Margate 4-5 Folkestone Invicta - Cugley has faith in youngsters for great escape

Invicta fans will have thought that they had seen it all when they lost 3-1 at home to the Staines Town three days earlier despite leading 1-0 after 88 minutes.

But this was equally dramatic as deep despair turned to great joy as Bremner led the charge on the day his dad Kevin was in the dugout as part of Invicta’s coaching team for the first time.

The elation was there for all to see from Invicta supporters, players and management at the final whistle as they won their last away match of the season to leave their fate resting on their two remaining home games.

Margate centre forward Rob Howarth also scored a hat-trick but ended up on the losing side, though the goals he hit to open and close the scoring were not without a touch of controversy on an incredible afternoon at Hartsdown Park.

This was a throw back to the previous high-scoring thrillers for which under pressure Invicta manager Neil Cugley used to be associated.

There were chances at both ends from the start in what was a very open game between two sides which have conceded their fair share of goals this season.

James Pinnock shot just wide of the Invicta post from the right hand side of the penalty area when put clear in the third minute, while Bremner burst through the middle with another clear chance a minute later but home goalkeeper Scott Chalmers-Smith saved with his feet.

Invicta gave it a right go from the start and a seventh minute Bremner shot dipped just over the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area.

But Margate opened the scoring in the 28^th minute when Haworth tapped the ball in from close range when Jimmy Jackson played a low ball back across goal from the left when acting player-manager Steve McKimm’s dangerous low ball in from the right had just eluded Haworth in the middle before finding Jackson at the far post.

McKimm had clearly been in an offside position early in the move which led to the goal to raise the whole active/inactive issue which currently clouds the offside rule.

A long range Lloyd Blackman free kick called Chalmers-Smith into action after 32 minutes following a foul on James Everitt.

At the other end, Invicta goalkeeper Luke Stonebridge made a good save to push a Haworth header over the crossbar after a good ball in from the right two minutes later.

Margate defender Louis Smith blocked close to the line when Bremner shot on the turn in the in the 40^th minute following an inviting kick down the middle from goalkeeper Stonebridge.

And Invicta were level in the 42^nd minute when James Corbett hit a great strike into the roof of the net when the ball eventually fell to him on the right after an excellent pass from Roland Edge on the left following good work by Micheal Everitt and Bremner.

What a time for Corbett – who once had a short spell with Margate – to score his first league goal of the season!

It was end-to-end leading up to half time as a Charlie Glyde header was blocked after a Blackman cross from the right and Stonebridge kept out a Haworth volley.

Invicta were forced into a change at half time as reserve team captain Liam Dickson replaced first team skipper Edge at left back.

Dickson’s only previous senior appearance had been as a substitute at home to Carshalton in December 2006, but the youngster is now knocking on the first team door.

Visiting centre half Frankie Chappell was now sporting a bandage after a first half head injury and got forward after 47 minutes when the ball flew agonisingly wide of the Margate post.

Margate right back Ryan Peters then got in just before Corbett a minute later to clear following a good ruin and cross from James Everitt down the right.

ut Invicta fell behind again in the 53^rd minute when Jay Saunders hit a 25-ayd strike across goal and into the far corner of the net.

Haworth then wasted a good opportunity when he shot tamely at Stonebridge after being given on-side.

But Margate increased their lead in the 59^th minute when big Haworth headed in a Jackson corner from the right.

Invicta were now in real trouble but reduced the arrears when Bremner headed in Glyde’s 63^rd minute free kick.

And it was well and truly game on again when Chappell headed a long James Everitt throw from the right hand side onto the crossbar and Bremner converted the rebound to make it 3-3.

The visitors continued to create chances as a 76^th minute Corbett shot flashed across the goal from the right hand side when Bremner touched on a good ball from Kevin Watson and Glyde shot just wide from the edge of the penalty area a minute later.

And Invicta were in dreamland in the 80^th minute when Bremner completed his hat-trick from close range to make it 4-3 by diverting a Watson free kick in off the post.

Invicta then had young goalkeeper Stonebridge to thank for preserving their lead a minute later with a wonder save to deny McKimm.

