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Flanagan marks century with goal

Folkestone Invicta came back from 2-0 down against Leyton on Saturday afternoon but then had to settle for just a point from their first completed home Ryman Premier League game of the season, writes Richard Murrill. 

Invicta got off to the worst possible start as goals from Leli Bajada and Ryan Ashe put the visitors 2-0 up within the opening quarter of an hour.

But the home side were thrown a lifeline when defender Chris Elsegood headed into his own net after 28 minutes and centre half Adam Flanagan marked his 100^th starting appearance for the club by heading Invicta level after 55 minutes.

Invicta then pressed for a winner and will ultimately be disappointed not to have made their comeback complete.

Starting with an unchanged line up, Invicta had actually made the early running as Stuart Myall shot just wide when a James Dryden free kick was charged down as early as the second minute and Leyton goalkeeper James Hasell saved with his feet when Myall played Dryden in on the left hand side two minutes later.

But it was the visitors who opened the scoring when Bajada slotted the ball into the net after ten minutes when Ryan Ashe played a low ball through the middle to him.

It was 2-0 after 14 minutes when Spencer Knight picked Ashe out on the right hand side and the latter’s shot from outside the penalty area slipped through goalkeeper Tony Kessell’s hands and into the net.

Shell-shocked Invicta responded as Dryden was desperately close when he shot across goal just in front of striking partner Paul Jones in the middle when Dryden had combined well with Simon Glover down the left after 27 minutes in a move started by captain Scott Lindsey.

And it was 2-1 a minute later when Myall found Glover down the left hand side and his cross deflected off the head of Elsewood to leave goalkeeper Hasell with no chance.

Invicta were now back in the game and a great shot from Myall was pushed away by goalkeeper Hasell when Kevin Watson played a corner from the left hand side back to the burly midfielder outside the penalty area on the half hour mark.

Glover headed over a Paul Lamb cross from the left after 37 minutes and Jones didn’t fully get hold of his 41^st minute volley when Watson played the ball in from the right.

Glover got away down the left hand side again in the 42^nd minute following a quick throw from Dryden but his cross landed just in front of his in-coming team mates.

Leyton threatened at the start of the second half when Kesell pushed away Michael Gormon’s far post shot following a free kick from the right.

But when Flanagan equalised for Invicta, the pendulum swung back in the home side’s favour.

Neil Cugley’s side were close again a minute after the equaliser when Jones got on the end of Myall’s cross from the right.

At the other end, Leyton captain Roy Parkyn did well down the left hand side and striker Danny Shipp volleyed his subsequent cross wide.

Dryden was close at the near post for Invicta after 76 minutes but goalkeeper Hasell did well to deny him following a throw from the left hand side.

Dryden was booked for a challenge in the box after 84 minutes when substitute Joe Neilson did well to skip past both Parkyn and Elsegood down the right.

And Neilson himself was booked for kicking the ball into the net after a late offside flag a minute later.

At 2-0 down Invicta would have been grateful for a point, but will probably see this more as two points dropped than a point gained.

Folkestone Invicta:: Kessell, Watson (J. Everitt 84), Lamb, Flanagan, Norman, Lindsey, M. Everitt (Bower 79), Glover (Neilson 78), Dryden, Jones, Myall.  Subs: Sly, Mann.

Leyton:: Hasell, Peddie, Parkyn, Elsegood, Thomas, Gormon (Cook 6s), Ashe, Knight, Shipp (Badu 70), Sophocleous, Bajada (Williams 70).  Subs: Boyce, Hawes.

Attendance: 286.