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More misery on the road for travel sick Invicta

FOLKESTONE Invicta’s relegation fears increased on Saturday when they went down 2-1 away to Hendon despite leading 1-0 at half time thanks to a goal from Simon Glover and hitting the crossbar twice at Claremont Road.

Neil Cugley’s side have now taken just two points out of their last possible 18 and only Harrow Borough’s 2-0 defeat at Braintree keeps Invicta out of the dreaded bottom four on goal difference.

Invicta have the worst away record in the Ryman Premier League so far this season with just one solitary win at Leyton way back in August. And as in their last away day nightmare at Tonbridge the Folkestone side again snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

This time, two goals in three minutes within the opening eight minutes of the second half saw Hendon turn the game around.

Invicta were left to rue a gilt-edged chance right on half time when goalscorer Glover struck the crossbar with the goal at his mercy and when a second goal may well have proved to be decisive.

Centre half Adam Flanagan then headed against the crossbar from a Paul Lamb free kick on the hour when the visitors were stunned to find themselves behind.

To compound the Folkestone side’s misery, 17-year-old right back James Everitt was sent off in the 89^th minute for a second yellow card and like fellow defenders Lamb, Flanagan and Will Dunlop will be suspended for the trip to Worthing on March 12^th.

The younger Everitt brother had been booked as much for his reaction as for a 57^th minute foul on James Parker and was then perhaps harshly dismissed for a second foul on the Hendon left back in the closing minutes.

Invicta went to north-west London desperate for three points and kept the same starting line up which had lost on penalties in the Bryco Cup at Heybridge Swifts in midweek, with teenage centre half Dunlop making his first league start and captain Scott Lindsey on the bench.

Invicta had all the first half chances as James Dryden was denied by home goalkeeper Dave King in the 15^th minute and Paul Sykes headed wide when James Everitt nodded the ball on in the 23^rd minute.

Dryden shot wide from the right hand side of the box in the 34^th minute and GLOVER opened the scoring a minute later when he converted Sykes’ left wing cross in the middle when Flanagan’s ball forward left Hendon short of numbers at the back.

A Lamb shot was touched over for a corner by King after 38 minutes as Invicta threatened again and Sykes headed over a deep Lamb cross from the right a minute later.

And it could easily have been 2-0 in the 45^th minute when Glover hit his rebound against the crossbar when King saved his initial shot but spilled the ball following a great ball from Micheal Everitt after a good lay off from Sykes.

That miss became even more significant as Hendon struck twice at the start of the second half.

John FRENDO equalised in the 50^th minute when he shrugged off Dunlop and his shot from the left hand side of the box crept past Tony Kessell and inside the far post.

It got worse for Invicta after 52 minutes when a deep James Burgess ball in from the right was met by Rene Street, with goalkeeper Kessell keeping that header out with one hand only for 36-year-old Steve McGRATH to head in what turned out to be the winner on his Hendon debut.

Invicta were rocked and Street was very close again a minute later following a corner from the right.

Kessell made a good save to deny Dave Hunt after 68 minutes when striker Eugene Ofori laid the ball back to the edge of the box.

Invicta signalled their intent by replacing defender Dunlop with striker Joe Neilson after 74 minutes when Dryden volleyed wide after James Everitt had played the ball in from the right hand side.

But Hendon defended tenaciously to keep their lead and make it 10 points out of 12 for new manager Gary McCann to ease their own relegation worries.

Ofori then shot wide after 80 minutes when he shrugged off James Everitt as the home side broke.

As well as Everitt’s subsequent dismissal, there were second half bookings for Hendon’s Burgess and Frendo and for Invicta’s Lamb.

HENDON: King, Meakin, Parker, O’Connor, Street, McGrath, Julienne (Pickett 79), Hunt, Ofori, Frendo (Blanchett 89), Burgess.  Unused subs: McGonagh, Sherry.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, J. Everitt, Lamb, Flanagan, Guest, Dunlop (Neilson 74), M. Everitt, Munday (Lindsey 78), Dryden, Sykes, Glover.  Unused subs: Walker, Norman, Morrin.

Attendance: 208.