Folkestone Invicta 6-0 Walton & Hersham - It was always at the back of my mind this was the day that I wanted to do it, says title-winning Folkestone Invicta boss Neil Cugley

Folkestone Invicta 6 – 0 Walton & Hersham
Location	Cheriton Road, Folkestone, Kent CT19 5JU
Kickoff	25/03/2016 15:00

FOLKESTONE INVICTA 6-0 WALTON & HERSHAM
Ryman League Division One South
Good Friday 25th March 2016
Stephen McCartney reports from Cheriton Road

FOLKESTONE INVICTA manager Neil Cugley says he’s feeling delighted after nailing the club’s first league championship with five games to spare.

CHAMPIONS: Folkestone Invicta were crowned Ryman League Division One South champions today with five games to spare, manager Neil Cugley holds the trophy in front of his team.
Photo: Folkestone Invicta FC

Folkestone Invicta battled against nerves during a disappointing first half, central defender Frankie Chappell heading home his fourth goal of the season after 18 minutes to send them on their way.

Folkestone Invicta turned on the style during the second half and went on to chalk up a further five goals against relegation threatened, third-from-bottom side Walton & Hersham.

Strikers Carl Rook and Ian Draycott scored two goals apiece – taking their tally to 10 and 34 goals for the season respectively – before substitute Harry Smith produced a quality finish to seal the title with his ninth goal for the club following his switch from league rivals Sittingbourne.

Folkestone Invicta, Ryman League Division One South champions 2016.

“It’s nice, chuffed really, I’m chuffed,” said Cugley, inside his office as his players celebrated inside the home dressing room further down the corridor.

“Disappointed with the first half, we never really got going and then pleased second half.  We put on a bit of a show for the fans and showed what a good footballing side we can be, really pleased.”

A crowd of 1,545 flocked through the turnstiles on a glorious Good Friday, certainly spurred on by the Kent club’s decision to reduce admission to £5.

Cugley said: “You always hope to get over a thousand, you hope to get a crowd like this, to get crowds. They’re brilliant. People came out, they got behind the players.  They put on a good show for them, delighted!”

With the home fans singing “we’re going to win the league,” Draycott was to be denied after only 204 seconds.

Ronnie Dolan swung in the first of his 11 corners from the left and Draycott’s near post header was saved low down by busy goalkeeper Liam Beach at his near post.

Walton & Hersham made five changes to the side that suffered their 26^th league defeat of the season – losing 1-0 at home to play-off chasing Faversham Town last weekend – and their skipper Dylan Casey held his side together at the heart of their defence.

Dolan’s quickly-taken free-kick played in Scott Heard and the central midfielder’s dinked shot bounced past Beach but Casey led by example to get back to sweep the ball off the line at the near post.

But Cheriton Road was in party spirit as soon as Folkestone Invicta opened the floodgates, the goal timed at 17:50

Dolan delivered his fourth corner towards the near post and Chappell powered his header into the left-hand corner of the net from inside the six-yard box.

“I was disappointed first half, just never really (got going), nervy is a good word,” said Cugley.

“Good man to do that, he’s been so loyal to the club and it was a good header,” Cugley said of Chappell’s opener.

Dolan’s deep corner from the right was missed completely by Rook at the far post but the ball fell to Ashley Miller, who whipped in a deep cross to the unmarked Dolan on the other side of the penalty area and the midfielder’s right-footed angled drive was pushed around the post by the diving goalkeeper.

It was a flat and disappointing first half and Folkestone Invicta were to be denied by another save from Beach in the 32^nd minute.

Heard played a high diagonal over to Miller on the left, who cut inside past right-back Theo Newton, only to be tripped by Edvardas Gaurilovas on the edge of the Swans box.

Draycott bent his low right-footed free-kick around the wall and Beach made a comfortable kneeling save.

Heard’s high diagonal pass sailed over Newton’s head and Miller cut into the penalty area and centred towards Draycott at the near post, whose flicked shot bounced off Casey and went behind for a corner.

