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Chelsea skipper centre of attention

Watching Chelsea captain John Terry saw his pal Paul Nicholls score from the penalty spot with the final kick of the game as Folkestone Invicta’s disappointing start to the season continued today, writes Richard Murrill.

Terry was the centre of attention at the Buzzlines Stadium for this lunchtime kick off as he chose the sunshine of Folkestone rather than the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff for his injury-enforced spectator role and signed autographs for excited fans.

Goalkeeper and regular penalty taker Nicholls progressed as far as the reserve side at Stamford Bridge and in something of a role reversal stepped up to beat record Invicta goalscorer James Dryden from the spot in the ninth minute of stoppage time.

Dryden had taken over the goalkeeper’s jersey as regular custodian Tony Kessell was sent off for catching striker Cliff Akurang with his leg to concede the penalty.

The powerful Akurang, himself a former Chelsea apprentice, had opened the scoring as early as the fifth minute when he broke through the middle and rifled a low shot into the net following an Invicta corner at the other end.

Having conceded nine goals in their opening three winless matches of the season, Invicta welcomed back talented centre half John Guest from injury, with Steve Norman switching to left back and Paul Lamb relegated to the substitutes’ bench.

Guest made a good start as he got in quickly before Akurang to clear as early as the second minute when Mark Jenney went past Norman down the right hand side and sent in a dangerous cross.

But Invicta were soon up against it when Heybridge broke to take the lead.

Home right back Kevin Watson was booked for kicking out an opponent after ten minutes and big defender Paul O’Donoghue had a chance at the far post from the subsequent free kick.

Watson whipped in a dangerous free kick for Invicta after 27 minutes which was headed out for a corner when O’Donoghue was booked for pulling Simon Glover’s shirt down the left hand side.

Watson then sent in a dangerous corner from the left hand side which was headed away four minutes later.

Heybridge were close again after 53 minutes when Kessell pushed over a Paul Abbott header when captain Ian Cousins played the ball in from the left hand side.

Watson had another chance for Invicta when he hit a low shot just wide when Stuart Myall played a free kick on the edge of the penalty area back to him after 63 minutes.

Chances were proving few and far between as teenage Invicta substitute Joe Neilson hit a low shot at Nicholls after 83 minutes when Watson played the ball in to substitute James Everitt.

At the other end, a shot from Heybridge substitute Sean Marks was deflected for a corner when Akurang met a cross from the right.

Heybridge substitute Stephen Butterworth was booked for a late challenge on Norma during stoppage time.

And the action was not over as play continued for a further eight minutes during which Akurang had a ‘goal’ disallowed for offside when Michael Shinn played the ball in from the left hand side.

Invicta centre half Adam Flanagan was booked for pulling back Akurang when goalkeeper Kessell found himself in trouble outside his penalty area.

But Kessell himself was not so fortunate when he was shown a straight red card for bringing Akurang down a minute later.

Folkestone Invicta:  Kessell, Watson, Norman, Flanagan, Guest, Lindsey (J. Everitt 75), M Everitt, Glover (Neilson 70), Dryden, Bower (Jones 45), Myall.  Subs: Lamb, Mann.

Heybridge Swifts: Nicholls, Artun, Cousins, Shinn, Trott, O’Donoghue, Janney (Berkley 61), Gillespie, Abbott (Butterworth 85), Hill (Marks 45), Akurang.  Subs: Barber, Lewis.

Attendance: 256.