Folkestone Invicta 1-1 Chatham Town - The wind spoilt the game, admit rivals

Chatham Town, a side that’s confident climbing away from the bottom five in the Ryman One North, took the lead, against the run of play, when Folkestone Invicta defender Liam Friend sliced the ball into his own goal after 28 minutes.

But Folkestone Invicta, flying high in second place in the Ryman One South table, levelled through Jimmy Jackson’s fifth goal of the season, seven minutes into the second half.

A disappointing low crowd of just 208 braved the blustery and wet conditions and both sides fancy their chances to progress into the next round, away to Ryman Premier Leaguers Harrow Borough in fourteen days time.

Folkestone Invicta started on the front foot with visiting goalkeeper James Smith making a comfortable save from striker James Dryden at his near post after right wing-back Lee Gledhill slid the ball into his path.

Then, a left-footed free-kick was swung in by Jackson, which was met by a trademark thumping header from Craig Wilkins, but this was powered past the post.

Folkestone thought their early pressure had paid off but Wilkins - who partnered Dryden up front - had a drilled shot ruled out for offside - after 14 minutes.

Chatham striker Justin Ascheri’s short throw was whipped in first time by Brad Potter and his cross from the right flank caught in the wind and this was cracked on the volley by Matt Solly from 25-yards, but the ball flew high over Charlie Mitten’s crossbar.

And it was the Medway side that broke the deadlock - against the run of play - with 28 minutes on the clock.

A surging run from winger Mark Brooks resulted in him being tripped by Matt Bourne - who was booked - some 35-yards from goal.

Darren Smith whipped in the resulting free-kick and this was sliced into his own net by Friend, making his 99^th start for the club.

Folkestone responded and almost levelled when a move involving Dryden, Scott Lindsey and James Everitt down the right, resulted in Dryden’s right-footed angled drive sailing just a yard over the crossbar.

The former Dover Athletic striker went close again, stroking a left-footed shot agonisingly past the foot of the left-hand post from twenty-yards, after Everitt slid the ball across the face of the penalty area.

Mitten, diving to his right, was called into action for the first time, turning Smith’s angled 25-yard drive around his near post.

Jackson, who scored Folkestone’s first during the 2-0 win over Metropolitan Police in midweek, took his tally up to five with the 52^nd minute leveller.

The star-midfielder drove the ball past goalkeeper Smith after James Everitt had knocked down Friend’s cross from the left.

However, just two minutes after that set-back, Chatham’s Darren Smith went close with a free-kick from 25-yards, which sailed over Mitten’s crossbar.

With the home side probing for the winner, it was Chatham that almost grabbed the lead.

Brooks cut the ball back from the by-line for Solly and his drilled shot struck Friends’ legs and goalkeeper Mitten recovered to pounce on the rolling ball.

Smith should have really tested Mitten when he was presented with a great chance inside the D after 62 minutes, but his rasping shot flew over.

With fifteen minutes left, Chatham goalkeeper James Smith was called into action. Initially he was at fault for spilling Lindsey’s tricky cross but recovered well to beat away Dryden’s follow up.

Three minutes later Wilkins released Dryden down the left but he was forced wide and his low angled drive brought a comfortable near post save.

Both sides could have nicked it at the death, but had to settle for a replay at Maidstone Road on Tuesday night.

Chats’ substitute Andrew Burke did ever so well to wiggle through a cul-de-sac down the left-hand side and his cross was nodded just wide of the near post by Smith.

Jackson was then denied by a fine block from the Chatham goalkeeper but both managers fancy their chances on Tuesday night to earn a trip to Earlsmead in two weeks time.

“I think the wind is the worst in football,” said Folkestone Invicta boss Neil Cugley, when speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“I was manager of Ashford for a very long time and it was very, very muddy and we had some very entertaining games.

“We’ve had the wind here an it’s blowing around and there’s not much pattern to the game and it’s just disappointing really, but at the end of the day, I think it’s a fair result.

“To be fair to Chatham, they worked ever so hard and obviously we let them get their noses in front and then we’re chasing the game.”

Cugley was disappointed with the way Chatham had broken the deadlock, through Friend’s own goal.

He said: “We were a bit sloppy from the free-kick, we didn’t close the free-kick down at all and they’ve crossed it, sliced it in and then I thought, to be fair, we were the better side second half.

“Got the goal, had a couple other chances, their keeper played very well I thought but to be fair to them they’ve had a couple of breaks, but nothing came of it but on another day they might have got a winner.”

Despite the horrible conditions, Chatham Town boss Steve Binks, also speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk surprisingly said it was a “lovely day.”

“This is a lovely day, it was a great game of football and we got a well deserved draw, unlucky not to have won it and we look forward to the replay on Tuesday,” said Binks.

Despite sitting in the bottom five in the Ryman League Division One North table with 7 points from 10 games, Binks says he’s happy with the way things are going.

And he warned his Kent rivals that they will not lie down and die for Tuesday night’s replay.

“I’m not being big headed or funny about this, but we’ve been playing well all season without getting the results that our performances deserved and we played better than that today,” he said.

“The wind spoilt the game, I know, and I thought we played some good football under some really difficult conditions at times and it’s great to get a replay and get them back Tuesday.”

Binks expected more from a Folkestone Invicta side that are flying high in their division.

“Against the wind, to go 1-0 up in that first half I thought it was a case of defending for 45 minutes against a strong wind so to go 1-0 up is a bonus,” he said.

“I really felt, even after they scored , that we still could have won it second half.

“There was a good feeling with the way that we were playing. Great attitude, great character and (I’m) delighted.”

Folkestone Invicta: Charlie Mitten, Lee Gledhill, Mark Green, Liam Friend, Matt Bourne, Craig Wilkins, Scott Lindsey, James Everitt, James Dryden, Nick Humphrey, Jimmy Jackson.
Subs: Jimmy Corbett, Billy Swallow, Josh Burchell, Kieran Byrne, Alex Conyers.

Goal: Jimmy Jackson 52

Booked: Matt Bourne 27

Chatham Town: James Smith, Tom Binks, Brad Potter, Matt Solly, Richard Avery, Steve Best, Darren Smith, Mark Brooks (Michael Scott 76), Justin Ascheri (Andrew Burke 83), Lee Maskell, Dave Botterill.
Sub: Jim Lyons.

Goal: Liam Friend 28 (own goal)

Booked: Tom Binks 69

Attendance: 208
Referee: Mr Peter Georgiou (London SW17)
Assistants: Mr Chris Evans (Ealing, London W13) & Mr Andy Roberts (Surbiton, Surrey)