We mean business this year, insists Cugley

A COMPELLING 2-1 victory over Chipstead on Tuesday night at the Buzzlines Stadium made it two wins out of two for Neil Cugley's side after Saturday’s victory at Worthing, as Folkestone Invicta embark on a successful season in the Ryman Division One South, writes Tom Marchant.

“We want to show people that we mean business this season and I think that is what we’ve started to do,” Cugley told www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk.

The Seasiders made the trip to West Sussex on Saturday to take on promotion candidates Worthing and left Woodside Road with a deserved three points after having the best goalscoring opportunities in the match.

With at least half a dozen players making their competitive debuts for Invicta, it was James Corbett who scored Folkestone's first goal of the season from the penalty spot after on loan striker Andy Pugh had been pulled back in the box.

Corbett himself had a great opportunity to put the visitors ahead just before, with a superb run from midfield which culminated in a one on one with home goalkeeper Alan Mansfield who made the save.

Pugh fired home the winner for the Seasiders, also from the penalty spot after James Everitt was blatantly fouled inside the box with only minutes left on the clock.

Andy had earlier seen his goal bound effort clawed away by Mansfield before the home side went and equalised almost immediately after.

“Corbs and Pughy both had one on ones but didn't put them away but both scored just after missing those chances which shows a bit of character so you have to give them some credit,” said Cugley.

"It was a good win but disappointing in the sense that we didn't finish them off as we had enough chances to get a second goal before they equalised. We made it a bit hard work for ourselves in the end when they’ve equalised but we kept plugging away and got the winner.”

Invicta demonstrated their attacking intentions from the first whistle last night when James Dryden was put through by captain Lee Gledhill, only to be thwarted inside the box by a dubious challenge from an opposition defender which prevented him from firing Folkestone ahead.

Immediately after, Chipstead went ahead with a decisive breakaway.

Asked about the penalty Cugley mused: “I've heard two different things; Jim thought it was a penalty and someone watching who knows the game really well said to me it was a great tackle. It' s a bit frustrating as they've gone right up the other end and scored straight away which was a bit of a sickener. From where I was it looked a penalty.”

The Seasiders continued to plug away at the Chipstead defence and got their reward five minutes later. Jimmy Jackson’s cross from the right was met by an expert header from Pugh who planted the ball past visiting goalkeeper James Wastell, who was to enjoy friendly banter with the home fans throughout the evening.

Cugley said: “It was a great ball in and Jacko is class when he gets into wide positions and it shows why we were so pleased to get him. It was a quality ball in and a quality header and it was a well-deserved equaliser.

“I think if we’d been 3-1 up at half time, it would have been a fair reflection as we didn’t bury our chances and the game should’ve been over by half time although I was very pleased with the chances were creating”.

Decent goal scoring opportunities in the first half fell to both James Corbett and Andy Pugh, although Invicta didn’t have to wait long after the interval to take the lead with Jackson striking a superbly placed shot within 60 seconds of the restart.

“We showed nice movement leading up to the goal and Jimmy doesn't need to smash the ball as he's got enough class to just curl it in. I'm pleased with him because he missed quite a lot of pre season with an injury and I don't think we've seen the best of him yet and already last night he's made one and scored one.”

Folkestone then went on to enjoy a long period of dominance, demonstrating some fine attacking football and it was to the amazement of the home faithful that the score remained at 2-1.

Jackson hit the bar with a 20 yard strike, Mark Green saw a looping header fall just beyond the far post and Corbett had a shot cleared just in front of the goal line.

Cugley said: “Second half I thought we were more unlucky rather than it being poor finishing which I thought we were guilty of first half.

“Second half we were hitting the target, they were blocking them, the keeper was having a good game and it was fast, attacking football. They could have broken away and got an equaliser near the end but if you're going to play that way to got to accept that. People like to see attractive, attacking football and that's what we're trying to provide.

“I think some of our moves, especially the one in the first half where it was driven into Jim (Dryden), he's laid it off to Corbs who’s gone through and the keeper has made a good save and its come out to Pughy who put it wide, were really very good last night. I think we're really starting to play some good football now.

“Credit to Chipstead though as they didn’t stop trying to pass the ball and they had a couple of good players and because we didn't finish them off as soon as we would've liked to have done, they kept at it. It was disappointing that we didn't get the third so we could relax but at the end of the day we're delighted to have got the points.”

Saturday sees the Seasiders at home to Walton & Hersham, another side who have won both of their opening matches. This weekend’s visitors defeated Corinthian-Casuals 4-2 away last night and won at home to Crowborough Athletic 2-1 last Saturday.

"They are another side out of the six or seven who are going to be competing for a place up there at the end of the season,” warned the long-serving manager.

“They've been a fairly good side and they've been in the Premier and will want to get back there like we do. It'll be a difficult match but we've had them watched and we’ll prepare ourselves as best as possible.

“We want to continue our good start and you always want to win your home matches. We want to get people behind us and the last couple of years they've not had much to cheer about and it's up to us to continue from Tuesday.

“Tuesday has given us something to build on and we’ll keep working hard at it in training so we keep getting better. I think we still haven't seen the best of us yet and I think there will be some good games at home this year.”

Cugley has no injury worries to contend with as he prepares his side for Saturday.

“Corbs came through a bit longer last night than Saturday and he's had a bit of an Achilles tendon problem recently so we took him off a bit earlier last night when I thought he was excellent, just to make sure he’d be alright for Saturday.

“Micheal Everitt’s back problem has all cleared up and I'm very pleased with him as he came in and done a good job last night.

“We’re now getting a nice little squad together where you have to leave players out. Yesterday James Everitt didn’t start and it was obviously a choice I had to make and he was disappointed, you've got Byron (Walker) who wants to show what he can do and then you've got Spiller and Wilko to come back. It's looking good.

“We've got competition which you need and sometimes players go quiet on you if they’re not playing so you know their disappointed but that's the job and I’d rather have it that way and we're getting back to the days where we had a good squad when we were in the equivalent of this league a few years ago.”

Cugley also revealed that the knee operation Craig Wilkins underwent last Thursday has been successful with the forward having started “light work” on his knee.

Wilkins is due to start physio work later this week and will return to the specialist next week before making a return to training. His return to match action has been earmarked in approximately four weeks time.

In his absence in attack, loan signing Pugh has scored twice in two matches alongside Jimmy Dryden up front. Pugh has signed a loan deal which will initially keep him at the Buzzlines Stadium for one month.

And Cugley added: “I think he has certainly played a part in us starting to play a bit more football. He's a pro who is training every day and you can see that in his movements which are exceptional.”

Cugley takes his side to Kent rivals Sittingbourne next Tuesday night - a game being covered by www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

Article courtesy of www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk

Folkestone Invicta v Walton & Hersham
Ryman Premier League
Saturday 23^rd August 2008
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Buzzlines Stadium, Cheriton Road, Folkestone, Kent CT19 5JU