Kessell rejects Dover move

Neil Cugley was delighted today to announce that goalkeeper Tony Kessell will be staying at Folkestone Invicta, after the Cheriton Road club received a seven day approach for the top shot stopper from Ryman Division One side Dover Athletic, writes Andy Bown & Tom Marchant.

Cugley told www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk  :“I spoke to Kess on Saturday and I’m delighted to say we shook hands and he is definitely staying at the club.

“He is a great lad, no trouble at all and a really nice bloke. He wants to stay and that’s the main thing as he wants to help us fight to get back up the League.

“I am so pleased with that as it is not as if we could offer him any more money and it is great news for the club as it would have been a really big blow if he had left. Someone coming in for him just shows what a very good keeper he is”.

Kessell signed for Invicta during the summer of 2003 and since that time he has been an ever present member of Cugley’s starting line up, quickly establishing himself as one of the top goalkeepers Invicta have seen at the Buzzlines Stadium during the last decade.

The Folkestone boss remarked: “He has improved a great deal as a keeper from when we first signed him and a lot of credit must go to Gary Towse our goalkeeping coach who has a very good working relationship with Kess, and he has helped him improve his game.

“Kess always shows a very good attitude and professionalism and when you think he works in London, he is never really ever late and he hardly ever misses training. I’m delighted he is staying!”

The Seasiders were defeated 2-1 at the weekend when they took on Staines Town at Cheriton Road in the Ryman Premier League.

Staines went ahead after 15 minutes when Ali Chaaban put the ball in from close range. “I think with the two lads leaving last weekend, it has knocked the morale of the club a bit and that showed I think first half,” admitted Cugley.

“I’ve got to be honest and say I don’t think we played too well first half and I don’t think we were on top of our game and we weren’t around them as much as we wanted us to be.

“Staines are a good footballing side and we never really got going first half”.

A revitalised Invicta came out in the second half and created a number of good opportunities, with Micheal Everitt coming agonisingly close when he hit a superb thirty yard strike that flashed just past the visiting goalkeeper’s upright.

On loan Gillingham youngster Luke Howell pulled one back for Folkestone after 84 minutes when Walid Matata played the ball in from the left.

Cugley revealed: “We had a chat at half time and in the second half it was all credit to the lads as we came out and played well. It was very disappointing that we didn’t nick a draw.

“If we’d had a bit more time after Luke scored, I think we would’ve got another one as the goal gave us a lift up. Their second was a really good goal and it put us back a bit which is a shame”.

Saturday also saw a home debut for new signing Damian Abel from neighbours Hythe Town.

Striker Abel was deployed in a three pronged attack alongside Paul Jones and Matata.

The Folkestone boss explained: “The formation was a little bit forced on us as it was a question of using the players we had available.

“James Everitt had a bit of an ankle injury, Ben Sly I’m afraid wouldn’t have been able to come on as we had a look at his knee and it’ll need stitching up again so he will be out for a while, and so we didn’t have a lot of options.

“We thought it was worth a try and whether it worked or not, well I think it did second half but I thought first half they over ran us a bit in midfield.

“In that situation you miss someone like James Everitt and there’s a fair chance he’ll play tonight - he does get round the pitch well, he is a whole hearted player.”

Praising Abel, Cugley said: “I thought he done ever so well and he was a real handful for Staines. He’s jumped up two divisions and even their manager said as a new lad he had done well.

“Damian has only had one training session and he’s gone straight in and his pace and commitment was excellent.

“Nowadays football is getting more and more about being very fit and the ability to get around the pitch and he does that superbly.

“I think he is a very good signing I really do. It’s hard for him as he has come into a side when it’s not at its peak in the sense that a couple of players have gone recently, and he’s come in and is a new face who has done very well for his first game.

“He got goals down at Hythe and we obviously hope he puts them away for us! But it is a lot more difficult in our League as it’s a top League and anyone who scores a lot of goals in it is suddenly worth a lot of money.”

Abel came to the Club in a week which saw fellow team mate Roy Guiver also join Folkestone.

Defender Guiver couldn’t play against Staines on Saturday as he was suspended.

Cugley explained: “Well he’s suspended for tonight and next Saturday, it’s a two week thing. Roy’s certainly got something about him and the two Marks (Saunders and Patterson) really think they can work with him on the training ground and improve him.

“He’s raw, I think that’s the right word. He’s a big lad, he’s pretty quick and he is very committed and we look forward to working with him.”

Tonight sees Folkestone make the trip to Essex where they take on Chelmsford City in the Ryman Premier League, who are currently placed ninth in the table.

Chelmsford won their last League game at home on November 4^th 2-0 against Boreham Wood but have since been involved in F.A Cup action.

Saturday saw tonight’s hosts draw 1-1 with Conference side Aldershot in the First Round Proper.

Jeff Minton scored a penalty to put Chelmsford ahead but an own goal from Ben Chenery meant both sides will now face a replay on November 21^st.

Cugley warned “It’s going to be a really difficult game, no doubt about that. I honestly think they are the favourites to win the League, so we’ve got to go there and give it a really good go.

“Looking ahead we’ve got two really important games Saturday and Monday and these two teams are just below us in the League. We’ve got to beat these sorts of sides to push ourselves up the table”.

Folkestone have no fresh injury worries going into tonight’s match but player coach Mark Saunders will undergo a late fitness test on a knock he picked up on Saturday.

The Seasiders will be likely to take some reserve team players to bolster squad number numbers and Cugley said: “The downside of taking players out of the reserves to give us numbers on the bench is that they are struggling to get a team together now.

“None of our reserves get paid and when people come on the bench like Simon Rainbow and Luke Stonebridge, they are a big part of this club for what they are doing themselves.

“It does give them a taste though of what it’s all about and for them to see if they really want it and whether they really want to work hard and push their way into the first team.

“It’s ironic though that we will go to Chelmsford tonight and their bench will probably be more than our whole wage bill!”

Derek Miller is running a minibus up to Chelmsford tonight, leaving Stripes at 5:30pm.

There are still a few spaces remaining, costing £10 each. Please call 07748 560 172.

Visit Folkestone Invicta's website:  www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk

Chelmsford City v Folkestone Invicta
Ryman Premier League
Monday 13^th November 2006
Kick Off 7:45pm
At Chelmsford Sport and Athletics Centre, Salerno Way, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 2EH