Slough Town 0-2 Folkestone Invicta

Folkestone Invicta achieved their first Ryman Premier League win of the season today when a first half header from Adam Flanagan and a late goal straight from a corner by Steve Norman gave Neil Cugley’s side a 2-0 victory away to Slough Town, writes Richard Murrill.

It was also the first time that Invicta had won in six visits to Stag Meadow in Windsor to give the Folkestone side plenty to cheer about amid the glorious sunshine.

Captain Flanagan is rapidly becoming Invicta’s main man at both ends of the pitch as he opened the scoring in the 25th minute with his third headed goal in successive matches to remain the club’s leading goalscorer so far this season.

Flanagan met a Kevin Watson free kick from the right with another clinical header to beat goalkeeper Kieron Drake at his near post.

And Norman made the points safe after 82 minutes when his corner from the right was touched into the net by Drake.

Invicta went into the game with Paul Jones starting in attack alongside Ellis Remy and Mark Saunders back from injury, with Matt Carruthers failing a fitness test on his injured groin.

At the back, both teenager Liam Friend and recent signing Samuel Kola Okikiolu were starting their first league game for the club after two recent cup ties.

Centre half Flanagan was involved from the start as he cleared off the line when goalkeeper Tony Kessell lost the game’s first corner from the right after just three minutes and both Flanagan and Slough striker Gareth McCleary were booked for an off-the-ball flare up two minutes later.

The visitors had chances as Norman headed onto the roof of the net when big Remy caused problems in the home defence following a ball in from the right after seven minutes and the ball was headed off the Slough line two minutes later when Saunders met a Watson corner from the left.

Norman then shot wide from outside the penalty area after a move involving both Saunders and Micheal Everitt in the 14th minute.

And Flanagan’s opener put Invicta ahead in a league game for the first time this season.

Friend made a saving tackle on Anaclet Odhiambo to concede a corner in the 30th minute when Michael Alexis broke from midfield following an Invicta attack at the other end.

A McCleary cross from the right was headed tamely wide by Darron Wilkinson after 41 minutes, while another Flanagan header was cleared from close to the line when Watson sent over another corner from the left a minute later.

Remy cleared against the outside of his own post as Slough won a couple of corners at the start of the second half.

The home side had Alexis booked for encroachment after 48 minutes and the same player shot over from 25 yards eight minutes later.

But Invicta had a good chance to increase their lead when Jones shot over in the 59 minute after being put through by James Everitt.

And Drake touched a low Micheal Everitt shot from the edge of the penalty area round the post for a corner a minute later.

The elder Everitt brother then blocked from close to the Invicta line after 63 minutes when a Slough corner from the right came back out to Alexis.

Leigh Mason shot onto the roof of the net from the edge of the penalty area following a Mark Leach throw from the left after 66 minutes.

And Invicta had goalkeeper Kessell to thank for an immaculate one-handed save to deny Steve Daly when the Slough captain met a corner from the right two minutes later.

McCleary headed straight at Kessell from a Leach free kick after 72 minutes and McCleary then curled a shot wide of the post from the right hand side three minutes later as Invicta withstood home pressure.

And Norman’s second goal of the season was to give the visitors breathing space.

Jones headed over in the 84th minute as Invicta were in the ascendancy and Drake got across to touch a well-struck Watson free kick round the post with three minutes remaining 
as Invicta were in the ascendancy following a foul by Jamie Jarvis on substitute Joe Neilson.

SLOUGH TOWN: Drake, Dell, Wilkinson, Jarvis, Leach, Ujah (Wesat 45), Mason, Daly, Odhiambo, McCleary (Harris 84), Alexis. Subs: Moleski, Bartley, Braith.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Watson, Norman, Flanagan, Friend, Okikiolu, M. Everitt, J. Everitt (Sly 77), Remy (Neilson 79), Saunders, Jones. Subs: Shearer, Stonebridge.

Attendance: 269