Kentish Football 
PLAY-OFF HEROES: Folkestone Invicta 2-1 Godalming Town - J Everitt: We've proved them all wrong!
Saturday 01st May 2010
FOLKESTONE INVICTA 2-1 GODALMING TOWN
Ryman League Division One South Play-Off Final
Saturday 1st May 2010
Stephen McCartney reports from Cheriton Road
THERE was a sense of JUSTICE amongst the jubilation when referee Mr John Busby blew the final whistle that sparked a pitch invasion as Folkestone Invicta celebrated their promotion back into the Ryman Premier League after a two-year absence today.
In my eyes, Neil Cugley’s battle weary troops are the real champions of the Ryman League Division One South - and everyone associated with the Cheriton Road club deserve their glorious play-off wins over Leatherhead and Godalming Town.
The club might not have been in existence today if it had folded last summer, but Cugley’s heroes have battled against adversity for nine months by running on a tiny squad and have proved their doubters wrong and deservedly take their place in the Ryman Premier League - making up for that painful winner-takes-all showdown which they lost against Maidstone United two years ago that sent the club down - and being deducted ten-points in February for going into administration that handed big-spending Croydon Athletic the league title by default.
Cugley’s men are made of stern stuff. On Tuesday their season was going to be cut short by Leatherhead as the Surrey side raced into a 2-0 first half lead through their skipper Colin Boulter, but Darren Smith lifted them off the floor before Frankie Chappell ignited the dream and goalkeeper Jack Delo saved Jon Coke’s penalty and Folkestone celebrated their first penalty shoot-out success.
Before the game, the supporters that witnessed their side’s magnificent fight-back were asking if their heroes could do it one final time - this truly was a MUST-WIN game!
Yesterday, I issued a rallying cry on the fans’ forum, for fans to raise the roof at Cheriton Road - and the Folkestone faithful didn’t let their team down as we all rode the tension of a play-off final together during the 95 minutes and 34 seconds of real emotion.
A club that raises £10,143 for our country’s heroes by fighting wars abroad - deserves support - and one brave solider issued his very own battling cry to Folkestone’s very own heroes yesterday.
“From a fighting foreign field far away, can I reiterate what has been so elegantly recorded by all above (on the fans’ forum)” Lincolnshire Imp wrote.
“In the dust hell of Afghanistan, there will always be a little part of Folkestone Invicta. As the sun sets Saturday evening in Kandahar and kick off approaches in Folkestone, a beacon of hope will be there in spirit.
“Your “Gladiator Spirit” this season has been an inspiration, tomorrow is a time to stand tall, be proud, be brave and fight the good fight until every bone aches through the challenge, because through adversity and doubt you have prevailed to new levels as a band of brothers.
“Tomorrow step forward like warriors, run with the adrenalin, push aside the challenge and reach the top of the mountain - show Godalming that you are the Class Team and you will never have this taken away from you.
“Run with pride and push away the challengers, because you deserve the destiny of promotion. That destiny is “Play-off Winner Ryman South 2009-2010 Folkestone Invicta.”
Did manager Neil Cugley need to motivate this players after they read such a powerful motivation tool?
Bon Jovi’s “Keep the Faith” anthem blasted out of the loud speakers before kick-off - Folkestone was ready. Their pre-match huddle showed their trusting unity. Let battle commence!
Godalming Town, managed by Moroccan born goalkeeper Chuck Martini, who saved two Weymouth penalties in his one and only game for Folkestone Invicta during the Kent club‘s Southern League days, may have been the better side on the day, but they certainly didn’t have the Folkestone spirit running through their veins.
Goalkeeper Delo stepped swiftly to his right to palm over Glenn Stanley’s in-swinging corner, which was curling towards the near corner, after just seven minutes as Godalming aimed to break Folkestone’s hearts.
The impressive Phil Williams, with 24 goals in Godalming’s best ever season, played in Chris Wales but he slid the ball across Delo and past the far post.
The Folkestone faithful were punching the air in delight, as the Kent side drew first blood after 19 minutes - against the run of play.
Folkestone built the play down the left-hand side of the pitch and Josh Burchell’s excellent floated cross was met at the far post by the unmarked Josh Vincent and his diving header left Rodney Chiweshe beaten as the ball bounced into the far corner.
But ecstasy turned to agony - as Godalming levelled just 107 seconds later.
