Kentish Football 
Ryman Reports:
We catch up with those match reports that you’ve sent us. We apologise for the delay in publishing them.
If you send in your reports to us, we shall publish them.
Email: stephen@mccartney2000.fsnet.co.ukFrom now on, we shall publish reports as and when we’ll get them to prevent a back-log.
Folkestone Invicta 1-1 Hampton & Richmond Borough
By Richard Murrill
A late wonder goal from leading goalscorer Ellis Remy gave Folkestone Invicta a share of the spoils against high-flying Hampton and Richmond Borough at a sunny Buzzlines Stadium on Saturday.
There seemed to be little danger when substitute Ben Sly nodded the ball down in the 87th minute, but Remy let fly with a speculative 40-yard strike which flew over goalkeeper Matt Lovett and into the net for a goal that will be remembered for some time.
Centre forward Remy had celebrated his 23rd birthday the previous Tuesday and will have scored few better.
Remy’s spectacular strike sent home supporters away with smiles on their faces and prevented their visitors from going top of the Ryman Premier League table.
Alan Devonshire’s side had gone into the game on the back of a purple patch of 11 wins and a draw out of their last 12 matches and the Beavers had duly opened the scoring with a great strike of their own through Stuart Lake in the 18th minute.
Lake rounded off a good passing move with an extremely well-struck shot which flew into the roof of the net from a central position on the edge of the penalty area.
It had been a game of relatively few clear cut chances but with two quality goals and both sides also hit the crossbar – Kevin Watson for Invicta with a free kick towards the end of the first half and substitute Lawrence Yaku for the visitors in the game’s closing stages.
Hampton are a fit and well-organised side and Marvin Bartley put in a dangerous low cross from the right hand side after 28 minutes following a throw in from Graham Harper.
At the other end, James Corbett hit a 35th minute free kick at goalkeeper Lovett from just outside the penalty area after a foul by centre half Rob Paris on Remy.
Invicta goalkeeper Chris May then got up to keep out an Elliott Godfrey strike from 30 yards a minute later.
But the Folkestone side were close to an equaliser after 41 minutes when acting captain Watson struck the crossbar with a free kick from right on the edge of the penalty area after a foul by Francis Quarm on Damian Abel.
The visitors came out strongly at the start of the second half but ultimately paid the price for not increasing their lead.
Watson slid to thwart Ian Hodges and concede a corner after 47 minutes when Harper’s cross from the right was back-heeled and Hodges’ header lacked power five minutes later following a Ryan Lake cross after another good Hampton passing move.
Quarm ran through down the right hand side but shot over the crossbar as the pressure continued after 56 minutes and Godfrey shot over five minutes later when Hodges touched the ball back to the edge of the penalty area.
A Quarm cross then just eluded substitute Yaku at the far post after 70 minutes.
Invicta’s introduction of substitutes Paul Jones and Sly for the injured Samuel Kola Okikiolu and Mark Saunders gave them added attacking options and Corbett shot fractionally wide when Micheal Everitt’s good ball into the area was nodded down after 77 minutes.
Hampton’s acting captain Matt Elverson headed wide to deny Jones at the expense of a corner when Watson played the ball into the penalty area after 83 minutes.
Yaku then went past both James Everitt and Roy Guiver down the left hand side four minutes later but blasted wide.
And Remy’s moment of magic a minute later emphasised how slender a one-goal lead can prove to be.
Yaku looped the ball onto the Invicta crossbar from the right hand side of the penalty area as the visitors tried to regain the initiative after 88 minutes. And Yaku was denied again when he broke down the left hand side during stoppage time as the on-loan May saved at the near post on what could be his final appearance for Invicta before he re-joins Ramsgate.
Folkestone Invicta: May, Watson, Okikiolu (Jones 63), Guiver, Friend, Saunders (Sly 74), M. Everitt, Abel, Remy, Corbett, J. Everitt. Ssubs: Chandler, Dickson, Stonebridge.
Hampton & Richmond Borough: Lovett, Bartley (Frost 83), R. Lake, Elverson, Paris, S. Lake, Quarm, Godfrey (Yaku 66), Hodges, Harper, Matthews. Subs: Harris, Ulassi, Henry-Hayden.
Attendance: 367.
Ashford Town 1-1 Chatham Town
By Neil Sanders
In a hard fought Kent derby, Chatham came away with a point, but it was so nearly all three.
Ashford had more of the possession in the first half but were only able to force John Whitehouse to make one save when he tipped a free kick over the bar after 15 minutes.
