Staines Town 2 Folkestone Invicta 2 (Sat. 29th April 2006)

Folkestone Invicta completed their season with a 2-2 draw away to Staines Town on Saturday afternoon to finish 13^th in the Ryman Premier League table, writes Richard Murrill.

Invicta’s second half goals came from Kevin Watson (penalty) and Rob Knott, but the visitors also had Paul Lamb controversially sent off for throwing the ball at former Margate and Bromley striker Ellis Remy when the Staines man impeded him as he attempted to take a throw in.

Neil Cugley’s side went into the game with 18-year-old Kieron Mann in goal for only his third starting appearance in place of regular Tony Kessell (work commitments in America).

Centre half Lee Shearer (ankle) also missed the game, with Steve Norman passed fit but having to limp off before half time with an ankle injury which saw Walid Matata to come on and join Knott and Matt Carruthers in a three-pronged Invicta attack.

Staines needed a big win on their excellent playing surface at a sunny Wheatsheaf Park to stand any chance of reaching the play offs and opened the scoring after 14 minutes when the dangerous Ali Chaaban shot past Mann following a through ball from Danny Gordon.

Mann saved with his feet to deny Mark Nwokeji when captain Andre Scarlett set up the chance and Mann was called into action again to keep out a subsequent Dean Green shot.

At the other end goalkeeper Shaun Allaway kept out a Carruthers shot, with Jon McDonald able to clear Micheal Everitt’s rebound off the line after 24 minutes.

Invicta started the second half well as Allaway had to save from Carruthers and home substitute Andre De Lisser had to clear off the line from Staurt Myall.

It was 1-1 in the 69^th minute when Watson thumped his penalty past goalkeeper Allaway after a foul by Nick Burton on Carruthers when the striker had shown strength and pace to get into the area after a Myall ball.

And the visitors went 2-1 up in the 73^rd minute thanks to a great strike from Knott following a Mark Saunders header back in when a corner was cleared.

It was the young striker’s third goal in the final two matches of the season after forcing his way into the first team after finishing as top goalscorer for the reserves.

But Staines equalised to complete the scoring after 75 minutes courtesy of a Chaaban free kick into the bottom left hand corner of the net following a foul on Remy.

And Lamb’s sending off after 78 minutes by Ukrainian referee Oleksandr Saliy means that the defender will start next season with a suspension. Remy was also booked for his part in the incident.

Nwokeji had a late chance to win it for Staines but shot wide when receiving the ball from Remy.

STAINES TOWN: Allaway, Newton, McDonald, Burton, Green, Scarlett, Remy, Manuella, Nwokeji, Gordon (De Lisser 38), Chaaban. Subs: Maskell, Murphy, Flitter, Phillips.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Mann, Watson, J. Everitt, Flanagan, Norman (Matata 45), Saunders, M. Everitt, Myall, Knott, Carruthers, Lamb. Subs: Chandler, Neilson, Fraser.

Attendance: 226.