They always say teams are at their most vulnerable when they’ve just scored - and this was the case when for once this season the Folkestone defence switched off and the ball bounced into their penalty area and Delo remained on his line to allow the jumping Williams to nod the ball down and into the back of the net from inside the six-yard box in front of a small band of travelling supporters at the Cricket End of the ground.
It wasn’t long before Cheriton Road erupted for a second time - and Simon Austin’s tenth goal for the club sealed promotion after just 26 minutes.
Victor Kuri was booked for a bad challenge on Liam Friend and Jimmy Jackson swept in an inviting free-kick with his trusted left-foot from 35-yards into the penalty area and Austin’s hooked volley nestled into the bottom right-hand corner.
Folkestone were caught out again - but this time Delo stood tall and made an excellent double save before the break.
A long punt downfield from the Godalming keeper released Stanley - who beat the offside trap - and he raced down the left and after cutting into the penalty area his driven shot was beaten out by Delo - who immediately blocked Wales’ low smashed follow-up with his legs.
Folkestone Invicta went into the interval knowing that they were only 45 minutes away from the Ryman Premier League.
But all was almost lost just 45 seconds into the second half when Williams’ skill got him to the by-line and his cut-back was skied over the crossbar from just three yards out by Wales at the near post.
A thirty-yard drive from Folkestone defender Liam Friend bounced comfortably into the visiting keeper’s arms - before Godalming upped their urgency and tempo and left Folkestone soaking up the pressure as they have done so well all season. Their record of only letting 23 goals in 42 league games is testament.
On the hour-mark, a right-wing move involving Damian Matthews and Liam Pestle resulted in the ball being headed back across the goal-mouth for Wales to hook the ball over from six-yards.
But the game took one giant twist in Folkestone Invicta’s favour with the bravest decision that referee Mr Busby has made this season.
Cugley kicked the advertising boards beside his dug-out and shook his head in disbelief after the referee pointed to the spot after Graeme Purdy cheated the referee by diving over Jackson’s leg on the right-hand side of the penalty area after 29 long second half minutes.
A storming Jackson did just enough to put doubt in the referee’s mind, who went over to his assistant David Jones for consultation and for what seemed like an eternity, justice prevailed, a goal-kick was finally awarded and a yellow card was issued to Purdy.
That was Folkestone Invicta’s get-out-of-jail card.
With the home faithful - myself included - urging them on towards glory, everyone despaired when Austin squandered what would have been game-set-and-match in the 80th minute.
The striker started his breakaway from the half-way line and was played through the heart of the Godalming defence - and after rounding the keeper all he had to do was to slot the ball into an empty net.
But he slid over on the wet pitch and agonisingly stabbed the ball the wrong side of the near post.
With time running out, James Everitt and substitute Peter Williams carved open a chance for substitute Brendon Cass, but his angled shot was pushed around the post by the Godalming stopper.
It wasn’t all plane sailing, as Williams was left unmarked at the far post at the death and nodded the ball across Delo and the ball bounced in front of the goal-line and spun into the keeper’s grateful arms.
The final whistle brought jubilant scenes as fans and players celebrated together on the pitch, skipper Micheal Everitt picked up the glassware - where was the trophy that Cray Wanderers picked up 52 weeks ago? - and the party began!
Manager Cugley, who has deflected the pressure off his players all season, was immensely proud when www.kentishfootball.co.uk spoke to him in his office afterwards.
Describing his emotions, he said: “Chuffed! I really am pleased! I didn’t think we do it, so even better!
“If you said to me at the beginning of the season, with what’s gone on, what league we’d be in, yes, I’m really chuffed for the players.
“I’ve said before they’ve just given me everything and pleased for them really.
“In some ways I’ve played them down a little bit to not put them under pressure as I didn’t want to do that.
“I thought it wasn’t the be all for us to go up so that’s why it’s been quite enjoyable.”
Reflecting on the game, Cugley added: “I thought it was a really good goal, our first one, a diving header, that was good and then they got one where we were a bit sloppy on the marking and then Austo’s was a good goal and then to be fair they threw everything at us and obviously they had a penalty that we all though wasn’t a penalty.
“The referee gave it and then to be fair he did go over to the linesman and changed his mind. At least he showed a bit of - he had something about him to actually say he’s got it wrong. Well, he didn’t get it wrong. It was never a penalty!”
When asked how he was feeling when the penalty was initially given, Cugley replied, “I just felt a bit cheated, especially as it was Jimmy Jackson, who’s been so good for us and he’s done so much and he’s so much credit for what’s gone on at the club for the last two years and for him to give away the penalty that might of - would have been terrible.