Chats best chance in the opening period also came from a free kick. Darren Smith’s cross wasn’t cleared and when it came back across goal Mike McKenna’s close range touch turned the ball onto the post. However the flag was already up on the far side.
Chatham came out stronger in the second half and Rob Denness forced a good save from Jake Whincup after going past opponent and firing in a strong shot.
This effort was a sign of things to come, as five minutes later another good run from Denness took him past 3 defenders only to be robbed on the edge of the 18 yard area.
However, the ball immediately rebounded back to him and this time an excellent curling shot into the top corner gave the home keeper no chance.
In the 79th minute Rob Goodger received his marching orders for a second yellow card in seven minutes and Chats were forced to reorganise.
They held out until the 90th minute when Ashford’s George Fenwick found enough space on the edge of the 6 yard box to volley the ball past Whitehouse for the equaliser.
Unfortunately for Chats the assistant did not notice that the reason for the space was that Fenwick was in an offside position when the ball was played.
A disappointing finish, but certainly some positives for Chatham, notably the return of Ross Finn and promising substitute appearances from Tyrone Walker and Craig Govey.
Chatham Town: Whitehouse, Binks, White, Larkin, Goodger, Best, Smith, Brooks (Watkins 84), McKenna (Walker 66), Denness, Finn (Govey 56). Sub: Lyons.
Erith & Belvedere 4-2 Slade Green
By Thomas Hawes
Erith & Belvedere moved up to ninth spot in the Kent Premier League with a routine victory at Park View Road over local rivals Slade Green.
Erith began their quest for mid-table supremacy against a Slade Green side that had one just once in 2007 - and that being against basement boys Sporting Bengal.
It was therefore no surprise when the home side took an early lead. After some good work on the right by Adrian Deane, who was playing as a striker for the first time for the club, the ball was eventually fed in to Mark Nougher who got in front of the Slade Green defender to poke the ball past a helpless James Tedder in the Slade Green goal to give the Deres the early
advantage.
The advantage was to swing the home sides way even more as Green were reduced to 10 men after just 17 minutes had been played.
After a thunderous challenge, Green captain Trevor Lee was sent off. The Slade Green faithful rightly felt hard done by with the decision - this was one of a number of controversial decisions made by referee Mr Paul Kelly during the match.
The ten men of Slade Green held on until half-time against a very creative, perhaps a little over creative at times, Erith & Belvedere attack.
However, any hope of Green coming back into the game appeared to have been dashed when Mitch Crawley bundled home a Matt Bedford cross just 53 seconds into the second half.
On 49 minutes, Crawley took advantage of some lax defending to fire a shot from 25 yards out onto the base of the post.
Two minutes later, it was 3-0 to the Deres as Centre-back Paul Gross roamed forward before unleashing a terrific left-foot shot from 30 yards out, leaving Tedder no chance of making a save.
Deane came close to making it 4-0 before Gross grabbed his second goal with a fine header at the back post.With 61 minutes on the clock, Green pulled a goal back after a chip into the box from a free-kick found former Dere Adam Morrish unmarked. The bulky striker kept his cool to nod home and restore some pride for Slade Green.
There was enough time for Green to pull back another goal as Morrish coolly converted his second of the afternoon from the penalty spot after he had had his shirt pulled in the box.
The Deres travel to Faversham Town on Saturday and with just two points separating the sides, it’ll be a big six-pointer.
Erith & Belvedere: Hughes, Bedford, Diggins (Percey 83), Morgan (Johnson 62), Maycock, Gross, Berkley (Bignall 80), Deane, Collins, Crawley,
Nougher.
Subs: White, Walker.
Slade Green: Tedder, Assender (Evans 52), Baines (Minshull 52), Barber, Sabatino, Lee, Heaslewood, Malyon, A Morrish, Sawyer (Akala 71), Sesay.
Subs: Craven, Potts.
Attendance: 62
Whitstable Town 4-1 Tunbridge Wells
By Mark Wyver
Tunbridge Wells made their second visit to The Belmont this season, and lasted four minutes before conceding the first goal of the afternoon.
Having been beaten 3-0 in the Kent Senior Trophy back in January visiting manager Martin Farnie must have been dreading this Kent League match.
The Reds had defender Gary Sayer back in the side after injury replacing Michael Adcock who dropped to a very strong bench alongside Micky Lane, Alex Hossick, Sam Prett and Marlon Button.
