when the ball dropped to him in the box eight minutes later.

Centre half Paul Lorraine blocked a Remy shot during first half stoppage time when Liam Friend played the ball forward to Sly.

Sly then fired over from the edge of the penalty area in the 47th minute.

But Wimbledon know that result elsewhere required them to up the urgency in search of a winner and captain Anthony Howard headed just wide across goal from Garrard’s cross after 52 minutes.

Left back Michael Haswell surged forward and fired wide when a quickly taken free kick from right to left sent him racing away after 57 minutes and Haswell got forward again eight minutes later and sent in a dangerous ball to Jolly.

Consistent Invicta defender Samuel Kola Okikiolu made a great saving tackle to deny Ferguson a minute after Jolly’s goal as Invicta refused to cave in.

Folkestone Invicta: Martin, Watson, J. Everitt, Sly, Friend, Okikiolu, M. Everitt, Saunders, Remy, Corbett, Abel.
Subs: Lamb, Chandler, Dickson, Guiver, Stonebridge.

AFC Wimbledon: Little, Sweeney, Haswell, Garrard, Lorraine, Howard (Butler 63), Ferguson (Darlington 90), Daly, Goddard (Wales 67), Jolly, Gell.
Subs: Cook, Smith.