Chatham Town 2-0 Folkestone Invicta - Keeper's red card overshadows Chats Trophy win

Breakaway goals from Justin Ascheri and a stunning curler from substitute Simon Austin ensured it was the Medway side that goes to Ryman Premier League side Harrow Borough in the next round on Saturday week.

But Folkestone Invicta - a side that went into the game sitting in third place in the Ryman League Division One South table - rued numerous missed chances, including a first half Jimmy Corbett penalty, which was saved by goalkeeper James Smith.

Once again controversy involving referee’s reared it’s ugly head as James Dryden, who was tripped by Smith in the penalty incident, wasn’t allowed to take the spot kick as the physio left the technical area to attend to the injured prized asset.

And Chipstead referee Mr Nigel Lugg gave goalkeeper Smith his second yellow card four minutes into stoppage time at the end of the game as Chatham finished the game with ten men.

Both Kent sides made just one change each from their sides that played out a 1-1 draw at a wet and windy Cheriton Road on Saturday.

Nick Humphrey, who was attending a funeral, was replaced by Corbett, which meant Craig Wilkins started the game at the back.

For struggling Ryman League Division One North side Chatham Town, Dan Larkin came in for Brad Potter, forming a strong partnership alongside skipper Richard Avery at the back.

And it was Chatham that had the first chance of the game when Avery’s free-kick from midfield was met by a towering header from left-sided midfielder Dave Botterill, which was comfortably dealt with by visiting goalkeeper, Charlie Mitten.

The first of numerous Folkestone chances arrived after twelve minutes, but they were denied by a smart goal-line save from James Smith.

Corbett played the ball inside for Dryden and his glancing header seemed destined to creep inside the bottom near corner, but Smith dived low to his left to grasp the ball on the line.

Folkestone Invicta were awarded a penalty when Chatham’s goalkeeper was adjudged by Mr Lugg for upending Dryden as he was played in by a flick from Corbett.

Goalkeeper Smith was booked for the challenge and as Dryden laid on the ground, the physio came to the seven-goal striker’s aid.

This, however, prevented Dryden taking the penalty so duties of giving Invicta the lead fell on Corbett’s shoulders.

There was a short delay before the 26^th minute penalty was taken, but Smith dived low to his right to block Corbett’s right-footed penalty.

Smith was the busier of the two goalkeepers and he thwarted both Dryden and James Everitt in quick succession.

Liam Friend, making his 100^th appearance for Invicta, played a diagonal pass from midfield and Dryden planted a header into the goalkeeper’s hands at the near post.

Then, eighty seconds later, Everitt latched onto Dryden’s through ball, taking the ball in his stride but his right-footed rolling shot was saved at the second attempt.

Chatham’s leading goalscorer, Dave Botterill, almost added to the four goals that he’s scored this season, but his left-footed drive from 20-yards, flashed just past the foot of the right upright, with Mitten rooted to the spot.

Despite plenty of endeavour, the low crowd of 154 hoped there would be goals during the second half to avoid extra time.

Folkestone squandered yet another chance after 51 minutes when a diagonal pass from player-coach Scott Lindsey released left wing-back Mark Green.

Green looked destined to break the deadlock, but his drilled left-footed drive from 25-yards, whistled past the post.

Mitten was finally called into action when Darren Smith cracked a left-footed drive, in a central position from fully 35-yards.

So it was a surprise when Chatham Town grabbed the lead, through Ascheri’s second goal of the season after 59 minutes.

Right-sided midfielder Mark Brooks had a quiet game up to this point, but it was his deep high cross that wasn’t dealt with by the Folkestone defence and nineteen-year-old Ascheri brought the ball under control before firing the ball across Mitten and into the far corner.

Good link up play from Darren Smith and Ascheri down the left hand side presented Lee Maskell with a chance, drilling a right-footed shot just past the foot of the near post from distance.

Former Chatham defender, Matt Bourne, should have levelled proceedings when he met Everitt’s corner from the left, but he planted a towering header over from inside the six-yard box.

Wilkins was credited with a shot that he caressed agonisingly against the far post after meeting Jackson’s 73^rd minute free-kick, inside a very crowded penalty area.

Then, a move involving Jackson and Friend resulted in Dryden curling a left-footed shot agonisingly over the crossbar.

But after soaking up all that pressure, Chatham Town delivered the killer blow and doubled their lead with nine minutes left.

A ball over the top released substitute Austin, who raced towards Folkestone’s penalty area from the half-way line.

Instead of sending fellow substitute Michael Scott away down the right-flank, Austin continued his run and from 25-yards cracked a stunning left-footed shot, which curled past Mitten to find the top far corner to send the vocal young home fans in the stand wild.