It took just four minutes for the league leaders to open the scoring as a poor back pass was pounced on by Stuart King who delicately lobbed veteran keeper Alan Rogers to open the scoring.
The home side continued to create chances with Andy Constable failing to hit the target on two occasions.
The Reds extended their lead on twelve minutes when after a neat build up Tommy Martin scored his first goal for the club with a perfect shot into the corner of the net.
On his 100th appearance for the club busy midfielder Marcos Perona had a great chance to score his twentieth goal in a Red shirt only to slip at the vital moment.
With a rout looking likely it was the lowly visitors who got back into the game, when after some sloppy defending Ben Hilden beat Kevin Fewell from close range.
The unbeaten leaders were not to let up however and with two minutes remaining of the first half leading scorer King added to his tally when he beat Rogers to put the Reds 3-1 to the good at half time.
The second half started with Whitstable continuing to dominate proceedings against a poor Tumnbridge Wells outfit and the only surprise was that it took until the 59th minute before the fourth goal arrived as midfielder Jake Gess netted his eleventh goal of the season.
Marc Seager introduced striker Sam Prett to the fray and he looked dangerous on his return to first team action after injury.
With Croydon drawing and Thamesmead losing at Greenwich Borough the Oysternen have extended their lead at the top of the table to thirteen points and victory at home to VCD next Saturday will put the Reds in touch of the Kent League championship for the first time in their long history.
British Energy Kent County League Round-up
By Mark Wyver
Bromley Green extended their lead at the top of the premier division table after winning 3-1 at bottom side Crockenhill.
Top scorer Marcus Hodges scored twice with Glen Mackett also finding the net. The crocks replied through Chris Hackett.
Norton Sports went down 3-1 at Snodland. The home side had former Herne Bay player Ronnie O'Connor, Christian Matthews and Nathan Sims on the scoresheet while Jack Goodger replied for the losers.
Holmesdale had their championship hopes dented as goals from Tom Brown and Steve Smith gave Bearsted a 2-0 win.
Two goals from Tommy Price helped Milton Athletic to a 3-1 win at Hollands & Blair while Sam Pittaway (2) and Mike Ward netted in Fleet Leisure's 3-0 win at Sheerness East. Rusthall defeated Stansfeld O&B 2-0 at Jockey Farm.
In Division One East Tyler Hill defeated former Premier Division side Lydd Town 4-1. The leaders scored through Lee Austin, Stephen Baines, Rob Beazleigh and Luke Lockhart while Luke Riccoboni replied for the Marshmen.
Staplehurst & Monarchs United had a 4-1 win over struggling Borden Village. Peter Tancevski and Peter West scored two each for the winners with Adam Featrherstone scoring a consolation.
Sheppey United had Luke Blanshard and Craig Holland on target in their 2-1 win over University Of Kent who replied through Marcus Fatogun. New Romney beat Uniflo 2-1 at Station Road with Phil Johnson and Dave Pattenden the marksmen.
And in Division One West Orpington had Jamie Hughes and Dave Johnson to thank for their 2-1 win over Bromleians Sports who replied through Dan Clifton.
Two goals from Glen Barlow saw Bly Spartans beat Metrogas 2-0 and remain within a point of Orpington at the top of the table.
Phoenix Sports had D.Frost, J.Howarth and R.McMahon on target as they beat bottom side Fleetdown United.
Westerham beat Halls 2-0 away from home whilst the biggest winners of the day were Greenways who won 6-1 at Larkfield & New Hythe Wanderers.
Worthing 1-2 Folkestone Invicta
By Richard Murrill
Second half goals from James Everitt and Ellis Remy gave Folkestone Invicta a second successive Ryman Premier League victory as Neil Cugley’s side moved further away from the relegation zone by completing a league double over Worthing at a wet Woodside road on Saturday afternoon.
The younger Everitt brother opened the scoring in the 52nd minute when his shot wrong-footed goalkeeper Rikki Banks after a Liam Friend cross had been flicked on.
Worthing captain Jamie Lawrence, once a Premiership player with Bradford and Leicester City, equalised from close range in the 72nd minute when a Danny Davis free kick from the left hand side was headed on by Ben Andrews and bounced in the heavy mud and led to a scramble in the Invicta goal mouth.
But top goalscorer Remy restored Invicta’s lead three minutes later with the pick of the game’s three goals as he broke clear from just inside the Worthing half and got away from Dominic Douglas before firing home from an acute angle.
