northwood190205

Teenager Dunlop takes credit in goal-less draw

Folkestone Invicta had to settle for a point in their first home goalless draw of the season on a bitterly cold and windy afternoon against mid-table Northwood on Saturday afternoon.

With Invicta now one of four clubs just one point outside the dreaded bottom four relegation zone, this was a game they would have been looking to win in an increasingly close bottom half of the table.

Pre-match team news saw Paul Lamb passed fit after limping off in Tuesday night’s last-gasp defeat at Tonbridge, with the left back’s former Margate colleague Mark Munday coming in for Paul Sykes.

But Invicta were dealt an early injury blow when defender Steve Norman was stretchered off with an ankle injury following a tackle with striker Ben Abbey which left both players requiring treatment after just eight minutes.

That gave a first league outing to teenager Will Dunlop who, for one, can take credit from this game for a clean sheet against experienced strikers Abbey and Steve Hale.

James Dryden fired high and wide when Joe Neilson got a touch after a good ball forward from captain Scott Lindsey in the 15^th minute and Invicta were close again a minute later when Munday shot at goalkeeper Dean Lindsey following an exchange of passes between strikers Dryden and Neilson.

Hale was close with a glancing header for Northwood following a corner from the left hand side after 23 minutes.

Northwood goalkeeper Lindsey was called into action again on the half hour mark when he got across to save when Munday met James Everitt’s cross from the right with a glancing header.

Arguably the best moment of the game came after 33 minutes when goalkeeper Lindsey touched over Munday’s free kick from right on the edge of the penalty area after Northwood captain Luke Evans was penalised for a challenge on Adam Flanagan.

Abbey shot wide across goal from the edge of the penalty area after 38 minutes, but Invicta were close again during first half stoppage time when Dryden poked the ball at goalkeeper Lindsey after Munday had threaded the ball through.

The second half started in much the same fashion as Neilson shot at Lindsey from outside the penalty area when Munday touched the ball on in the 50^th minute.

Neilson then diverted a Simon Glover shot wide when Munday pulled the ball back on the hour after Flanagan had played the ball down the left hand side.

And Dryden shot into the side netting from the left hand side of the box when captain Lindsey played the ball over the visiting defence two minutes later.

Invicta introduced striker Sykes from Neilson after 77 minutes, but there was to be no late winner.

Northwood substitute James Bent became the game’s only booking for a late challenge on James Everitt after 89 minutes.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, J. Everitt (Walker 90), Lamb, Flanagan, Norman (Dunlop 10), Lindsey, M. Everitt, Glover, Dryden, Munday, Neilson (Sykes 77). Subs: Coleman, Waters.

NORTHWOOD: Lindsey, Reeks, Dennison, Smith, Evans, Carter, Moore, Hart (Nolan 87), Hale, Abbey (Bent 81), Sargent. Subs: Moore, Yeoman.

 Attendance: 314.