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Fans flock to Folkestone

Folkestone Invicta strolled to victory on Saturday afternoon when first half goals from Simon Glover and Micheal Everitt (2) gave Neil Cugley’s side a 3-0 win over once mighty Wealdsatone at the Westbourne Stadium.

This game was effectively over as a contest as early as the 37^th minute when Everitt made it 3-0 with his second goal of the match.

Wealdstone rallied after the interval, but the main talking point of the second half was the double sending off of Invicta substitute Ian Pulman and Wealdstone centre-half Danny Wolf for exchanging blows after 84 minutes.

GLOVER opened the scoring after 12 minutes when he nonchalantly struck a first time shot into the back of the net with the outside of his boot after striking partner James Dryden had done very well to create space and play him in down the middle.

Norbert Michnowicz shot over for Wealdstone from the edge of the penalty area after 21 minutes, but the game was soon to be put beyond the visitors.

EVERITT made it 2-0 after 32 minutes when he followed up as Wealdstone goalkeeper Andy Carter stopped but couldn’t hold a John Walker shot when Dryden nodded on Paul Lamb’s deep cross from the left in a move started by Scott Lindsey.

And EVERITT struck again for his second goal of the game after 36 minutes when he fired home after Glover had caused problems in the Wealdstone defence again.

Wealdstone came out looking to regain some lost pride after the interval and Richard Jolley forced a corner out of goalkeeper Tony Kessell from the left hand side after 49 minutes.

Already missing Mark Munday (work commitments), Invicta lost captain Lindsey as he limped off after 50 minutes following a heavy challenge at the end of the first half. In-form centre half John Guest took over the captain’s armband.

The introduction of substitutes Alvin Bubb, Mitch Hahn and Marvin Morgan added more potency to the Wealdstone side and Invicta found it difficult to maintain their first half momentum.

Big striker Morgan forced a save from Kessell when played in down the left hand side after 71 minutes.

At the other end, Glover was denied by goalkeeper Carter in the 90^th minute when Martin Chandler played the ball back across from the right hand side after Glover himself had initially played the ball in from the left.

The home side gave a first competitive outing to teenage substitute Shane Spearpoint and a first home run out to fellow teenager Luke Coleman.

This was the Folkestone side’s third successive clean sheet and they have the best defensive record in the Ryman Premier League so far this season. The crowd of 424 was also the biggest in the division on Saturday.

The only downside for Invicta was a fifth booking of the season for Guest (foul on Bubb after 72 minutes) which will lead to a one-game suspension and Pulman’s late dismissal will only stretch Invicta’s already limited squad further.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Watkins, Lamb, Flanagan, Guest, Lindsey (Pulman 50 mins), Chandler, Everitt, Dryden,  (Spearpoint 80 mins) Glover (Colmean 90 mins). Unused subs: Dyson, Morrin. 

WEALDSTONE: A. Carter, Shaw (Hahn 60 mins), Fisher, Cahill (Bubb 45 mins), Wolf, M. Carter, Michnowicz, McKeown, Alexander (Morgan 65 mins), Jolley, Ryan. Unused subs: Carvell, Tilbury.

Attendance: 424.