Folkestone Invicta 1-3 Staines Town - Cugley suffers "sickening" defeat

Leigh Bremner’s ninth goal of the season gave the Kent side hope after seventeen minutes and they were on course of clinching a crucial three points with 87 minutes on the clock.

However, Lewis Cook netted an 88^th minute penalty, following Kevin Watson’s handball, before two breakaway goals from Elliott Onochie and Leigh Mason, leaves the Kent side rooted in the bottom three - four points from safety.

Needing at least two wins from their remaining games, Folkestone dominated the first half against a lacklustre Staines side, who were making their second visit to Cheriton Road in 48 hours, after Monday’s postponement.

Invicta deservedly took the lead on seventeen minutes when a long ball from Charlie Glyde was flicked on by striker James Everitt and Bremner did well to hold off two visiting defenders and scored with his left-foot.

They should have increased their lead on the half-hour mark when midfielder Micheal Everitt drove into the box and Bremner diverted his low cross towards goal only to see the ball bundled around the post by diving goalkeeper James Courtnage.

Following a foul on the edge of the box, Watson’s 25-yard free-kick was saved by the goalkeeper, moving to his right.

Immediately Staines broke and Ashford referee Mr Martin Yerby waved away a strenuous penalty appeal for handball against Invicta skipper Roland Edge.

Courtnage came to the Swans’ rescue on 38 minutes with a fantastic double save to thwart Bremner’s effort from the edge of the box and then plunging point-blank at James Corbett’s feet.

The Swans were very wasteful during the early part of the second half, especially with the last ball into the box.

However, their only real threat came on 70 minutes when full-back Jake Newton broke through the inside left and laid the ball inside to Onochie, whose left-footed drive from sixteen-yards tickled past the post.

During the last five minutes of an increasing niggly game, the tension from the 229 spectators seemed to transmit itself to the Folkestone players.

A long throw from Staines’ substitute Jon McDonald resulted in a crowd of players jumping for the ball and inexplicably Watson’s raised arm smashed the ball away.

Lewis Cook stepped up to drill the penalty past Luke Stonebridge, who had guessed the same way.

But any hopes of the Kent side earning a crucial point were wiped out as Staines scored two breakaway goals inside stoppage time.

Following a Folkestone corner, Staines broke clear down the left-hand side through Onochie and after cutting inside the much-travelled striker unleashed a rasping drive from twenty-yards that gave Stonebridge no chance.

And they completed their smash-and-grab raid deep into stoppage time as the Kent side’s defence failed to clear another long-ball and Leigh Mason scored with a right-footed shot from the edge of the box.

Neil Cugley was inconsolable at the final whistle, when speaking EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk on the telephone.

“We gave away a needless penalty with just two minutes left,” said the stunned Folkestone Invicta boss.

“We were the better side on the night. They didn’t look like scoring and then we gave a needless penalty away.

“They caught us on the break with two goals. They’ve scored their second from our corner - we got caught a little bit.

“To play so well and looking a good side we played very well, got a good goal and to lose like that is sickening really.”

Cugley takes his side to Margate on Saturday - a side that parted company with manager Robin Trott earlier today - before ending their campaign with home games against AFC Hornchurch (Monday) and a make-or-break showdown with Kentish rivals Maidstone United on the last day of the season (26^th April).

Folkestone Invicta: Luke Stonebridge, Kevin Watson, Roland Edge, Frankie Chappell, Liam Friend, Charlie Glyde, James Corbett, Micheal Everitt, James Everitt, Lloyd Blackman, Leigh Bremner (Ben Sly 73).
Subs: Kieron Byrne, John Ovard, Liam Dickson, Alex Conyers.

Goal: Leigh Bremner 17

Staines Town: James Courtnage, Jake Newton, Marcel Nugent, Marien Ifura, Matt Flitter, Leigh Mason, Marc Charles-Smith, Dean Thomas (Jon McDonald 78), Richard Butler (Lewis Cook 73), Elliott Onochie, Howard Newton.
Subs: Dave Sargeant, Gareth Risbridger, Trent Phillips.

Goals: Lewis Cook 88 (pen), Elliott Onochie 90, Leigh Mason 90

Attendance: 229
Referee: Mr Martin Yerby (Ashford)
Assistants: Mr Neil Baker (Orpington) & Mr Andy Mead (Orpington)