Folkestone Invicta 0-0 Sittingbourne - It's Byrne's Day at Folkestone

Despite holding their fifth-placed rivals to a goal-less draw, the 285 supporters that braved the freezing conditions at Cheriton Road were rewarded with an entertaining game.

Invicta, who were the better side throughout, kept faith with the same starting eleven that suffered a 1-0 defeat at local rivals Ashford Town seven days ago.

And Cheriton based midfielder, Kieran Byrne, 23, impressed throughout for his home-town club, whilst Cugley is forced to field a number of local youngsters amidst the club’s current financial problems.

For shot-shy Sittingbourne, this draw stretches their unbeaten run to seven games, despite missing influential pair, defender Ian Varley (ankle) and midfielder Rio Alderton, who is expected to be available for selection for Monday’s home game against Merstham.

Despite going into the game sitting in 12^th place in the table, having gained eight points fewer than their visitors, Folkestone Invicta appeared to be the side that are challenging for the title.

Darren Smith, a driving force on the right-hand side of midfield, created their first chance inside the opening two minutes, but Dryden hooked his shot wide from eight-yards.

Dryden, somehow, picked up the sponsors’ man-of-the-match award, but this wasn’t deserved as the striker appears to have lost the goalscoring touch in front of goal that took his tally to fourteen by the end of November.

However, it was Byrne that stole the show and he had the best chance of the first half, after 12 minutes.

Smith delivered a free-kick some 35-yards from goal and the ball bounced around the Sittingbourne penalty area before Byrne, with his back to goal, cracked a stunning over-head kick, which was brilliantly tipped over by Matt Reed.

But Sittingbourne almost snatched the lead, against the run of play, twelve minutes later.

Richard Brady - back in the side following illness - released Tom Bradbrook, who did well to shrug off his marker, and the former Dartford man’s shot was beaten out by Jack Delo.

Goalkeeper Delo, making his home debut, having arrived on loan from Ramsgate, saw the ball spin towards goal and Bradbrook did his best to scramble the ball over the line.

But before he could, play was brought back by referee Lee Venamore, who awarded Sittingbourne a free-kick just a yard outside the box.

Brady, meanwhile, stepped up and drove his free-kick into the wall, but his follow-up shot sailed over the crossbar.

Just past the half-hour mark, Joe Horlock’s 25-yard right-footed volley sailed harmlessly wide of Folkestone’s goal - and at the other end, Jimmy Jackson wasn’t going to beat Reed with his left-footed volley from 30-yards.

Folkestone should have broken the deadlock inside the opening eighteen seconds of the second half when Byrne was released down the left and after cutting inside his right-footed angled drive from just inside the box flashed past the far post.

An inspirational sprint from Smith down the right resulted in Jackson unleashing a left-footed drive from 35-yards, which sailed past the post and Bryne met a cross from right-back James Everitt, but he glanced an awkward far post header wide.

Half-way through the half, a square pass from left-back Josh Birchell, who also impressed, carved open a chance for Bryne, who swept the ball over with a right-footed shot from 20-yards.

But Reed, the only Sittingbourne player with an agent, produced his second stunning save, with sixteen minutes left.

Jackson’s fierce 25-yard left-footed drive was destined to dip into the top far corner, but the former Tonbridge Angels goalkeeper produced a flying save to tip the ball over.

Jackson’s resulting in-swinging corner from the right saw Dryden’s effort bounce down off the crossbar and this produced a desperate goal-mouth scramble but a foul on lucky Reed thwarted the home side the goal they deserved.

With Sittingbourne’s 24-goal strike force now warming the bench (Bradbrook and Brady), third-choice striker, substitute Elie Kayembe, did force a comfortable near post save out of Delo, but Hicham Akhazzan’s right-footed drive from 35-yards was embarrassingly wide.

There were encouraging signs for troubled Folkestone Invicta and their boss Cugley, who was pleased with his side’s performance, despite their barren run in front of goal continuing.

Folkestone haven’t found the back of the net in 443 minutes of league football - and Dryden has now gone 546 minutes since scoring against Chatham Town - a 6-0 home win in the Kent Senior Cup.

