Match Reports: Deres unveil Dimmock signing

FOLKESTONE INVICTA 1-2 TILBURY
Ryman League Cup Second Round
Tuesday 2^nd December 2008
Richard Murrill reports from Buzzlines Stadium

FOLKESTONE INVICTA went out of the Ryman League Cup after going down 2-1 at home to Tilbury in their Second Round tie at the Buzzlines Stadium.

Invicta trailed 2-0 at half time before substitute Joe Neilson pulled a goal back and the home side missed several chances to save the day right up until the final whistle.

Liam Friend shot against the crossbar during stoppage time and a Kieran Byrne shot then flashed across goal but wide of the far post from the left hand side of the penalty area.

Invicta had defender Friend back from suspension and also started with Darren Smith, a new signing from Chatham Town.

But Tilbury made a positive start as Chris Stowe broke down the left hand side and shot into the side netting in the third minute.

At the other end, Invicta centre half Frankie Chappell headed over an 11^th minute Jimmy Jackson corner from the right hand side.

A 17^th minute Rashid Karmara shot was saved by the feet of Invicta goalkeeper Charlie Mitten and Joe Keith then shot against the crossbar from the left hand side of the penalty area as the visitors threatened again three minutes later.

Invicta captain James Dryden headed over a 23^rd minute Jackson corner from the right.

But Tilbury were ahead within a minute as Michael Black hit a low shot into the net when captain Jamie Wallace put him through.

Inivcta responded and visiting defender Junior Baker just about deflected a Friend cross from the left into the arms of goalkeeper Andy Hall.

But Tilbury increased their lead in the 28^th minute courtesy of a sweet strike from Karmara who picked his spot and found the corner of the net.

It was proving to be a frustrating first half for Invicta as Dryden volleyed wide and a 35^th minute Jackson cross-shot skimmed the crossbar when Dryden nodded on a deep James Everitt ball from the right.

Smith’s re-appearance in Invicta colours after a previous spell in 2002-03 came to a premature end as he was replaced by Neilson after suffering an accidental kick in the face from goalkeeper Hall.

Tilbury had further chances at the end of the first half as Mitten saved a deflected Keith shot and Wallace got on the end of a Keith cross from the left but could only volley across goal.

It was a different story after the interval as Invicta started the second half with a succession of corners.

A Dryden shot was cleared by a defender close to the line for another Jackson corner on the left.

Tilbury goalkeeper Hall then made an excellent double save to first keep out a Dryden shot and then get across to save James Everitt’s follow up.

Defender Liam Dickson volleyed over after a corner on the right.

Top goalscorer Stowe missed a clear 59^th minute chance to increase his side’s lead when he shot over from close range after shrugging off Chappell and moving in on goal.

But Invicta were themselves close when Dryden shot against the post on the hour after James Everitt put him through.

Neilson, though, did reduce the deficit in the 62^nd minute when his shot crossed the line despite the efforts of defender Danny Smith to clear after fellow substitute Josh Vincent had latched onto another James Everitt ball forward.

It was Neilson’s first appearance back at the Buzzlines Stadium after re-joining Invicta from neighbours Hythe Town.

As Invicta chased an equaliser on a cold night, Dryden headed a cross from the left wide in the 90^th minute.

And Invicta came desperately close to forcing an extra half hour with Friend and Byrne’s late near misses.

Tilbury’s Stowe was the game’s only booking.

Folkestone Invicta: Mitten, J. Everitt, Friend, Dickson, Chappell, M. Everitt, Thomas (Vincent 45), Byrne, Dryden, Smith (Neilson 40), Jackson.
Subs: Driscoll, Rainbow, Conyers.

Tilbury: Hall, Smith, Baker, Hayles (Fontaine 62), Barrett, Wallace (Olademi 71), Cohen, Black, Karmara, Stowe, Keith.
Subs: Robson, Reading, Gaskin.

Attendance: 115.

ERITH & BELVEDERE 1-5 DEAL TOWN
Bulmers Cider Kent League
Saturday 29^th November 2008
Thomas Hawes reports from Park View Road

ERITH & BELVEDERE slipped to their third league defeat of the season and entered negative goal-difference after suffering a 5-1 mauling at home to Deal Town.

In atrocious conditions at Park View Road, Aiden Pursglove and Huseyin Budak dropped to the subs bench whilst striker Richard Dimmock was awarded his second debut for the club after joining from Thamesmead Town. Nick Smith was unavailable for selection and Sam Prett partnered Dimmock up front.

Deal looked threatening on the attack and had the better of the first half playing some neat football in the process.

The Deres defence held firm though and at the other end, the closest Erith came was through a Daniel Westerman free kick, which was comfortably saved by Paul Rogers.

The sides went into the half-time interval at 0-0.

After a relatively eventless first half, the match exploded into life two minutes into the second period as the Deres had a strong penalty appeal turned down when Michael Adcock appeared to be brought down in the box.

A minute later though, the visitors took the lead. Deal broke quickly and fed the ball through to Stuart Vahid, who controlled the bouncing ball and dinked it over Matt Bromby, to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

Vahid, who played regularly for Ryman Premier League side Ramsgate last season and even scored the winning penalty in their Ryman League Cup final win in April, would cause the Deres defence problems throughout the second period.

The Deres responded well to going a goal behind and briefly took control of the game. On 53 minutes, after a sweeping passing move, the ball found its way to Ryan Robinson on the left, who blasted wide at the near post with only Rogers to beat.

Five minutes later, Robinson turned provider as he crossed for Sam Prett. Prett’s shot deflected off the defender marking him and almost looped over Rogers and into the goal, but the Deal keeper managed to tip the ball away for a corner-kick.

