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(After extra time)

Cray steal victory away from Invicta's grasp

Kent League champions Cray Wanderers enjoyed a famous victory as they came back from the brink of defeat to win 3-1 away to Ryman Premier League outfit Folkestone Invicta after extra time at a rainy Westbourne Stadium on Tuesday night.

Ryman Division One newcomers Cray now face Conference South side St Albans at Hayes Lane in the Second Round on Saturday November 27^th.

It had looked like being Invicta’s night when Andrew BURKE opened the scoring for the home side as late as the 87^th minute with a sweet strike when he latched onto a return pass from Simon Glover after starting the move himself from close to the half way line.

Burke had been Invicta’s hero on Saturday when his late equaliser saw Neil Cugley’s side come back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 despite being reduced to ten men.

And the 21-year-old could have made it 2-0 and made the tie safe when put through the middle after 88 minutes but was denied by a save from Cray goalkeeper Steve Northwood.

But this time it was Cray who showed great character to save the day as with play moving into stoppage time a corner from the right led to an almighty melee in the Invicta goal mouth which saw Cray substitute James Millar lay claim to the equaliser, although the ball went in off Invicta’s Micheal EVERITT.

The visitors went ahead after 97 minutes when substitute Michael Power raced past John Walker down the right flank and pulled the ball back for Leigh BREMNER to sidefoot the ball home.

Bremner had been the outstanding player over the two ties and played his part in the third goal when he played the ball across from the left hand side for former Invicta player MILLAR to put the ball in at the far post to compound his former club’s misery. Millar had only come on after 89 minutes and yet had played his part in Cray’s first and third goals.

Neutral fans were again hailing another classic cup tie after the drama of Saturday’s 2-2 draw.

Invicta had made a good start as they laid siege on the Cray goal during the opening ten minutes as centre half John Guest forced a second minute save from goalkeeper Northwood following a Burke free kick on the right. And striker James Dryden was also close with two headers in the opening five minutes.

Dryden then burst through the middle and hit a low shot just wide of goal after ten minutes.

But Cray began to come back into things and a Mark Tompkins shot forced a corner from Tony Kessell after 25 minutes when Ross Lover walked through the Invicta defence.

Both goalkeepers were in excellent form as Northwood came out to deny Glover from close range when Dryden slid the ball through after 27 minutes.

Northwood then got across to save a looping Simon Glover header a minute later, whilst Bremner headed wide at the other end after 37 minutes.

Goalkeeper Kessell was again Invicta’s man of the match and did well first to turn Bremner’s shot on the turn away after 48 minutes and then made another great save from Bremner four minutes later.

Invicta were themselves close when Northwood did very well to turn a Burke shot round the post for a corner after 56 minutes following a move involving home debutant Luke Gelding and Glover.

And Dryden shot just over from the left hand side of the box a minute later.

Nerves were on edge at both ends as Cray defender David Gray blocked Dryden’s shot when Burke burst down the left hand side after 81 minutes and Guest cleared when Kessell saved a low shot from substitute Power a minute later.

Kessell made another save from Lover after 83 minutes, but Burke’s great goal appeared to have settled the tie in Invicta’s favour.

The home side went for broke during the second period of extra time when teenage striker Luke Coleman replaced right back Kevin Watson, but it was to be Cray’s night.

Glover stabbed the ball wide during the final minute of extra time when the ball came across from the left hand side, but it would have been a mere consolation.

Invicta’s Burke and Cray’s John Myatt and Lover were all booked for kicking the ball away, whilst Invicta’s Mark Munday and Kessell were both booked for dissent.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Watson (Coleman 105 mins), Walker, Gedling, Guest, Lindsey, M. Everitt, Munday, Dryden, Burke, Glover.  Unused subs: Spearpoint, J. Everitt, Dyson, Morrin.

CRAY WANDERERS: Northwood, Myatt (Millar 89 mins), S. Wood, Gray, Bower, Taylor (Dimmock 89 mins), Lover, Woolf, Tompkins (Power 68 mins), Bremner, J. Wood.  Unused subs: Rawlings, Morris.

Attendance: 243.