bromley020106

A 12^th minute goal from Walid Matata gave Folkestone Invicta a good start to 2006 as they narrowly overcame Bromley at the Buzzlines Stadium on Bank Holiday Monday afternoon, writes Richard Murrill.

The former Dover Athletic striker hit his first home goal for the club and his second strike in consecutive matches when he slotted the ball into the net as Paul Jones pulled the ball back from the right hand side of the box after Stuart Myall had been caught when he played the ball through.

But Bromley responded well and will feel that they deserved at least a share of the spoils in a game which saw chances at both ends.

These two sides had drawn 3-3 at Hayes Lane back on the August Bank Holiday Monday when Mark Willy headed in a stoppage time equaliser for the North Kent side after Invicta had led 3-0.

But Bromley captain Willy’s involvement in this encounter was to finish prematurely as he had to go off in the 18^th minute to be replaced by one-time Invicta player Barry Gardner.

Gardner was soon involved in the action as Invicta centre half John Guest had to clear when the Bromley substitute whipped in a cross from the right to Jones Awuah.

Bromley’s top goalscorer Nic McDonnell had a chance after 21 minutes but couldn’t get the ball past goalkeeper Tony Kessell when a cross came in from the left.

And Danny Carroll hit the foot of the post for Bromley a minute later when a cross from the left was headed back across goal into his path.

Kessell then touched over a 30-yard screamer from Adam Locke for the game’s first corner after 26 minutes and Invicta’s Paul Lamb had to clear off the line at the far post from Colin Luckett’s subsequent set piece on the right.

It was end to end stuff as within a minute Bromley goalkeeper Andy Walker made a good save to deny Matata a second goal following a great ball from Myall.

Martin Chandler shot just wide for Invicta on the half hour mark when captain Adam Flanagan touched the ball back to him.

McDonnell shot wide in the box for Bromley after 41 minutes and the visitors continued to create chances during first half stoppage time as Des Boateng headed just wide of the far post from Luckett’s left wing cross, James Everitt cleared following a cross from the right and McDonnell volleyed wide.

Walker plucked a Flanagan header out of the air at the start of the second half as the chances continued to come.

McDonnell had another opportunity to equalise after 55 minutes when he headed wide from close range as Luckett dinked the ball into the middle in a move also involving Gary Drewett down the left hand side.

For Invicta, Chandler raced through the middle after 62 minutes but Walker was able to block as the ball stayed out.

McDonnell was close again in the 67^th minute when Kessell got a touch as the former Crawley striker slid the ball just wide of the far post from the right hand side of the box following a great ball from Boateng in a move started by Awuah.

At the other end, goalkeeper Walker came to Bromley’s rescue again after 73 minutes when he denied Jones after Chandler had threaded the ball through after Guest had headed the ball out of defence to Matata.

The 369 crowd was Invicta’s highest home attendance so far this season, a figure soon to be overtaken by Saturday’s visit of AFC Wimbledon.

Invicta’s three new signings – Stuart Playford, Chris Wright and James Fraser – were all unused substitutes.

Bromley have now gone seven league games without a win and travel to Chelmsford City's new stadium at Melbourne Park next Saturday.