Cray Wanderers 3-1 Folkestone Invicta - Cray beat new-look Folkestone

Invicta made five changes to the side which had won 2-0 at home to Corinthian-Casuals on Saturday. Defenders Lee Gledhill and Nick Humphrey have both since joined Met Police, James Everitt and Matt Bourne were both starting three-match suspensions and Billy Swallow failed a late fitness test after being stretchered off on his debut on Saturday.

In came teenagers Josh Burchell and Josh Vincent for their first senior starts, Tayler Thomas on loan from Gillingham, Frankie Chappell back at the club on loan from Welling united, and player-coach Scott Lindsey in defence.

And the visitors started the game very well as they seemed to have gained strength from their recent problems.

Vincent shot into the side netting from the right hand side of the penalty area in the sixth minute when a Burchell cross was headed on by a home defender after Dryden played the ball out to the left.

And captain Dryden put Invicta ahead in the 12^th minute at the end of a very well worked move when he headed in a great Jimmy Jackson ball in from the left.

For Cray, striker Tommy Whitnell shot wide from the left hand side of the penalty area after 17 minutes, while Dryden headed wide following a great ball in from Thomas on the right a minute later.

Jamie Wood shot inches wide of the far post for Cray in the 22^nd minute when striking partner Whitnell touched the ball to him on the left hand side of the penalty area.

But Invicta threatened to increase their lead when Dryden headed strongly at goalkeeper Glen Knight in the 25^th minute after Jackson sent over the visitors’ first corner of the game from the left.

Within 60 seconds, a great ball from Burchell sent Dryden away down the middle but this time the striker was unable to gain full control.

There was another opening for Dryden inside the box and a long range Jackson shot flew just wide as things were looking good for Invicta.

But Cray were level in the 34^th minute when Whitnell scored at the second attempt after goalkeeper Charlie Mitten had made a good save to keep out his initial shot following a ball down the left hand side.

And the home side went ahead five minutes later when a Micheal Everitt failed to reach its intended target Burchell and Jamie Kempster took full advantage by taking the ball into the right hand side of the penalty area and finding the far corner of the net with a high shot across goal.

Mitten then made a one-handed save to keep out a 44^th minute Mark Willy header at the expense of a corner.

There were chances for both left backs at the start of the second half as the ball ran away from Burchell inside the Cray penalty area and Colin Luckett then shot wide from just outside the box.

It was Cray though who struck again in the 50^th minute when Whitnell hit his second goal of the game from close range after a corner from the left led to an almighty scramble inside the Invicta penalty area.

Invicta re-adjusted when Kieran Byrne replaced the injured James Corbett, with Thomas moving further forward and Lindsey switching across to right back.

A 54^th minute shot from Tyrone Sterling dipped just over the Invicta crossbar when the Cray wide man cut in from the left hand side.

Mitten let a 75^th minute Sterling shot from the left slip but recovered to deny Whitnell from close range.

Invicta had a couple of late chances as Dryden was fractionally wide from just outside the penalty area in the 90^th minute when Luckett mis-cleared the ball to him after a Byrne cross from the left.

And Dryden then fired wide during stoppage time when Mark Towse nodded the ball on to him on the substitutes’ re-appearance in Invicta colours after a move from Corinthian-Casuals.

Cray right back Matt Lee was booked for a 57^th minute foul on Byrne.

Cray Wanderers: Knight, Lee, Luckett, Chapman, Willy, Aris, Morris, Kempster, Whitnell, Wood (Dolby 70), Sterling (Majzi 85).
Subs: Callaghan, Bradshaw, Jenkins.

Folkestone Invicta: Mitten, Thomas, Burchell, Friend, Chappell, Lindsey, M. Everitt, Corbett (Byrne 51), Dryden, Vincent (Towse 85), Jackson.
Subs: Dix, Conyers.

Attendance: 192.