Bremner, however, saved his best for last as he took the ball on and dinked a superb finish over goalkeeper Chalmers-Smith to make it 5-3 in the 85^th minute when a great ball from James Everitt put him through.

Bremner was booked by referee S Rubery as he celebrated his 13^th league goal with delirious visiting fans behind the goal on what was his finest hour in an Invicta shirt.

Ryan Martin curled a shot wide for Margate following ball from substitute Roberto Corbishley.

And the home side made it 5-4 in the 88^th minute when referee Rubery amazingly pointed to the spot when the ball had appeared to touch striker Haworth on the hand.

Haworth took full advantage from the subsequent penalty to complete the scoring despite Stonebridge getting a touch to the ball.

Invicta had to survive an anxious moment in the 90^th minute when Haworth just failed to convert Martin’s ball in from the right.

At the other end, Bremner was through again during stoppage time but was this time denied by Chalmers-Smith.

An incredible afternoon after an extraordinary few days in the life of Folkestone Invicta!

Talented Margate right back Peters was sadly stretchered off after 76 minutes as the home side played their first match since parting company with manager Robin Trott in midweek.

As well as Bremner, there were bookings for Margate’s Corbishley and Invicta’s Glyde after a 66^th minute flare up.

Invicta boss Neil Cugley believes four points from their last two games - at home to AFC Hornchurch (Monday) and Maidstone United (Saturday) will maintain their Ryman Premier League status.

“I think definitely one win, if not, four points, I suppose,” he told BBC Radio Kent afterwards.

“So there’s still a lot to do but we’re having a go. We’re so young, we’re a young side and they’ve showed so much maturity really for young lads.

“Whatever happens I’m proud of the players and how much they’re putting into the club.

“You look at our bench, we’ve got nothing there, not nothing there but we don’t pay hardly of them.

"We are right down to the bare bones but showing great character, great enthusiasm and I’m pretty pleased with my players.”

Cugley, whose side are still inside the drop zone in what will be a make-or-break seven days for the club, added: “It was so end-to-end and to come back from 3-1 down away from home, it’s all credit to the lads.”

Steve McKimm, Margate’s caretaker player-manager, meanwhile, admitted individual errors were, once again, their downfall.

“You make individual errors you’re going to get punished and that’s what we’ve done from the start of the season until now so if people don’t learn, it’s going to be hard,” he told BBC Radio Kent.

“I think we’ve scored 70 and let in (68) now, which isn’t good enough. You’re not going to win anything, I’ve told the boys in you’re not going to win anything if you keep conceding goals.

“You say they’re young (defenders), but if you’re young, you want to learn. Unfortunately we’re not learning as a team and just individual errors cost us.

“There’s three (individual mistakes) out there today that’s done us.

“If you do individual errors you’re going to get punished. Unfortunately we haven’t learnt.”

Tenth placed Margate will be playing Ryman Premier League football next season as they’ve missed out on a chance of qualifying for the end of season promotion play-off lottery.

And McKimm, whose in charge of the last two games after the club parted company with Robin Trott in midweek, added: “I just feel that today we were in with a chance of the play-off’s, very slight chance but we had a chance.

“People were told what to do at the start and it took us 25 minutes to get going and do the things they were told.

“In hindsight you can install all the tactical stuff you want in the world but you can’t legislate for errors.

“Unfortunately this season was riddled with them.”

Margate: Chalmers-Smith, Peters (Morris 76), Joseph, Martin, Young, Smith (Corbishley 59), McKimm, Saunders, Pinnock, Haworth, Jackson.
Subs: Quain, Moir, Bowles.

Folkestone Invicta: Stonebridge, Watson, Edge (Dickson 45), Chappell, Friend, Glyde, Corbett, M. Everitt, J. Everitt, Blackman, Bremner.
Subs: Sly, Byrne, Ovard, Barton.

Attendance: 552.

www.kentishfootball.co.uk will be at Cheriton Road on Monday night for Folkestone Invicta's game against AFC Hornchurch - providing LIVE score updates (subject to internet and server connections).