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Clark kicks Invicta into touch

Folkestone Invicta suffered their heaviest defeat of the season so far when they slumped to a 3-0 defeat at Northwood in the Ryman Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

This was an afternoon to forget for an Invicta side who ended the game well beaten as they failed to capitalise on a bright start.

Invicta went into the game with goalkeeper Tony Kessell back after five games out with injury, but were without centre half Adam Flanagan on compassionate grounds as he was visiting his seriously ill grandfather in Ireland.

Drew Watkins moved into the centre of defence in Flanagan’s absence but himself limped off after 22 minutes when the game was delayed for ten minutes as an injured linesman had to be replaced.

But Invicta’s problems stemmed mainly from their failure to put something tangible on the board when they had early chances, something which had cost them dear in their midweek home defeat against Hendon.

As it was, goals from Dean Clark (2) and Steve Hale gave the home side a comfortable victory.

Invicta started well enough as Simon Glover ran at the home defence and into the box after six minutes when he collected a throw from Andrew Burke on the left and shot wide across goal.

Mark Munday then headed over at the far post after ten minutes when Micheal Everitt played the ball in from the right.

But Northwood opened the scoring after 19 minutes when CLARK took Steve Dell’s cross from the right off Hale’s foot and fired a low shot into the far corner of the net.

Fergus Moore’s shot then hit team mate Hale on the head and flew over the Invicta crossbar following a corner on the right after 22 minutes.

Following the ten-minute delay, Munday volleyed at goalkeeper Rob Bullivant when Martin Chandler and James Dryden both got touches to Everitt’s ball in and Chandler stabbed the ball wide on his 150^th starting appearance for the club in a move also involving Burke, Paul Lamb and Glover.

Dryden won the ball back in the box and shot at goalkeeper Bullivant and a Glover shot was blocked by a defender when Bullivant touched away a Lamb free kick from the right.

But Kessell had to come out and make a great save with his legs following a superb turn by striker Kevin Chakaodza after a low free kick.

And Northwood were given the boost of a second goal just before half time when Clark put Chakaodza through and the ball ricocheted into the path of HALE whose shot flew into the back of the net in his first home appearance since re-joining the Middlesex club for a third spell.

This Invicta side has dug itself back from such situations in the past and huffed and puffed at the start of the second half without making any real in-roads.

Chakaodza shot over with the outside of his boot from the edge of the box after 51 minutes.

And the impressive CLARK made it 3-0 when he lobbed the ball back with interest and found the back of the net from 25 yards for his second goal of the game after 62 minutes when Kessell had to race out to clear when a ball over the defence sent Chakaodza away again.

With the game now effectively over as a contest the closing stages developed into something of a duel between Clark and Kessell as the classy Northwood player went in search of a hat-trick.

Kessell saved when Clark skipped past two challenges and tried to pick his spot after 70 minutes and Kessell denied Clark again two minutes later when Chakaodza played him in.

The nearest Invicta came to a goal was when Dryden’s header was cleared off the line from a Chandler corner on the left after 76 minutes.

But it could have got even worse for Invicta as Chakaodza forced his way through after 87 minutes but Kessell saved and Clark couldn’t quite force the ball home from close range.

And Kessell saved with his feet to deny Clark again following a ball in from the left after 90 minutes.

Invicta centre half John Guest was the game’s only booking.

NORTHWOOD: Bullivant, Dell (Hart 30 mins), Dennison, Smith, Evans, J. Moore, F. Moore, Clark, Hale (Finn 78 mins), Chakaodza, Morton (Yeoman 66 mins).  Unused sub: Sylvester.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Watkins (Walker 22 mins), Lamb, Burke (Coleman 75 mins), Guest, Lindsey, Chandler, Munday, Dryden, Everitt, Glover.  Unused subs: Spearpoint, Dyson, Morrin.

Attendance: 180.