Invicta will have been disappointed not to have gone in ahead at half time after strikers Remy and Damian Abel both had chances to put the visitors ahead.
This was always seen as another key game between sides perilously close to the relegation zone. Worthing have recently been one of the league’s form sides having climbed out of the bottom four with a run of just one defeat in their previous eight matches, and that a narrow defeat at high-flying Margate in a run which has also seen them draw with fellow championship chasers Bromley and AFC Wimbledon.
With defenders Paul Lamb (ankle) and Kevin Watson (work commitments abroad) joining still injured skipper Adam Flanagan on the absentees list, Invicta went into the game with a somewhat makeshift defence as Roy Guiver and the fit again Friend lined up alongside Samuel Kola Okikiolu, with Ben Sly coming in as wing back.
But this was to be a good Invicta performance as they went forward from the start. Remy cut inside defender Andy Alexander and shot wide after 13 minutes and Abel fired over two minutes later.
At the other end Andrews headed wide for Worthing following a run and cross from Mark Knee after 24 minutes.
Abel soon tested goalkeeper Banks and then couldn’t quite latch onto a through ball on the half hour mark, whilst Luke Howell’s header from a James Corbett cross was saved by Banks. Sussex-resident Howell was captain for the day on his last appearance for Invicta before the end of his maximum three-month loan spell from Gillingham.
Abel was denied again by a Douglas tackle and Corbett also shot at Banks before the interval as the chances continued to fall for the visitors.
Following heavy rain at half time, one-time Worthing goalkeeper Chris May kept out a Lawrence header from a Joe Keehan cross at the start of the second half.
But Everitt’s opener soon gave Invicta the lead before the visitor’s goalscorer also proved his worth at the other end by clearing an Andrews header off the line following a Knee corner.
May then kept out Davis’ shot from the edge of the penalty area and Joe Keehan shot narrowly wide from 25 yards.
When Lawrence equalised for the Rebels it seemed as though Invicta would be in for a testing closing spell.
But Remy’s timely goal – his tenth in Invicta colours - was to prove decisive and the striker had a couple of further half chances, with Sly also shooting over the crossbar following a good run.
Davis went close to a stopping time equaliser when he fired over the Invicta crossbar, but this was to be the Folkestone side’s day.
Worthing: Banks, J. Keehan, Knee, Lawrence, Andrews, Douglas, Davis, Day (Brotherton 78), Lawley (Morris 56), Alexander, Cobbs. Subs: Rogers, Axten, K. Keehan.
Folkestone Invicta: May, Guiver, Sly, Okikiolu, Friend, Saunders, J. Everitt, Abel, Remy, Corbett, Howell. Subs: Jones, Dickson, M. Everitt, Rainbow, Stonebridge.
Attendance: 456.
Ashford Town 1-1 Leatherhead
By Jack Wilson
George Fenwick missed a late penalty for Ashford Town as they missed the chance to
climb out of the relegation zone.
Gavin Bulger gave ten-man Leatherhead the lead when he followed up Stevens’ strike on 37 minutes, but Town levelled proceedings with a well-taken goal from George Fenwick midway through the second half.
Although Fenwick missed the chance to double the lead when he had a low penalty, given away by ex-Town man Lynvall Duncan, saved as it ended all square at the Homelands.
Ashford Town boss John Cumberbatch rang the changes for the midweek clash, with five of the names from Saturday’s side left out of the starting line-up.
Kevin Lott was left nursing an ankle injury, whilst Matt Carruthers’ knock to the knee kept him out of the eleven. Jarrett-Elliott dropped to the bench along with Nick Fenwick, although the biggest casualty was Walid Matata, who was the victim of some rough handed Dover play and ended up having a Saturday night in casualty after being stamped on in the Kent derby.
This left space for Gary Clarke and Joe Hitchings to form a centre midfield pairing, with Steve Sodje out on the left wing, Ray Akantoh upfront, and the returning Jamie Smith to play at right back.
But Ashford had to shuffle the troops early on, as injuries to Graham Porter and Steve Sodje forced Ashford into two changes before the half time whistle.
However, by the time Sodje had left the field of play to be replaced by Ken Jarrett-Elliott, the Town were already a goal down. After Jake Whincup had pulled off an impressive diving save from Dave Stevens’ firm half volley, Gavin Bulger was first to the rebound to dink the ball home from six yards.
