Heybridge Swifts 2 Folkestone Invicta 0

Folkestone Invicta went down 2-0 away to Heybridge Swifts on Good Friday afternoon as the Essex side moved into second place in the Ryman Premier League table thanks to goals from Mike Shinn and Richard Jolly, writes Richard Murrill.

Invicta have now been beaten in all four league meetings against Heybridge and have not scored in three visits to Scraley Road and it was again a lack of attacking threat which cost Neil Cugley’s side on this occasion.

The visitors had striker Walid Matata back in the starting line up, while the home side opted a for a bold three-man attack with Sean Marks coming in to partner former Wimbledon and Bolton star Dean Holdsworth and the prolific Jolly.

Holdsworth got in behind Invicta captain Adam Flanagan in the second minute but scuffed his shot at goalkeeper Tony Kessell and Holdsworth fired a 25-yard free kick over the Invicta crossbar two minutes later.

And Invicta defender Steve Norman made a great saving tackle to deny Marks after six minutes following a dangerous ball through the middle of the visitors’ defence.

A minute later, a Holdsworth shot was blocked by a defender when Paul Abbott played the ball in to Marks from the right hand side.

But Invicta had survived the early onslaught and switched to 4-4-2 with James Everitt moving up into midfield and Kevin Watson moving across to right back.

Martin Chandler shot wide after 18 minutes when Watson played the game’s first and Invicta’s only corner back to him.

At the other end, Jolly shot just wide of the Invicta post following some good skill in the box after 27 minutes.

And Shinn opened the scoring in the 34^th minute on his first appearance back after a knee operation when Invicta lost possession following their own throw in the Heybridge half. Shinn combined well with Jolly in a dangerous break down the left hand side of the Invicta penalty area and placed the ball into the far corner of the net with a well-struck shot across goal.

Invicta made a double substitution at half time as Micheal Everitt and Rob Knott replaced Chandler and James Everitt.

Both sides were now playing 4-3-3 as Invicta raised the tempo in search of an equaliser.

Heybridge striker Marks scuffed his shot after 54 minutes when Abbott drove forward to put him through in the Invicta box.

Micheal Everitt shot over from the edge of the box after 58 minutes following a move involving Matt Carruthers, Mark Saunders and Stuart Myall.

And Flanagan headed just wide from a Watson free kick two minutes later after a foul by Shinn on Micheal Everitt.

But the game was put beyond Invicta’s reach when Jolly found the net to increase the lead following a ball from Marks after a diagonal ball forward from substitute Danny Barber after 75 minutes.

Micheal Everitt fired across goal after 86 minutes when substitute Joe Neilson showed pace down the right hand side in a move also involving Carruthers, Watson and Flanagan.

There were bookings for Heybridge’s Abbott (90 minutes) and Invicta’s Saunders (76 minutes).

Former Invicta striker Simon Glover had to be content with an unused substitutes’ role on an afternoon when both James Everitt and Myall made their 50^th starting appearances for Invicta.

HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS: Nicholls, Pond (Barber 45), I. Cousins, Shinn (Hill 65), Wiles, Chandler, Farley, Holdsworth (Frankis 65), Marks, Jolly, Abbott. Subs: Glover, N. Cousins.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Watson, J. Everitt (Knott 45), Flanagan, Lamb, Saunders, Chandler (M. Everitt 45), Myall, Matata (Neilson 85), Carruthers, Norman. Subs: Burton, Mann.