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Invicta keep hands on trophy

Folkestone Invicta won the annual Sid Burvill Cup game for the sixth successive summer as they overcame Tonbridge Angels 2-1 at the Buzzlines Stadium on Saturday afternoon thanks to two first half goals, writes Richard Murrill.

Striker Paul Jones opened the scoring with a well-struck lob from the edge of the penalty area after 18 minutes when a free kick from goalkeeper Tony Kessell fell straight to him following a foul on Micheal Everitt.

It was 2-0 in the 30^th minute when Tonbridge right back Ian Parkes turned the ball into his own net with Invicta’s Stuart Myall in close attendance when Matt Bower played a low ball across from the right hand side in a move started by Scott Lindsey.

Player-manager Tony Dolby pulled a goal back for Tonbridge when he found the net on the hour after goalkeeper Kessell had saved an initial effort with his feet when Luke Piscina cut in from the right hand side past defender Adam Flanagan.

Invicta rested the injured James Dryden (dead leg) and John Guest (knee) and had Paul Lamb unavailable due to work commitments.

And it was the visitors who made the early running as Leroy Huggins hit a first minute free kick at Kessell and striker Jay May called the Invicta goalkeeper into action again after three minutes.

Darren Smith then lobbed just wide of the Invicta post after seven minutes when he combined with May but was injured in the process and had to be carried off to be replaced by Mike Cramp.

Jones’ goal though was to give Invicta the initiative and striking partner Simon Glover threatened to increase the lead after 19 minutes when he shot at goalkeeper Jerome John.

Glover was close again after 27 minutes when he dinked the ball just wide when Myall put him through at the end of a good Invicta passing move.

Invicta were soon 2-0 ahead, but Kessell had to come to the rescue after 32 minutes when he came out to thwart May when the unmarked striker closed in on goal following a deep cross from the left.

Tonbridge went close again at the start of the second half when both May and Cramp couldn’t quite force the ball over the line from close range as defender James Everitt managed to bundle the ball out for a corner following a deep cross from the right hand side.

A 20 yard Michael Everitt shot flashed past the Tonbridge goal after 59 minutes.

But the visitors were back into the game with Dolby’s goal a minute later.

Myall chipped against the Tonbridge crossbar after 64 minutes when Jones played the ball to him from the right hand side of the box when the Tonbridge defence failed to clear.

Tonbridge rallied in the closing stages as Dolby hit a free kick at Kessell after 83 minutes and Piscina threatened to save the day when he fired wide with a low shot with virtually the last kick of the game when he cut in from the left past defenders James Everitt and Kevin Watson.

Invicta’s first goalscorer Jones was chosen as man of the match by the Burvill family.

Folkestone Invicta: Kessell, Watson, Norman, Flanagan, J. Everitt, Lindsey (Chandler 61), M. Everitt, Bower, Glover (Sly 61), Jones (Neilson 75), Myall.

Tonbridge Angels: John, Parkes, Roser, Beales, Aris (Sinclair 45), Smith (Cramp 7), Piscina, Lye, May (Dolby 54), Heath, Huggins.