crawley270704

Thursday 01st September 2005
Tuesday 27 July 2004 Pre-Season Friendly Richard Murrill reports from Westbourne Stadium
Folkestone Invicta

0

 
Crawley Town

5

Robbie Kember 12
Mo Harkin 29
Richard Harris 67
Robbie Traynor 75 (pen)
Neil Jenkins 79 (pen)

Folkestone Invicta went down 5-0 against Conference newcomers Crawley Town at the Westbourne Stadium on Tuesday night, although the home side played better than the final scoreline might suggest.

The game was set up as part of the deal that took striker Allan Tait from Folkestone Invicta to Crawley back in March, but it will be remembered for the fanatical support Invicta received from some visiting German students who bought the club’s scarves and replica shirts and made more sustained noise than is normally heard on the Folkestone terraces. All that was missing was a home goal.

On a sunny evening, Crawley opened the scoring after 12 minutes when Robbie KEMBER bundled the ball in from close range after Invicta goalkeeper Tony Kessell had initially saved a Charlie MacDonald shot from the left.

MacDonald then hooked a shot at Kessell after 16 minutes, while at the other end defender Kevin Hemsley narrowly avoided putting the ball into his own net when he intercepted Martin handler’s attempted through ball to Simon Glover.

Kessell was at full stretch again to save from Daniel Marney after 22 minutes and the Invicta goalkeeper touched the ball over the crossbar a minute later when Mo Harkin let fly from 25 yards.

For Invicta, Glover lobbed the ball over the crossbar when given on-side to a big Kessell clearance after 27 minutes.

It was 2-0 after 29 minutes when HARKIN sent a sweet free kick into Kessell’s right hand corner after a foul was given against Invicta captain Scott Lindsey who was involved in a flare up with big Fiston Manuella.

Invicta had their chances as James Dryden headed against the crossbar on the half hour mark and Mark Munday shot just over when Dryden nodded the ball down after 33 minutes.

At the other end, a low Macdonald shot flashed across the Invicta goal following Kember’s through ball in the 40th minute.

Tait made his entrance after 54 minutes as a substitute for MacDonald and got a good reception from the Invicta supporters.

And Tait was involved in Crawley’s third goal after 67 minutes when he touched on a corner from the left for Richard HARRIS to thump the ball home.

Tait was involved again after 75 minutes when he went down under challenge from Adam Flanagan and Robbie TRAYNOR duly made it 4-0 from the penalty spot.

Crawley were awarded another penalty a minute later when Lindsey fouled Darragh Ryan and Neil JENKINS stepped up to send the spot kick to goalkeeper Kessell’s right and complete the scoring.

Perhaps feeling sorry for Invicta, referee Ian Regan blew for full time after just 87 minutes’ action.

It did not dampen the enthusiasm of the visiting German youngsters who conducted a Mexican wave from the terraces, collected autographs from the players and chanting long after the final whistle.

Wunderbar!

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Watkins (Hogg 57 mins), Lamb, Flanagan, Guest, Standen, Chandler, Munday, Dryden, Glover, Lindsey.  Unused subs: Blackman, Walker, Coleman, Morrin.

CRAWLEY TOWN: Smith, Judge (Palmer 61 mins), Jenkins, Hemsley, Simbemba, Manuella (Mapes 45 mins), Harkin (Ryan 61 mins), Kember, Marney (Harris 37 mins), MacDonald (Tait 54 mins), Traynor. 

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