East Thurrock United 0-3 Folkestone Invicta

Wednesday 27th September 2006

Folkestone Invicta enjoyed an emphatic 3-0 win away to East Thurrock United on Tuesday night to make it two successive victories and clean sheets in four days on their travels in the Ryman Premier League, writes Richard Murrill.

Saturday’s 2-0 win away to Slough Town had lifted Invicta off the bottom of the league and this latest confidence booster means that the table now makes far healthier reading for the Cheriton Road club.

Centre forward Ellis Remy opened the scoring on the stroke of half time at Rookery Hill and second half goals from Steve Norman and Mark Saunders – who had both scored here last season – made it three consecutive wins and clean sheets for Neil Cugley’s side against their Essex opponents.

This was a highly committed and full-blooded affair from the start and things threatened to spill over when 16-year-old Invicta substitute Josh Burchell had to leave the field with a cut eye after 80 minutes just two minutes after coming on for his first senior appearance.

Burchell had appeared to have been caught by an elbow from Boniek Forbes, although the officials decided to take no action.

Remy opened the scoring during first half stoppage time when he swept the ball in after Kevin Watson had done very well down the right hand side as he combined with James Everitt and played the ball across.

Norman made it 2-0 from close range after 57 minutes when Remy headed the ball back across goal after captain Adam Flanagan had met a Micheal Everitt free kick from the right hand side with another strong header.

East Thurrock missed a penalty after 61 minutes when Scott Holding struck the post after a Norman challenge on striker Vinnie John. Holding himself headed the rebound into the net but the ‘goal’ was disallowed as no other player had touched the ball following the spot kick.

And the penalty miss was soon to be even more costly as Saunders got down to head home a Watson corner from the left after 65 minutes when Remy caused more problems inside the home penalty area to win the set piece.

Invicta kept the same starting line up which had won on Saturday as they went for a third successive win, all away from home, including their recent FA Cup triumph at Whyteleafe.

Tony Kessell made an early save when the Essex side sent over the game’s first corner from the right hand side after ten minutes and Jon Turnball shot at the Invicta goalkeeper three minutes later.

At the other end, Remy hooked the ball over after 21 minutes following a good knock down from Micheal Everitt and Remy was close again a minute later when home goalkeeper Jamie Riley turned the ball round the post for Invicta’s first corner of the game.

Having scored direct from a corner on Saturday, Invicta went close in similar circumstances after 26 minutes when Watson sent the ball over from the left, with both Micheal Everitt and Flanagan unable to bundle the ball over the line.

John headed over for the home side after 27 minutes and Alex Fiddes shot high and wide two minutes later when a Norman clearance put the visitors’ defence into trouble following a cross from the right.

It was end-to-end as Flanagan headed over a Norman free kick after 35 minutes and Samuel Kola Okikiolu cleared off the line for Invicta a minute later when Forbes cut in from the left hand side of the penalty area after John had worked the ball across to Fiddes.

But Remy’s strike was to give Invicta the advantage at the interval.

Chris Lewis chipped at Kessell from the edge of the penalty area ten minutes into the second half.

But Norman’s second goal in successive games was to double Invicta’s advantage.

Teenage defender Liam Friend blocked following an East Thurrock corner on the hour when the home side had strong penalty appeals for handball turned down. But referee Mr D Margetts was to point to the spot a minute later.

There was only going to be one winner when Saunders increased Invicta’s lead further and Paul Jones sent over a dangerous cross from the right hand side just in front of Remy in the middle and the advancing Flanagan at the far post after 71 minutes.

Jones shot over following an Invicta break after 73 minutes as the visitors remained in control.

East Thurrock had late chances as Forbes headed away form goal at the far post following a deep 90^th minute cross from the left and a well-struck free kick from Forbes was touched over by Kessell during stoppage time.


EAST THURROCK UNITED: Riley, Williams, Holding, Mully, Lunan, Dafter, Turnball (Harrison 66), Fiddes, John, Lewis (Hayzelden 57), Forbes.  Subs: Brooks, Faulkner, Harris.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Watson, Norman, Flanagan, Friend, Okikiolu (Burchell 78, Sly 82), M. Everitt, J. Everitt, Remy, Saunders, Jones (Neilson 85).  Subs: Patterson, Stonebridge.

Attendance: 107.