There was more penalty box action moments later when FA Cup heroes Leatherhead had what looked like some valid penalty appeals turned down, after Jamie Smith mistimed a challenge on James Greenaway. Nevertheless referee Gavin Hoare waved away the Tanners’ appeals.
After the break Ashford were made to make more changes to their increasingly frail backline when substitute Fenwick went down forcing Cumberbatch to make his third and final change. With little options on the bench the Ashford Town boss had to move Simon Glover to centre half, and put replacement Ian Ross on at left back.
Ashford were on level terms though midway through the second half after a defensive howler from Danny Lavender gifted George Fenwick a chance to equalise, and the Town topscorer duly obliged by slotting past Chris Gibson.
Although within minutes Leatherhead nearly regained the lead when Steve Sargent forced Jake Whincup into an excellent save at his near post.
However, the most crucial of saves was made by Chris Gibson eight minutes before time. After Gavin Hoare had flashed the red card to Lynvall Duncan for bringing Joby Thorogood down in the area, George Fenwick stepped up and rolled the ball to the right of keeper Gibson only to see his spot kick saved, and the points shared.
Ashford Town: Jake Whincup, Jamie Smith, Simon Glover, Graham Porter (Nick Fenwick 34, (Ian Ross 52)), Marc Cumberbatch, Gary Clarke, Joby Thorogood, Joe Hitchings, Ray Akantoh, George Fenwick, Steve Sodje (Ken Jarrett-Elliott 39)
Subs: James Frazer, Lee Ealham
Leatherhead: Chris Gibson, James Beer, Ian Hendry, Danny Lavender, Lynval Duncan, Stewart Holmes, Steve Sargent, Gavin Bulger, Marc Charles-Smith (Julien Thompson 90), James Greenaway (Scott Bennetts 89), Dave Stevens
Subs: Paul Sears, Mark Harper, Paul Borg
Attendance: 121
MOM: Simon Glover
Ashford Town 1-3 Dover Athletic
By Jack Wilson
Two first half own goals put pay to a shock at the Homelands as Dover took the points on a day packed with incident.
Dover's stand-in boss Terry White was sent to the stands before half time, but by then his side were already two goals up courtesy of Jake Whincup and Simon Glover own goals.
Nicky Humphrey turned in from close range midway through the second period to complete the rout, but their was still room for more incident as Steve Sodje and Tony Browne indulged in a confrontation well after the final whistle to sum up the nature of a hostile and heated affair.
Ashford Town made just the one change from the line-up at Chatham, with Steve Sodje
departing after a lacklustre midweek display to be replaced by former Dover man George Fenwick, one of six former Whites in the home line-up.
Although the Nuts and Bolts endured a terrible start, shipping two soft goals within the half hour.
After a fractious opening where referee Chris Salt flashed his yellow card on no less than three occasions, Dover took the lead in bizarre circumstances on 21 minutes.
After the Ashford Town defence had seemingly ushered Jimmy Dryden away from goal, the former Folkestone hitman fired in a tame ball that Jake Whincup somehow guided into his own net.
The Dover faithful were in full voice again minutes later when a cross from the left fizzed across the Nuts and Bolts six yard box, and with Whincup stripped of his confidence, the former Hornchurch man put his defence in all sorts of problems by staying rooted to his line.
Dryden, again a threat in the Town area, put pressure on Glover to clear forcing the left back to
slice the ball into his own net.
Ashford introduced Steve Sodje, James Frazer and Joe Hitchings after the break, but the deficit was too much to claw back as Dover continued to make the most of the running with their boring and negative long ball tactics.
The visitors struck the bar and post in quick succession after the interval, but it was left to defender Humphrey to wrap up proceedings with a right footed strike from six yards to put his side top of the pile.
Ashford Town: Jake Whincup, Nick Fenwick, Simon Glover, Graham Porter, Marc Cumberbatch, Kevin Lott, Joby Thorogood (James Frazer 77), Matt Carruthers (Joe Hitchings 68), Walid Matata, George Fenwick, Ken Jarrett-Elliott (Steve Sodje 59)
Subs: Ian Ross, Ray Akontoh.
Dover Athletic: Darren Smith, Tony Browne, Nick Humphrey, Matt Bourne, Craig Wilkins, Tommy Tyne, Shane Hamshare, Lee Spiller (Liam Quinn 65), Jimmy Dryden (Paul Linger 77), Bradley Spice (Jack Tanner 71), James Rogers.
Subs: Sam Vallance, Glen Knight.
Att: 557
MOM: Graham Porter
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