hendon051205

Thursday 01st September 2005

Invicta left languishing in bottom four

Monday 5th December 2005	Ryman Premier League	Richard Murrill reports from Buzzlines Stadium
Folkestone Invicta	1	O'Brien 32 Crace 64
Hendon	2	Dryden 90

Folkestone Invicta were left languishing in the bottom four of the Ryman Premier League after losing 2-1 at home to Hendon at the Buzzlines Stadium on Monday night, writes Richard Murrill.

Neil Cugley’s side went into the game looking to recover from Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Windsor, but trailed to goals from Blaise O’Brien and Ricci Crace before James Dryden pulled a goal back during stoppage time.

To make matters worse for the home side, Scott Lindsey was sent off with seconds to go for a raised hand into the face of Hendon substitute John Frendo having only replaced the injured Micheal Everitt during stoppage time.

O’Brien opened the scoring for the visitors after 32 minutes when he slotted the ball into the net at the second attempt from goalkeeper Dave King’s kick to the right hand side of the box after not making proper contact with his initial effort.

Crace made it 2-0 after 64 minutes when he headed in Ben Huddell’s free kick from the left following a foul by Adam Flanagan.

Dryden provided some consolation for Invicta with a late header when centre half John Guest did well to get up at the far post and head Kevin Watson’s free kick from the left back across goal.

But Lindsey was to receive his second home straight red of the season as he tried to get in front of Frendo who was looking to run the clock down after Dryden’s goal.

Invicta had made the early running as a 25 yard strike from Martin Chandler warmed goalkeeper King’s hands when Watson sent over the game’s first corner from the left after six minutes.

The home side were close again from another corner after 19 minutes when Paul Lamb’s ball in from the right was cleared from close to the line.

At the other end, an O’Brien header was saved comfortably by Tony Kessell when Huddell played the ball in from the left after 26 minutes.

A Paul Jones shot was blocked after 31 minutes when Guest headed a King clearance back towards the Hendon goal.

But O’Brien’s opener came a minute later and put the home side under pressure. Invicta’s Flanagan was booked after 36 minutes and Steve Good fluffed his chance when the subsequent free kick fell to him.

Kessell then had to come out and take the ball off O’Brien’s feet when the Hendon goalscorer was put through the middle after 37 minutes.

Guest headed into the side netting at the start of the second half for Invicta following a corner from the left.

But Hendon threatened again when Huddell hit the angle of bar and post with a 25-yard strike froim the left hand side after 53 minutes.

Invicta had their chances as Dryden shot at King from the left hand side of the box following a ball from Stuart Myall after 59 minutes.

And right back Watson saw his point blank shot blocked at the far post a minute later following a cross from the left and a Chandler shot from the edge of the penalty area was touched over by King as the ball came back out.

Invicta were made to pay as Crace’s goal put Hendon firmly in control. Guest had to clear for a corner at the far post in the 72^nd minute when the ball pinged around the Invicta penalty area after a free kick from the edge of the area was charged down.

And there were further problems after 75 minutes when O’Brien broke through the middle.
At the other end, a Flanagan header flew just wide after a 77^th minute corner from the left and Micheal Everitt fired wide from right on the edge of the box after 78 minutes when substitute Joe Neilson played the ball back to him following another ball in from the left.

Former Millwall, Charlton and Dover Athletic player Byron Bubb lobbed wide from 30 yards after 80 minutes just a minute after coming on when the ball came back out to him after he had initially threaded it through.

The final corner count of 14-4 in Invicta’s favour will be of little consolation to the home side.

Folkestone Invicta: Kessell, Watson, Lamb (Neilson 65), Flanagan, Guest, Chandler, M. Everitt (Lindsey 90), Myall, Dryden, Jones, Norman. Subs: J. Everitt, Sly, Mann.

Hendon: King, Duncan, Murphy, Cooper, Good, Burgess, Hunt (Pickett 63), Campbell, Crace (Frendo 86), O’Brien (Bubb 79), Huddell. Subs: Cook, Apilson.

Attendance: 239.