We must plug the gaps, says Cugley

MANAGER Neil Cugley is eager to strengthen his Folkestone Invicta squad sooner rather than later as he saw his side succumb to a 2-1 at the hands of Middlesex outfit Harrow Borough in the Ryman Premier League at the weekend, writes Andy Bown & Tom Marchant.

Defeat at Harrow combined with the dropped points against Heybridge Swifts at the Buzzlines Stadium the weekend before have left the Seasiders a single place above the relegation zone.

Despite a point and a match in hand separating Folkestone from Hastings United who occupy the final relegation spot, if Wealdstone and East Thurrock United (third and second from bottom respectively) were to win their matches in hand it could be goal difference deciding the occupants of the relegation places.

Nevertheless, it remains an outcome far too close to call for some of the Invicta faithful.

Speaking to www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk, Cugley said: “It is getting very close now and we’ve been sucked back into it which is worrying.

“It has been our away form more than anything that has cost us which was the opposite from the beginning of the season when we looked so comfortable away from home.

“We’ve got three away games coming up after Chelmsford and they will be absolutely vital because if we don’t get wins or points in those games then we will be in the bottom four and it’ll be tough from there on in.”

Folkestone welcome league leaders Chelmsford City to the Buzzlines Stadium in their next game. In the corresponding fixture last season Invicta were victorious over Jeff King’s side when local lad James Everitt got the winner in a 1-0 victory.

With the recent departures of loan players Tom Bryant and Marvin Hamilton-Omole, Cugley knows his Invicta squad is looking thin on numbers particularly at what is proving to be such a crucial stage of the season where the manager will want to seal the Ryman Premier status of the Club as soon as possible – particularly in a league which is sure to have a sizeable Kentish contingent next season.

He said: “We had the two Gillingham lads in on loan and they hardly cost me anything but now we need to fund any players that are brought in and if I want to bring players in then the Board will look at how much they want and we can go from there.

“We are still talking to some players and we are trying to get them in at the right price and I hope to have strengthened by Saturday because we will need it.”

Against Harrow the Seasiders took the lead after 24 minutes through midfielder Charlie Glyde, who had started the move after playing a ball out to Ben Sly on the right hand side and the cross from the wing back was flapped at by nervy goalkeeper Josh Lennie which Glyde took full advantage of to poke home.

“It was a good goal and Ben Sly did well getting across their player and his cross got half cleared and Charlie was there to steer it home and you would hope that it would kick us on and give us the confidence to get another one but in the end we didn’t perform”, mused the Folkestone boss.

Sly continued against Harrow at right wing back after impressing in the same role against Heybridge the previous weekend, having been recalled from a one month loan spell at neighbours Hythe Town.
Kevin Watson therefore slotted in at left wing back after Hamilton-Omole left the Club and in the absence of Leigh Bremner through suspension James Corbett was deployed in attack and Mark Saunders returned to take his place in the heart of the Invicta midfield.

Speaking about his team selection and the choice to play Corbett over John Ovard in attack which had proved quite a talking point in the week, Cugley explained: “I played Jimmy up front because of his experience. John has done well for us when he has played but I don’t think he’s quite ready yet for a full start at this level and the jump from reserve team football to Ryman Premier is big. John is certainly getting better though and I hope he keeps improving”.

Folkestone’s lead was cut short within five minutes as Victor Asambang – having just re joined Borough from Staines Town – scored on his return when a corner from striker Jonathan Constant was touched on by Danny Leech and was put in at the far post by Asambang.

Cugley said: “It was very unlucky to be honest. The corner came over and their player didn’t know anything about it; it just dropped at his shin and bounced for someone else to score. It looked poor marking but it was a very lucky goal.

“Letting the lead slip was disappointing though because we talked about the importance of holding onto the lead if we did get one. We didn’t play particularly well and to be fair to Harrow they’ve improved a lot over the season and I’m very disappointed we haven’t made the same progress.

“They were a very strong side, with good balance and a lot of their players have been together for a while now and I think that showed in how they played. They used the ball a lot better than us and created some decent chances”.

The Folkestone Manager said he and his side remained confident at half time that they could go out and defeat Harrow after the interval and with the wind in their favour.

However, just before the hour mark Invicta fell behind to a second goal from Asambang who latched on to a ball from Danny McGonigle and after Liam Friend had committed himself, Asambang slotted the ball inside Charlie Mitten’s near post.

And Cugley said: “You can say it might be a little inexperience but the three we had in at the back and the keeper were the same three we had playing against Wimbledon when we drew away so I think they are definitely capable of being a strong defensive unit. We are conceding too many sloppy goals from set pieces and it’s costing us”.

Article courtesy of www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk

Folkestone Invicta v Chelmsford City
Ryman Premier League
Saturday 1^st March 2008
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Buzzlines Stadium, Cheriton Road, Folkestone, Kent CT19 5JU