Folkestone Invicta 0-1 Horsham

Folkestone Invicta’s Ryman Premier League relegation battle will go right to the wire as Neil Cugley’s side lost 1-0 at the Buzzlines Stadium for a second successive Saturday against Horsham in their last home match of the season, writes Richard Murrill.

Substitute Kevin Cooper’s 90th minute winner means that Invicta will travel to Carshalton on Saturday needing a win to be certain of staying out of the bottom four, although results elsewhere could also save the Folkestone club.

Cooper grabbed the game’s only goal with a well-struck shot across goal when he curled the ball in from the left hand side of the penalty area.

It was not to be Invicta’s afternoon as striker Damian Abel hit the post deep into stoppage time and James Corbett had two opportunities to put the home side ahead around the hour mark.

In similar circumstances to when Corbett was denied by the goalkeeper with a late chance on Good Friday at home to Heybridge Swifts, the former Gillingham and Blackburn Rovers star was hampered by the pitch as he waited for the ball to come down after bursting through the middle.

Corbett, 26, ended up being taking the ball too wide as he closed in on goalkeeper Alan Mansfield and Abel’s subsequent shot was blocked for a corner when the ball was pulled back in a move started by Ben Sly and James Everitt.

Corbett was close again a minute later when he put the ball wide when it came in from the left hand side.

Corbett’s striking partner Abel was also agonisingly close on a couple of occasions. The first was perhaps more by luck than judgement after 78 minutes when goalkeeper Mansfield’s attempted clearance cannoned off the striker and rolled tantalising towards the empty net before spinning away to safety.

And Abel almost saved the day deep into stoppage time when he fired against the post after Corbett’s shot fell to him close to goal and Horsham substitute Stuart Myall was able to clear for a corner.

Invicta had gone into the game without strikers Ellis Remy (ill) and Paul Jones (stomach), but had captain Adam Flanagan fit again.

But goals have been hard to come by in recent matches at the Buzzlines Stadium and chances were again few and far between during the first half on a sunny afternoon and hard pitch.

A Mark Saunders header was deflected for a corner when Corbett played the ball in from the right hand side after 26 minutes.

At the other end, the ball was cleared after falling to Eddie French when Carl Rook met John Westcott’s corner from the left three minutes later.

Horsham right back Andrew Howard cleared the ball from close to the line when Corbett sent the ball goalbound from the left hand side of the penalty area after 42 minutes and Saunders headed wide from close range just before half time when James Everitt played the ball into the box.

Horsham had penalty appeals waved away when Jacob Mingle went down under challenge from Flanagan after 50 minutes and a double substitution saw the visitors introduce the dangerous Nigel Brake and former Invicta player Myall seven minutes later.

Invicta goalkeeper Richard Martin made the save of the game when he got up to touch a Rook shot over the crossbar for a corner in the 58^th minute.

Corbett’s two chances threatened to put Invicta ahead, but at the other end Micheal Everitt got in to make a vital block from Mingle after 64 minutes and was hurt in the process as Rook found substitute Brake out wide on the left.

Westcott was then stopped in his tracks inside the penalty area following another Brake ball two minutes later.

Invicta had penalty appeals turned away after 68 minutes when a Corbett ball struck Brake and Corbett was close again a minute later when he shot wide following a move down the left involving both Everitt brothers.

Ben Sly then cleared at the far post for Invicta after 74 minutes when a Myall throw from the left was flicked on.

Invicta brought on striker Rob Knott for his first appearance of the season following a knee injury and recent operation.

But it was to be the introduction of Horsham substitute Cooper that ultimately proved to be decisive.

Rook let fly for Horsham after 85 minutes and was just wide after a Lewis Taylor ball as the game looked to be heading for a goalless draw until Cooper’s late intervention.

There was still time for Taylor to thread the ball through to Brake but the substitute’s shot lacked power and Martin was able to save.

Folkestone Invicta: Martin, Watson, J. Everitt (Knott 75), Flanagan, Friend, Okikiolu, M. Everitt, Saunders, Sly, Corbett, Abel. Subs: Chandler, Lamb, Guiver, Stonebridge.

Horsham: Mansfield, Howard, Graves (Myall 57), French, Hemsley, Taylor, Mingle, Westcott, Wright (Cooper 77), Rook, Geard (Brake 57). Subs: Graham, Frankland.

Attendance: 388.