Folkestone Invicta 3-2 Billericay Town - Saunders is a Legend, says Cugley - EXCLUSIVE

FOLKESTONE INVICTA 3-2 BILLERICAY TOWN
Ryman Premier League
Monday 24^th September 2007
Stephen McCartney reports from Buzzlines Stadium

Folkestone Invicta manager Neil Cugley called Mark Saunders a “legend” after his two-goals secured a deserved 3-2 win over Billericay Town at a blustery Buzzlines Stadium tonight.

Cugley’s side leapfrogged over Billericay Town into eighth place in the Ryman Premier League table.

And after striker Ellis Remy scored his second goal of the season to put Folkestone in command after just six minutes, the Kent side squandered many glorious chances to put the game beyond their Essex visitors’ reach.

But Billericay, who welcome Maidstone United to the New Lodge in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup on Saturday, responded during the second half and levelled through striker Joe Flack after 63 minutes.

A 25-yard screamer from Saunders, however, regained the lead for Invicta fifteen minutes later, before Flack’s ninth goal of the season brought Billericay back on level terms with five minutes remaining.

But player-coach Saunders’ third goal of the season sealed Invicta’s first home win - at the sixth attempt - just 52 seconds after being pegged back.



HOME SUCCESS:  Ellis Remy (top) and Mark Saunders (screamer and header) sealed Folkestone Invicta's first home win of the season over Billericay Town.
Photographs courtesy of "Taff" -

http://equiphoto.smugmug.com/gallery/3526689/1/199941000/Medium

The crowd of 307 - 105 higher than watched Folkestone Invicta held to a 1-1 draw on Saturday - were fully entertained and will surely return for Saturday’s home FA Cup clash against Windsor & Eton.

But it were the Essex side that had the first shot on goal, after just 107 seconds, when Ryan Maxwell’s right-footed half-volley from 35-yards sailed over Kieron Mann’s crossbar.

But Folkestone Invicta, keeping faith with the same eleven that claimed a point at the weekend, opened the scoring with just five minutes and 44 seconds on the clock.

Kevin Watson delivered a stunning cross from the right, which caught out two Billericay defenders in the goal-mouth, and Remy drove a right-footed shot past one-time Margate goalkeeper, Billy McMahon from eight-yards.

The goal sparked more confidence into the home side, and they had more chances to increase their lead.

James Corbett played in James Everitt, whose shot was blocked by McMahon, and the ball took a wicked deflection off a defender before spinning agonisingly past the far post.

Mann was called into action at the other end after 19 minutes, saving comfortably from a downward header from giant striker Rikki Burbridge, following a cross from the left from his strike partner, Flack.

Mann made a smart diving save just two minutes later, as Maxwell unleashed a right-footed pile-driver from 35-yards, which Mann dived to his left to push around the post.

Corbett missed an excellent chance to double Folkestone’s lead in the 25^th minute when he burst into the penalty area, but was thwarted by the legs of the advancing McMahon.

Billericay almost drew level within a minute but Flack cracked a left-footed shot past the top of the near post, after Burbridge’s cut back from the left by-line.

Another Watson cross was met by a right-footed volley by James Everitt, whose shot from ten-yards, screamed over the crossbar.

Folkestone fully deserved their lead at the break, but should have taken advantage of their chances as Billericay fought back during the second half - almost a game of two halves.

Billericay skipper Jamie Dormer suggested what was to come when his 25-yard shot rolled into Mann’s grateful arms after just 65 seconds into the second half.

Corbett had a goal ruled out after 55 minutes for a foul on goalkeeper McMahon.

But good sides like Billericay can always step on the gas, and they drew level through Flack in the 63^rd minute.

Leon Hunter’s free-kick was knocked down by Bradley Wood-Garness and Flack was on hand at the far-post to stab the ball into the bottom left-hand corner from just two-yards.

Maxwell then cracked a right-footed volley from twenty-yards well wide of the target within a minute as the Essex side went for the kill.

But Folkestone weren’t going to give in without a fight and Watson’s left-footed shot from 25-yards was comfortably saved by McMahon and after cutting in from the right, Corbett’s left-footed shot sailed over.

Watson then tried his luck with another left-footed shot, from 35-yards, which bounced once before finding McMahon’s gloves.