Walton & Hersham (29 points), Peachaven & Telscombe (24) and Whitstable Town (14) look certain to finish in the relegation zone, especially as a poor Walton & Hersham side offered very little in the final third on a nice playing surface today.

But The Swans did create a couple of late chances.

Player-manager MacDonald clipped the ball up to Gaurilovas down the left and he cut into the penalty area before rolling the ball into Olakunle Akinwande’s path, whose right-footed shot from 17-yards dipped just over the bar.

Left-winger Akinwande then broke from the half-way line to reach the edge of the Folkestone penalty area, only to hit his right-footed shot over the bar.

Folkestone Invicta really had to up their game during the second half and prove exactly why they are champions.

“We gave them little bit of chances here and there, which is not like us and then it was just getting that second goal and coming out second half and getting it so early, it made a big difference,” said Cugley, who then revealed what he wanted from his side.

“Just get the game going and get the pace of the game up again. It was important that we got the ball moving a bit better. I think we did do that.”

Walton & Hersham missed a great opportunity to level, just 48 seconds into the second half.

Prince M’Bengui was released down the right and he floated over a deep cross towards the far post which was headed back across goal by lone striker Gareth Chendlik, only for MacDonald to head over the bar from inside the six-yard box.

That miss seemed to knock the stuffing out of a Walton & Hersham side that at the final whistle have extended their winless run to 13.

Draycott shot on the turn was destined to sail into the top right-hand corner, but Beach dived high to his right to push the ball over the bar.

But Folkestone Invicta doubled their lead, just two minutes and 38 seconds into the half.

Phil Starkey’s fine pass forward from inside the Swans half put Rook through on goal and he applied the finish, rolling his shot across the keeper into the bottom far corner from 10-yards.

Cugley added: “Good goal, good finish, really pleased with that!”

Miller broke down the left and cut the ball back to Dolan, who played the ball into an unmarked Draycott, whose chip was comfortably caught by Beach at his near post.

Draycott was then released down the middle and played the ball into Heard’s feet, the former Whitstable Town midfielder hitting his drive just over the bar.

Folkestone Invicta went route-one to put the champagne on ice by scoring their third goal in the 56^th minute.

Untroubled keeper Tim Roberts launched a big kick straight down the heart of the pitch, the ball bounced through to Draycott, who dinked the ball over the keeper to find the right-corner from eight-yards.

Cugley said: “Good finish, a bit route one-ish but that happens in football but I’m happy with that one.”

The manager knew the title was in the bag at that point.

“I’ve got to be honest we defend so well, once it went to three, you think you can change things.”

Walton & Hersham left-back Veejay Miller ventured forward into the final third to curl his right-footed shot around the diving Roberts and past the far post from 30-yards.

Draycott went close to adding to the scoreline from just inside the penalty area, only to see his left-footed chip drop just over the crossbar.

It was only a matter of time when Folkestone Invicta scored their fourth  goal and it arrived in the 62^nd minute.

Starkey produced a quality diagonal pass to play Miller in behind the Walton & Hersham defence and he rolled the ball across the face of goal for Rook to tap the ball into the bottom right-hand corner from a couple of yards out.

“He’ll be happy with his couple of goals today Rookie and I think he deserved them,” came Cugley’s swift response.

Walton & Hersham finally registered their first shot on target when good play down the left from Gaurilovas set up a chance for winger Michael Salako, who cut inside and was denied by Roberts, diving to his right to beat the ball away.

Draycott hooked the ball inside to Heard, who laid the ball into Miller’s path, whose right-footed stroked low drive from 22-yards was saved by Beach.

Folkestone Invicta netted their fifth goal on this glorious day in the 83^rd minute.

Dolan cut a corner back to substitute Micheal Everitt, who played the ball in from the left. The ball came to Miller, whose low drive flashed through a crowd of players, the keeper tipping the ball onto the base of the left-hand post and Draycott poked the ball into the back of the net from close range.

Cugley said: “Good play from Miller really, he’s unlucky not to score himself, popped back and Dracys does what he’s good at, sniffing the goal.”

