Folkestone Invicta 0-0 Heybridge Swifts

Friday 06th April 2007

Folkestone Invicta had to settle for a point on Good Friday as they played out a goalless draw with Heybridge Swifts at a sunny Buzzlines Stadium in front of a 524 crowd boosted by the club’s Family Fun Day, writes Richard Murrill.

Goals have been few and far between in Invicta’s recent home matches as they have scored one and conceded none in their last three matches in front of their own fans.

A bobbly pitch has not helped matters in recent weeks and Friday’s game had a somewhat end-of-season feel, whilst still typifying the highly competitive nature of the Ryman Premier League.

Invicta came closest to a goal as striker Damian Abel shot against the crossbar just before half time and James Corbett was denied by visiting goalkeeper Danny Gay with the game’s clearest chance in the 90th minute.

With Paul Jones out with a stomach injury, Invicta brought centre forward Ellis Remy back into the starting line up, with Corbett pushed forward alongside him and Abel starting just behind the front two.

Micheal Everitt was close after ten minutes when he fired just wide from the edge of the penalty area when Remy nodded the ball down.

Invicta had penalty appeals waved away after 27 minutes when a Kevin Watson ball struck a defender and an Abel shot was comfortably dealt with by goalkeeper Gay five minutes later following a Corbett touch.

A well-struck Gary Burrell volley flew past the Invicta post from the edge of the penalty area with the visitors’ first real chance after 33 minutes.

Abel hit a low shot at Gay after 40 minutes when Everitt and Corbett worked the ball across from right to left.

But after a couple of attempts to find his range, Abel then ran at the Heybridge defence two minutes later and struck the crossbar from just outside the penalty area.

Invicta won the game’s first corner in the 47^th minute, whilst the visitors had to wait until the 89^th minute to win their solitary corner as the stalemate continued.

Heybridge captain Michael Shinn shot over after 57 minutes when Burrell pulled the ball back inside the penalty area and Burrell then cut in from the right and hit a low shot at Invicta goalkeeper Richard Martin five minutes later.

The visitors were shading the second half as striker Sean Marks shot at Martin after 65 minutes and Invicta captain Adam Flanagan got a vital touch in the 78^th minute when Marks attempted to square the ball to Burrell in the box.

Heybridge threatened again after 82 minutes when substitute Russell Pond sent Marks away down the right hand side and defender Samuel Kola Okikiolu made a crucial block to deny substitute Jamie Richards when the ball was played into the middle.

One-time Gillingham and Blackburn Rovers star Corbett had a brief spell with Heybridge Swifts before finding his feet again at Invicta and would no doubt have loved to grab a late winner when he burst through the middle before being denied by Gay.

Mark Saunders then headed over when Corbett dinked the ball over from the right hand side following the subsequent corner after Gay’s save.

For Invicta it was a first ever point against Heybridge Swifts and impressive on-loan goalkeeper Martin has yet to concede a goal in three home matches.

Next up at the Buzzlines Stadium are promotion-chasing AFC Wimbledon and another bumper crowd.

Folkestone Invicta: Martin, Watson, Lamb (J. Everitt 83), Flanagan, Friend, Okikiolu, M. Everitt, Saunders, Remy (Sly 74), Corbett, Abel.
Subs: Chandler, Guiver, Hurley.

Heybridge Swifts: Gay, Artun, Barber (Wiles 78), Shinn, Bonner, Chandler, King (Richards 33), Gillespie, Marks, Reddaway (Pond 67), Burrell.
Subs: Nelson, White.

Attendance: 524