crawley270704
Tuesday 27 July 2004 | Pre-Season Friendly | Richard Murrill reports from Westbourne Stadium |
Folkestone Invicta |
0 |
|
Crawley Town |
5 |
Robbie
Kember 12 Mo Harkin 29 Richard Harris 67 Robbie Traynor 75 (pen) Neil Jenkins 79 (pen) |
Folkestone
Invicta went down 5-0 against Conference newcomers Crawley Town at the
Westbourne Stadium on Tuesday night, although the home side played better than
the final scoreline might suggest.
The
game was set up as part of the deal that took striker Allan Tait from Folkestone
Invicta to Crawley back in March, but it will be remembered for the fanatical
support Invicta received from some visiting German students who bought the
club’s scarves and replica shirts and made more sustained noise than is
normally heard on the Folkestone terraces. All that was missing was a home goal.
On
a sunny evening, Crawley opened the scoring after 12 minutes when Robbie KEMBER
bundled the ball in from close range after Invicta goalkeeper Tony Kessell had
initially saved a Charlie MacDonald shot from the left.
MacDonald
then hooked a shot at Kessell after 16 minutes, while at the other end defender
Kevin Hemsley narrowly avoided putting the ball into his own net when he
intercepted Martin handler’s attempted through ball to Simon Glover.
Kessell
was at full stretch again to save from Daniel Marney after 22 minutes and the
Invicta goalkeeper touched the ball over the crossbar a minute later when Mo
Harkin let fly from 25 yards.
For
Invicta, Glover lobbed the ball over the crossbar when given on-side to a big
Kessell clearance after 27 minutes.
It
was 2-0 after 29 minutes when HARKIN sent a sweet free kick into Kessell’s
right hand corner after a foul was given against Invicta captain Scott Lindsey
who was involved in a flare up with big Fiston Manuella.
Invicta
had their chances as James Dryden headed against the crossbar on the half hour
mark and Mark Munday shot just over when Dryden nodded the ball down after 33
minutes.
At
the other end, a low Macdonald shot flashed across the Invicta goal following
Kember’s through ball in the 40th minute.
Tait
made his entrance after 54 minutes as a substitute for MacDonald and got a good
reception from the Invicta supporters.
And
Tait was involved in Crawley’s third goal after 67 minutes when he touched on
a corner from the left for Richard HARRIS to thump the ball home.
Tait
was involved again after 75 minutes when he went down under challenge from Adam
Flanagan and Robbie TRAYNOR duly made it 4-0 from the penalty spot.
Crawley
were awarded another penalty a minute later when Lindsey fouled Darragh Ryan and
Neil JENKINS stepped up to send the spot kick to goalkeeper Kessell’s right
and complete the scoring.
Perhaps
feeling sorry for Invicta, referee Ian Regan blew for full time after just 87
minutes’ action.
It
did not dampen the enthusiasm of the visiting German youngsters who conducted a
Mexican wave from the terraces, collected autographs from the players and
chanting long after the final whistle.
Wunderbar!
FOLKESTONE
INVICTA:
Kessell, Watkins (Hogg 57 mins), Lamb, Flanagan, Guest, Standen, Chandler,
Munday, Dryden, Glover, Lindsey. Unused
subs: Blackman, Walker, Coleman, Morrin.
CRAWLEY
TOWN: Smith,
Judge (Palmer 61 mins), Jenkins, Hemsley, Simbemba, Manuella (Mapes 45 mins),
Harkin (Ryan 61 mins), Kember, Marney (Harris 37 mins), MacDonald (Tait 54 mins),
Traynor.
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