But Folkestone deserved to take the lead with 12 minutes left, through Saunders’ second goal of the season.

Defender Samuel Kola Okikiolu must have been suffering with a nose bleed as he joined an Invicta attack and it was his square pass from the left-hand side that set up the former Gillingham ace.

And Saunders unleashed a stunning right-footed screamer from 30-yards that flew over McMahon and crashed into the top-middle of the net to the delight of the home faithful.

Their joy was short lived, as Flack netted his second goal of the game when he stabbed the ball into the corner from close range, after substitute Wayne Semanshia drilled his shot across the face of goal.

But Invicta were celebrating a well deserved victory on home soil as just 52 seconds later, Saunders rose above his marker and powered home a header past McMahon and into the far-corner.

But Cugley admitted afterwards that he was pleased with his side’s first home win of the season.

“It’s been frustrating because it’s been so long,” he said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“A bit disappointing the last few weeks for spectators where games we should have won we haven’t, so it’s pleasing tonight to get that win.”

Cugley felt his side should have wrapped up their first home win during the first half.

“At this level, as we kept saying for the last few weeks, you’ve got to finish sides off,” he said.

“Really we should have gone in two or three nil up, game finished, and Harrow was the same Saturday.

“But today, pleased to say that Billericay obviously got at us, we got our goals on the break, so it’s pleasing.”

Cugley was full of praise for two-goal hero, Saunders, 36.

“He’s a legend, a brilliant person. Brilliant attitude, excellent player-coach and he deserves a lot of credit for what he’s doing,” said Cugley.

“It was pleasing to win tonight because then at least you’ve (not) got the hoo-do of not winning at home.”

Cugley is delighted that his club are the second highest Kent side in the table, at present, with Maidstone United and Tonbridge Angels both in the bottom three.

“I didn’t think we’d be above your Tonbridge’s or Maidstone’s so we’re quite pleased,” he admitted.

Having made six summer signings, Cugley is pleased that the team is now starting to gel and are capable of pulling off great results like this.

“We’ve got a nice mixture of some older heads with some of the younger lads that have come through from our youth team and I think it shows on the pitch,” he said.

“I keep saying the league is such a good league, top can beat bottom, anything an happen and you can’t take anything for granted at all in this league.

“It’s a really good league and you deserve every single point you get in it.

Six different players have got on the score sheet during their first eleven matches this season, with Saunders leading the way with three, and Leigh Bremner (whose nursing a hamstring injury), Watson, Roland Edge, James Everitt and Remy all on two apiece.

“If you had a goalscorer, a Tait, Dryden or Denton of old, we’d have been, I think, maybe top four. But that’s the difference,” Cugley said.

“We’re not a club where we can go out and spend a lot of money to get one so we’ve got to keep plugging away and it one comes along then we might see about it.”

Cugley feels the increased crowd will return for Saturday’s home FA Cup clash against Windsor & Eton, adding: “I think midweek games have always been good at Folkestone and that was one of them classics really. I think it was a really good game.”

Despite being replaced by Damian Abel late in the game due to a head injury, Remy is expected to play on Saturday.

Folkestone Invicta: Kieron Mann, Kevin Watson, Roland Edge, Frankie Chappell, Liam Friend, Samuel Kola Okikiolu, Micheal Everitt, Mark Saunders, Ellis Remy (Damian Abel 85), James Everitt, James Corbett.
Subs: Josh Burchell, Ryan Briggs, Ben Sly, Luke Stonebridge.

Goals: Ellis Remy 6, Mark Saunders 78, 86

Billericay Town: Billy McMahon, Dave McSweeney, Danny Kerrigan (Wayne Semanshia 83), Darren Blewitt, Steve Heffer, Jamie Dorner, Ryan Maxwell, Leon Hunter, Joe Flack, Bradley Wood-Garness, Rikki Burbridge.
Subs: Tony Boot, Dave Wareham, Wesley Samuel, Jack Buckfield.

Goals: Joe Flack 63, 85

Booked: Ryan Maxwell 22, Danny Kerrigan 74

Attendance: 307
Referee: Mr Ian Regan (Ashford)
Assistants: Mr David Spain (St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex) & Mr L Crowhurst