“That’s how I felt straight away, just thought why him? It was never a penalty but to be fair the officials, for once, they held their hands up and the lad got booked and we got a free-kick.”
Kent fans’ favourite, Jackson added that he couldn’t believe that the referee was initially conned by Purdy’s theatrics.
“I couldn’t believe it!” Jackson told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards. “First of all I thought he booked him anyway because it was the same fella that went down two or three times.
“I could see he was going to get there so I made no attempt even to make the tackle. I just stood off and when he kicked it past and it went out of play and went down I turned round presuming he was to get booked - and the referee pointed to the spot.
“I just couldn’t believe it! At the time we were under a bit of pressure and if they scored and made it two-all we’ve got it all to do really.
“At the last minute the referee spoke to his linesman and I was relieved as anything but the player admitted a minute later that he did go down. That’s what people do to try and get up a league but I was very relieved, put it that way!”
Goalkeeper Jack Delo, also told www.kentishfootball.co.uk that he praises the players in front of him for helping him to keep 23 clean sheets in 49 appearances this season.
“It’s been an anxious few days from the play-off semi-final,” he admitted. “I think a few of the boys have been thinking about it but a great feeling at the end, a great buzz.
“Definitely credit to the boys at the back. I think as the whole team we work hard as a unit but in particular the back five, the back three, and all year I haven’t had the most to do in the games.
“Some games I’ve been a spectator because of how well they’ve defended as a unit. There’s just a great togetherness, I think a few of them have grown up together, so there’s a good understanding.”
But Delo - and 11-goal home grown hero James Everitt - insisted there was a sense of justice that the Kent club clinched promotion - despite being deducted ten points for the club’s financial problems.
“I think we’ve proved a point,” added Delo.
“We would’ve won the league quite comfortably. It just shows how much character we’ve got to go up with the ten points deducted and fair play to the boys, Cugs, Dixey, who has been superb and Towsey with the pitch. The whole club has worked really hard to get us there.”
James Everitt, who started his 199th game for his home-town club today, told www.kentishfootball.co.uk that the side love proving everybody wrong.
Describing his feelings, Ratty said, “It means everything! It’s brilliant! We’ve worked hard for it all season and it’s come off.
“They can take ten points off us but we can still go on and do our best and our best came out on top this year.
“Our defence has been absolutely brilliant. You can just see how many goals that we’ve conceded this year has been unbelievable.
“You go through all the levels, I don’t think there’s not many teams that can beat our goals (against) record. We’ve conceded 23 - it’s been brilliant, superb!
“It just shows how together we are as a club, the fans and everything. The fans have been superb all season, to be fair to them.”
Speaking on Folkestone’s amazing togetherness that has stuck two fingers up at their doubters, James added: “We’re a group of lads who like to prove people wrong. They took ten points off us and everyone thought we’d be a mid-table team - but we’ve proved everyone wrong. We like to prove our manager wrong! We just go out and do what we can and this year it’s been enough.
“We’ve got a good team spirit. Everyone works for each other. We all get on really well and it’s just superb!”
Folkestone Invicta: Jack Delo, Josh Vincent, Josh Burchell, Liam Friend, Frankie Chappell, Micheal Everitt, Darren Smith, Liam Friend, James Everitt, Simon Austin (Peter Williams 86), Jimmy Jackson (Brendon Cass 80).
Subs: James Dryden, Roy Guiver, Jamie Bates.
Goals: Josh Vincent 19, Simon Austin 26
Booked: Darren Smith 90
Godalming Town: Rodney Chiweshe, Liam Pestle (Ayran Tajbakhsh 83), Shaun Elliott (Andy Ottley 67), Russell Pym, Damian Matthews, Richard Taylor, Glenn Stanley, Victor Kuri, Graeme Purdy (Richard Shittu 87), Chris Wales, Phil Williams.
Subs: James Mariner, Garry Aulsberry.
Goal: Phil Williams 21
Booked: Victor Kuri 25, Glenn Stanley 55, Graeme Purdy 68, Damian Matthews 90, Richard Taylor 90
Attendance: 599
Referee: Mr John Busby (Wallingford, Oxfordshire)
Assistants: Mr Ian Douglas (Thatcham, Berkshire) & Mr David Jones (Addlestone, Surrey)
Fourth Official: Mr Sam Lewis (Brentford, Middlesex)
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