James Smith’s last action was to pluck Jackson’s left-footed 20-yard chip out of the air before he was harshly sent off for a second yellow card four minutes into stoppage time.

But despite defender Dan Larkin taking the gloves, time had basically ran out for his former club.

Binks criticised Surrey referee Mr Lugg for red-carding his goalkeeper for a petty offence.

“I’m all in favour showing officials respect, but that referee got that wrong big time tonight,” Binks fumed when speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“James has picked the ball up from behind the goal, he jogged round the front of goal and he’s allowed to place it anywhere in the six-yard box and he’s gone to put it down from the other side it’s gone out, which he’s entitled to do and a booking from that has cost us a suspension for an outrageous decision.

“That’s really a sad end to a great performance really.”

But Binks was pleased that he got his tactics spot on, against a Folkestone Invicta side that play with wing-backs in a 3-5-2 formation.

And the Chats’ stalwart felt balls over the top of wing-back Green would pay dividends.

“I’m very aware how they play with the wing-backs,” said Binks. “We tried to keep them quiet and yes, there were three against two in the middle.

“We tried to exploit the space behind their wing-backs, especially on the left-hand side, which worked well. We did that on Saturday away and if I remember rightly the cross came in from the right again for our first goal tonight.

“Mark Green’s an excellent player going forward, but does leave gaps behind and we exploited (the space).”

Austin’s strike was worthy to win any game of the football.

And Binks agreed, adding: “Yes it was a cracking goal, too it really well.

“Another really good goal from Justin Ascheri as well. That’s two in three games now from a nineteen-year-old whose run his socks off tonight, again, covered every blade of grass on the pitch and I’m absolutely delighted and I think we’ve deserved it, absolutely deserved it over the two games.”

For his opposite number, Neil Cugley, he was left puzzled as he came to terms with tonight’s FA Trophy exit, thanks to Chatham’s smash-and-grab raid.

“Just to dominate the game for so long and to have so much of the ball and not really hurt them is disappointing,” a dejected Cugley told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“Now, if we played badly, you’d be disappointed, but the actual football we played was outstanding, until the final little bit, which is what it is all about.

“To be fair to the lad (Austin), who got the second goal, showed what it is all about. He’s come in and curled a great goal to finish the game off. We should be doing that more often.”

Speaking about the Dryden/Corbett penalty incident, Cugley felt Dryden should have been allowed to take the spot kick, which might have kept the Cheriton Road club in the FA Trophy.

“It’s a bit strange, our physio ran on but he (the referee) didn’t call the physic on so technically Jim should still be allowed to take the penalty,” questioned Cugley.

“But then again Corbs has scored penalties this year (so) you can’t look back on silly things like that.”

The long-serving boss explained why he didn’t use any substitutes during these two ties against Chatham Town.

He said: “Micheal Everitt wasn’t fully fit and we had two young lads (and a goalkeeper) and we are really down on numbers.

“But it has been a bit of problem at the moment because we are a bit short on numbers - which we’ve always had at Folkestone.

“We can’t use that as an excuse to be fair in both games we’ve dominated play so I don’t think subs would have made much of a difference really.”

When asked if the better side had been knocked out tonight, Cugley replied: “The better footballing side by a long way, yes, but that doesn’t give any credit to Chatham, who defended brilliantly.

“There two centre halves threw their heads in there and they were outstanding for them.

“The second goal was a classic goal, on the break, a great finish.

“That’s something that we’ve got to work on. A lot of teams are going to defend against us. When we’ve got a lot of possession on the ball, we’ve got to work out how to hurt people in the final third.”

Chatham Town: James Smith, Tom Binks, Dan Larkin, Matt Solly, Richard Avery, Steve Best (Michael Scott 48), Darren Smith (Jim Lyons 90), Mark Brooks, Justin Ascheri (Simon Austin 77), Lee Maskell, Dave Botterill.

Goals: Justin Ascheri 59, Simon Austin 81

Booked: James Smith 24, Richard Avery 24, Justin Ascheri 71, Lee Maskell 78

Sent off: James Smith 90

Folkestone Invicta: Charlie Mitten, Lee Gledhill, Mark Green, Liam Friend, Matt Bourne, Craig Wilkins, Scott Lindsey, James Everitt, James Dryden, Jimmy Corbett, Jimmy Jackson.
Subs: Micheal Everitt, Billy Swallow, Josh Burchell, Alex Conyers.

Booked: Scott Lindsey 22, James Everitt 62, Jimmy Corbett 87

Attendance: 154
Referee: Mr Nigel Lugg (Chipstead, Surrey)
Assistants: Mr Terry Cooper (Rochester) & Mr Karl May (Gillingham)