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Lack of experience costs Invicta at the end

Folkestone Invicta drew their last pre-season friendly of the summer 3-3 at home to Horsham on Saturday afternoon when a stoppage time own goal from Paul Lamb deprived Neil Cugley’s side of victory, writes Richard Murrill.

Left back Lamb sliced the ball into his own net with just seconds remaining when Nigel Brake found Lee Carney down the left hand side and the latter’s low ball in was missed by substitute goalkeeper Matt Hurley.

Horsham had twice been ahead and scored both right at the start and finish of the second half, but Invicta had looked like turning things around with goals from Stuart Myall, Simon Glover and Joe Neilson. 

Brake had opened the scoring for Ryman League Division One side Horsham after 36 minutes when he fired home across goal from the left hand side of the box.

But Invicta were level just a minute later thanks to an exquisite chip from Myall when he spotted goalkeeper Rob Frankland off his line and tried his luck from 20 yards.

Horsham restored their lead just 22 seconds into the second half when striker Jamie Taylor fired a low shot which squeezed past goalkeeper Tony Kessell with supporters still making their way back to the terraces.

Glover levelled the scores again after 50 minutes when he found the net after Myall had put him through during a lively opening to the second half.

Substitute Neilson put Invicta ahead in the 72^nd minute when he held his nerve to go round substitute goalkeeper Gary Elliott and plant the ball into the net when Micheal Everitt put him through down the middle.

But there was to be a final twist as Horsham saved the day.

Invicta had earlier gone close with the game’s first real chance with a far post header from teenager Ben Sly when Kevin Watson sent over a cross from the right hand side.

And Watson came across to the left hand side to hit a free kick which goalkeeper Frankland palmed away after 27 minutes.

At the other end, visiting centre half John Farley - a recent signing from Tonbridge Angels - hit an acrobatic shot over the crossbar when he came up for Brake’s corner from the left after 31 minutes.

Horsham goalkeeper Frankland turned a Micheal Eveirtt shot on the turn away for a corner after 41 minutes when Paul Jones played the ball in to Myall from the right hand side.

Taylor’s goal at the start of the second half put Horsham ahead again and the little striker threatened again with a close range header in the 47^th minute when John Westcott played the ball in from the right.

Striker Jones was then close for Invicta in the 48^th minute when Lamb from Lamb’s left wing cross and Horsham goalscorer Taylor called Kessell into action again a minute later during an incident-packed spell leading up to Glover’s equaliser.

Neilson looked likely when he came on and caused problems in the Horsham defence again after 82 minutes and James Everitt shot over in the 87^th minute when Luke Coleman had a shot blocked following a run into the box by Simon Rainbow.

When youth team goalkeeper Hurley replaced Kessell after 86 minutes, Invicta went into the closing stages of the game with seven teenagers on the pitch.

Defender Liam Friend followed up his first senior outing at Ashford on Thursday night with another substitute appearance here during the second half.

Folkestone Invicta: Kessell (Hurley 86), Watson (J. Everitt 70), Lamb, Flanagan, Norman (Friend 70), Lindsey, Sly, M. Everitt (Rainbow 72), Jones (Neilson 59), Glover, Myall (Coleman 72).

Horsham: Frankland (Elliott 45), Castrechino, Payne, Farley (Graves 45), French, Hawthorne, Carney, Westcott, Taylor, Hudak (Walker 57), Brake.  Also used: Oulling, Berry.