“To be honest it was a very, very good game,” Cugley told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.
“Two good fairly young sides who tried to pass the ball about and I’ve got to say it was a good, quality game, both high in quality.

“On the day I thought we were the better side, but give Sittingbourne some credit, they sat deep and tried to catch us on the break and they did that well.

“Their keeper’s done well and made a couple of very good saves. I think a draw might be a fair result but generally I’m fairly pleased with the performance.”

Today was the 14th game played by Folkestone Invicta since their financial problems came to light.

Most of the players on lucrative deals have since departed and Cugley has been forced to field numerous local youngsters to fulfil the club’s fixtures.

“We’ve lost eight players now, which is quite a lot and we’ve had to chuck in the younger lads and they’ve done well,” praised Cugley.

“They’re getting better, but the biggest problem is that we’re not scoring enough goals but our general football is getting better and the commitment of the players, to be fair, we all came in New Years Day and they all trained.

“We’ve got a great little spirit amongst them - it’s just getting a bit more self confidence in the team.”

One of those players, Byrne, has taken Cugley’s advice and today was a fine example of what he can do.

“We just felt he was getting a bit, I wouldn’t say lazy, but not disciplined enough,” explained Cugley.

“He couldn’t play on a Saturday, but played on Sunday morning and he was a bit amateurish in his ways.

“To be fair, since we had a word with him, he’s trained hard, his touch and movement has got better and he’s a good player.”

Despite his side stretching their unbeaten run to seven, Sittingbourne boss Gary Abbott admitted his side didn’t perform in this local derby.

But the goalscoring legend was happy to walk away from the Buzzlines Stadium with a draw, which moves his title-chasing side to fourth place in the table - just four points adrift of leaders Kingstonian.

“A point? I would’ve taken that before the game,” Abbott told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards. “We’ve come here six unbeaten, now seven unbeaten.

“If we had a little bit of luck in the first half - that’s a stonewall penalty! How the ref’s not given a penalty, I don’t know.

“Tom (Bradbrook) got tripped up on the way through. He misses a goal and it should’ve been a penalty and he’s given a free-kick outside the box, which I don’t know. Only the ref knows that!”

Abbott believes people write off his side for the title, but his young side are more than capable of winning the Ryman League Division One South title at the end of this season.

“Radio Kent have just said if we win Monday night we go second as Kingstonian was called off today, so that puts a little bit more pressure on them,” he said.

“There’s no pressure on Sittingbourne, there’s no pressure at all. The boys believe in themselves. Alright, we didn’t play well today but we’ve come to Folkestone, they’re not a bad side, and we’ve got a point with two players missing as well.

“I’ve got to be overall happy with a point. We’ve just got to make sure for this to be a great point we’ve got to make sure we beat Merstham (at home) on Monday night.

“We didn’t play well today but we’re not going to play well every week. We have played well in the last four or five games and we’ve deserved what we got out of it.

“So yes, there were a couple off a little bit today but I think that’s expected. We’ve had Christmas and the Near Year. It’s the dodgy part of the holiday bit and I think we’ve come through with flying colours.

“I’ve got to be happy with what the boys have given us and we look forward to the next game.”

Folkestone Invicta: Jack Delo, James Everitt, Josh Birchell, Liam Friend, Frankie Chappell, Liam Friend, Micheal Everitt, Kieran Byrne, James Dryden, Darren Smith, Jimmy Jackson.
Subs: Joe Neilson, Scott Lindsey, Alex Coyners.

Sittingbourne: Matt Reed, Ryan Andrews, Joe Dowley, Matt Bourne, Billy Manners, Nick Reeves, Joe Horlock, Colin Richmond, Tom Bradbrook (Pat Gradley 81), Richard Brady (Elie Kayembe 71), Hicham Akhazzan.
Subs: Michael McLeary, Ben Payne, Andre Marques.

Booked: Tom Bradbrook 43, Joe Horlock 62

Attendance: 285
Referee: Mr Lee Venamore (Maidstone)
Assistants: Mr Richard Joss (Ramsgate) & Mr Simon Finnigan (Maidstone)