The Deres control of the game was to be short-lived as another through ball to Vahid created problems in the Deres defence.

Vahid was bearing down on goal when Deres keeper Bromby rushed out of goal and brought Vahid down. The referee pointed to the penalty spot and promptly showed Bromby a red card.

However, with no goalkeeper on the bench, Deres defender John Farley went in goal to face the penalty-kick. Dave Bathgate coolly slotted Deal 2-0 ahead from the spot.

The Deres could have got back in the game on 64 minutes as Matt Bedford slid the ball across the six-yard box. Dimmock’s outstretched leg couldn’t make enough contact with the ball to divert it goalwards and the chance was gone.

Deal were to punish the Deres for not taking their chance, as on 68 minutes Arron Robinson’s half-volley found the back of the net.

And a few minutes later it was 4-0 as Farley spilled a cross, allowing Vahid to capitalise and score his second of the afternoon.

Erith went close to pulling a consolation goal back through Ryan Robinson’s free-kick but finally registered a goal with 13 minutes remaining. Prett chased after a through ball and capitalised on a mix up between the goalkeeper and one of his defenders.

Deal were to have the last laugh though as Vahid completed his hat-trick with a cool finish on 83 minutes.

The Deres will have to bounce back and put in a better performance if they are to beat Sevenoaks Town, whom they play at Greatness Park on Saturday in a 3pm kick-off.

Erith & Belvedere: Bromby, Bedford (Crawley 81), Farley, Radbourne (Lott 73), Adcock, Hill, Thorogood, Westerman, Dimmock (Pursglove 81), Prett, Robinson.
Subs: Budak, Bryant.

Attendance: 51

WALTON CASUALS 0-1 FOLKESTONE INVICTA
Ryman League Division One South
Saturday 29^th November 2008
Richard Murrill reports from Waterside Stadium

FOLKESTONE INVICTA continued their good recent away run when an early goal from Tayler Thomas gave them all three points from their first visit to Walton Casuals.

Thomas, 18, had extended his loan spell from Gillingham after scoring in the midweek 6-0 Kent Senior Cup win at Chatham.

And it was Thomas who struck in the seventh minute at the Waterside Stadium when a James Dryden touch put him through and he hit a left-footed strike into the roof of the net.

Invicta had kept the same starting line up which had won so convincingly at Chatham in midweek, with injury doubt Josh Burchell passed fit to keep his place in a four-man defence.

Home right back Chris Robinson was booked as early as the third minute for a late challenge on Josh Vincent.

And the visitors had a good chance in the sixth minute when home goalkeeper Craig Bradshaw saved with his feet when Thomas cut in and closed in on goal after Micheal Everitt had beaten Jordan McCartney and played the ball through.

But Thomas was to score a minute later to put Invicta in the driving seat.

A scare at the other end in the 13^th minute saw Matt Weston embark on a very good run in into the box, but the striker went down before he could shoot, only for referee Rob Allum to wave away the home side’s penalty appeals.

There was a bizarre incident two minutes later when Invicta captain Dryden had to temporarily leave the field as his black cycling shorts under Invicta’s designated white shorts were not of a suitable colour.

A 19^th minute Weston shot was touched round the post for the game’s first corner by Invicta goalkeeper Charlie Mitten following a pass from Liam Grier.

Weston was then put clean through a minute later by striking partner Daniel Platel but Mitten came out to save again.

Dryden couldn’t quite make full contact in the 24^th minute as he volleyed over from a good James Everitt ball forward as the rain began to fall.

Invicta were close again in the 33^rd minute when a Dryden shot was blocked by a defender and Vincent’s follow up was saved by Bradshaw when Thomas played the ball in from the right after the referee had seemed poised to blow for handball against Vincent.

The home side’s best moment of the first half came a minute later when a Jamel Carr thunderbolt bounced off the Invicta crossbar and out for a goal kick.

A 48^th minute Platel shot was blocked by centre half Frankie Chappell after a Weston ball and home captain Craig Lewington shot over from the edge of the penalty area.

Invicta might have increased their lead in the 54^th minute when Dryden headed wide from a Jimmy Jackson free kick on the left.

But the game was becoming more scrappy and Invicta’s Kieran Byrne and Thomas were both booked for misdemeanours after the home side had been awarded free kicks.

Walton’s Platel soon joined them in the referee’s notebook in similar circumstances.

Jack Francis was just wide with a spectacular 62^nd minute back flick from a Lewington free kick.

Jackson moved to left back for Invicta when player-coach Scott Lindsey replaced Burchell.

And the visitors had to withstand some pressure as a 72^nd minute Francis shot deflected off Chappell and Mitten got down to touch it round the post for only the game’s second corner.

Lewington volleyed wide from the edge of the penalty area in the 75^th minute and James Everitt blocked from Carr three minutes later when substitute Dwain Williams played a good ball to Grier.

And Mitten touched over Platel’s 89^th minute header after a ball in from Robinson.

There were late substitute appearances for Invicta’s Simon Rainbow and Joe Neilson, the latter back at the club after re-joining from Kent League neighbours Hythe Town.

Invicta had to wait until stoppage time for their only corner of the game but had done enough to secure the win.

Walton Casuals: Bradshaw, Robinson (Hammond 90), Cayford, Lewington, McCartney, Francis, Grier, Conroy (Williams 72s), Weston, Platel, Carr (Kiganda 85).

Folkestone Invicta: Mitten, J. Everitt, Burchell (Lindsey 61 mins), Dickson, Chappell, M. Everitt, Thomas (Neilson 84), Byrne, Dryden, Vincent (Rainbow 80), Jackson.
Subs: Dix, Conyers

Attendance: 103.