Folkestone Invicta 2-0 Corinthian-Casuals - A winning farewell from departing star names

The game was played in front of a season’s best 404 crowd at the Buzzlines Stadium ahead of an emergency meeting at a packed Stripes to discuss the club’s financial plight.

The Invicta players had agreed to perform without payment on Saturday but said their goodbyes afterwards as many of them will now leave to find new clubs.

The Folkestone club will complete the season with an increased emphasis on young local players such as Billy Swallow, whose senior debut at left back came to an unfortunate halt when he was stretchered off early in the second half and had to be taken to hospital in an ambulance after the game.

Corbett opened the scoring in the 28^th minute when he latched onto a ball through the middle and went round Colin Harris to find the net despite the goalkeeper getting a hand to the ball.

And centre half Bourne made it 2-0 with his first goal for the club in the 54^th minute when he drilled the ball into the net after Jimmy Jackson had sent over Invicta’s first corner of the game from the right hand side.

But Swallow soon suffered his nasty looking injury after a challenge by the visitors’ right back Daniel Sintim, who was himself immediately substituted in keeping with Corinthian-Casuals’ sporting ethos and tradition.

The visitors’ best chance had come as early as the ninth minute when a good ball from Ryan Hughes put striker Joe Nwoko clean through. But home goalkeeper Charlie Mitten got down to make a good save en route to a clean sheet on almost certainly his last appearance for the club before re-joining his first club Thamesmead Town.

For Invicta, a Jackson free kick flew just in front of James Everitt in the middle after 26 minutes and sailed into the arms of goalkeeper Harris.

But Corbett was to put Invicta ahead a minute later. Remarkably, it was the one-time Gillingham and Blackburn Rovers star’s first home goal for Invicta since a 3-3 draw at home to Billericay in January 2007.

Jackson also volleyed at Harris in the 42^nd minute after a James Dryden ball in from the right.

The home side stepped up the pressure during the second half and increased their lead from the corner that followed after a Jackson shot was touched over by Harris following a move involving Micheal Everitt, Swallow and Dryden.

It nearly got even better for Invicta in the 55^th minute when a Lee Gledhill ball sent Corbett away and the goalscorer was first given on-side and then had a penalty claim turned down when he was brought down by Dale Hennessey.

A 63^rd minute Dryden free kick from just outside the penalty area was turned round the post for a corner by goalkeeper Harris.

James Everitt then had the ball in the net in the 68^th minute but the ‘goal’ was ruled out for an earlier foul on the goalkeeper.

Liam Friend surged forward in the 76trh minute after collecting the ball from fellow defender Nick Humphrey but the ball eventually ran out of play for a goal kick.

Harris then produced a wonder save in the 80th minute to touch a James Everitt header round the post for a corner following a Gledhill cross from the right after a good move also involving Corbett and Jackson down the right.

An 86^th minute Gledhill ball eluded both James Everitt and visiting captain Chris Horwood to put Dryden clean through down the middle, but Harris touched his shot over the crossbar.

Casuals’ substitute Trevor Robinson let fly from 25 yards just over the bar when Nwoko touched the ball back as the visitors broke after another Invicta attack at the other end in the 87^th minute.

Teenager Josh Vincent was given his first taste of senior action for Invicta as a late substitute for departing captain Gledhill and played the eight minutes of stoppage time caused by Swallow’s injury.

Vincent was denied an dramatic start when Tyrone Myton was there to block after Dryden nodded the ball on to Corbett and the ball came back out to the substitute when Harris saved with his feet.

46-year-old assistant manager Micky Dix was given a cameo appearance for the final seconds of action as a substitute for the injured Jackson.

Invicta’s Micheal Everitt had earlier been booked for a 34^th minute foul on Nwoko.

A winning farewell for some of Invicta’s departing stars - and the end of one era before the start of a new one for Folkestone’s senior club.

Folkestone Invicta: Mitten, Gledhill (Vincent 89), Swallow (Burchell 60), Friend, Bourne, J. Everitt, M. Everitt, Corbett, Dryden, Humphrey, Jackson (Dix 90).
Sub: Lindsey.

Corinthian-Casuals: Harris, Sintim (Ingham 60), Hennessey, Reive, Horwood, Matthews, Myton, Funicello (Robinson 73), Nwoko, Hughes, Brown.
Subs: Mallatt, McLellan.

Attendance: 404.