THE ROAD TO WEMBLEY: I want to reach the first round for the very first time, says Remy - EXCLUSIVE

FA Cup hero Ellis Remy is determined to put “a couple of goals” past his former club East Thurrock United on Tuesday night, writes Stephen McCartney.

The 23-year-old striker headed Folkestone Invicta’s only goal of their third qualifying round win over British Gas Business Division One South & West outfit Hillingdon Borough on Saturday.

His 72^nd minute header, following Micheal Everitt’s cross, from Kevin Watson short corner, has given Invicta a home tie in the last qualifying round on 27^th October, against their Ryman Premier League rivals, Heybridge Swifts or Billericay Town.

Billericay Town are the only side to lose a league game at Cheriton Road this season, but Remy is gunning to score the goals to reach the first round for the very first time in his career.

“I’ve never been there before so it would be actually great to get there,” he said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“Whoever we’ve get, I’m sure we’d give them a good game.”

Invicta made hard work to defeat the Ruislip based club, but Remy was delighted their persistence paid off.

“Very hard work, very hard work,” he admitted. “We thought we rushed things, we could’ve done things (with) a bit more composure, which made it hard work.”

Speaking about his towering header, which settled the tie, the Tottenham based striker, who netted his third goal of the season, added: “One, two yards, I don’t care as long as it goes into the net!

“I should have scored in the first half, should have hit it across the keeper (instead of hitting the foot of the near post).”

But Remy has set himself a goalscoring target for the season.

“I’ve got a target in my head,,” he said. “Obviously I want to sore more than last season and that’s the main thing for me and getting on the goalscoring charts.”

And Remy is puzzled as to why the club have only won two games on home soil this season - something that they must resolve if they are to secure a place in the first round proper for the second time in two seasons.

“I could not tell you, I couldn’t tell you,” said Remy. “We know we’ve got to improve our home form because we want to do it for the fans and stuff, but the main thing is we’re unbeaten in eleven games so we’ve got to keep going.”

He added: “I’m sure our home form will pick up as we go along.”

Charlie Mitten has kept four of their last five successive clean sheets, a major factor to Folkestone’s impressive run.

“I would say Charlie coming back (following injury) has made the back four more confident, the back three, whoever does play” said Remy.

“Everything’s coming back into order, we know we can play better and hopefully we can take it into the next round.”

Remy is relishing his return to Rookery Hill on Tuesday night.

He said: “Local game and obviously an old club, which I went there for a little while after I left Folkestone.

“It will be a good game, I’m hoping to get a couple of goals against them and play well.”

With Folkestone sitting in the top eight, Remy believes Neil Cugley’s men deserve to be where they are.

He said: “I think we expected it, we’ve got a lot of good players, got a good squad this season (so) I’m not surprised.

“I don’t think we’re over-achieving. I think this is where we should be, we should be up there.”

Ironically, Invicta’s only two home wins have been when www.kentishfootball.co.uk has covered their matches, against Billericay Town
(3-2) and Saturday’s 1-0 FA Cup win over Hillingdon Borough - This website also covered their 2-1 win at Tonbridge Angels, the start of their eleven match unbeaten run!

Visit Folkestone Invicta’s website: www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk

East Thurrock United v Folkestone Invicta
Ryman Premier League
Tuesday 16^th October 2007
Kick Off 7:45pm
At Rookery Hill, Corringham, Essex, SS17 9LB