Folkestone Invicta wrapped up their victory with their sixth goal just 169 seconds later to sink the Swans.

Right-back Josh Vincent clipped a long ball over the top and Smith brought the ball down under his spell and produced a goal of high-quality, chipping the ball into the top right-hand corner.

“That boy can be a player, I think,” said Cugley.

“He showed what a good player he is today with that! It was a great finish and a great touch. He’s 20-years-old, he’s a great prospect for this club.”

Folkestone Invicta created a couple of late chances – while Swans substitute Sebastien Castello lashed his shot over the bar.

Invicta swarmed forward on the edge of the Swans box and Jordan Wright’s cross from the left was smacked by Draycott, which was brilliantly saved by Beach, diving high to his left to push the ball around his post.

Miller then released Draycott, who burst past Veejay Miller, only to clip his shot against the outside of the near post when he only had the keeper to beat.

“He’s hit the post and just before that a good save. He could’ve had a hat-trick on another day, but obviously he’s trying to get the golden boot and hopefully we can make him get that,” said Cugley.

Cugley was throw in the air by his ecstatic players after skipper Friend lifted the championship winning trophy towards the blue sky.

“You look back at teams like Maidstone and Dover won the league but they haven’t won it as easily as that,” said Cugley, whose side have collected 99 points from their 41 league games.

“That’s a great achievement to score a lot of goals (88), let hardly any in (29).

“I think the good thing about the team, although we haven’t always played, we’ve dug in and got results and when we have lost we’ve always bounced back straight away and that’s been a big thing.”

When asked whether this was his best achievement of his career, Cugley replied: “I think today because it’s at home and yes I think so.

“A lot of work has gone into the whole club. I’m not just being manager, it's being a director as well. A lot of work has had to go in for the last few years. It’s been hard, hard work and now it’s good.”

Folkestone Invicta travel to play-off chasing Herne Bay (eighth-place, three points adrift of the play-offs) on Easter Monday (15:00), before completing their campaign against Peacehaven & Telscombe, Carshalton Athletic, Three Bridges and Tooting & Mitcham United.

“My aim is to get 100 points, we’re nearly there now, I’ll be disappointed if we don’t get it now,” said Cugley.

“The lads will have a night out tonight and have a few too many (drinks) I expect and they’ll be ready for Monday.  It’s great having Saturday off.  We brought the game forward (today) but they’re good lads and I’m sure they’ll give everything in every game and try to win every game now.

“I’m just delighted really. It just couldn’t have gone better how we planned everything a long time ago. It was going to be a cheaper entrance fee and do the Easter eggs. It was always at the back of my mind this was the day that I wanted to do it and have.  It’s fallen into place.

“No disrespect, go down to Herne Bay or Peacehaven needing to get a point or something, we’ve done it at home in front of our fans and that was always my aim and I’m delighted with that.”

When asked about his initial plans for the Ryman Premier League next season, Cugley knows his budget has to increase to bring in players that will keep the club in the division.

He said: “I think about that maybe after the Herne Bay game. It won’t be much different the squad, I’m sure because a lot of these players will be given a chance to show what they can do.”

Friend marked his 484^th start for the club with the championship winning trophy in his hands.

The central defender said: “It’s not bad isn’t it, it’s not a bad way to spend your Good Friday, so I’m pretty happy. I’ll be even happier when I can get in the changing room and get the beer flowing and the champagne flowing. I’m pretty pleased with myself.

“I think first half there was probably a few nerves and worries maybe because we wanted to make sure we did it.  Then second half we came out and we realised if we upped it up 10% and passed the ball a little bit quicker and pressed a little bit harder we were always going to win the game comfortably – and we did that!

“I think as soon as it was 4-0 then we knew we’d be able to do it. We don’t concede too many goals. As soon as the second and the third went in you just knew it was going to be a good day.

“I’m just proud of my friends, my team-mates. Cugs, Lillis (Cugley and Jason Lillis), Jim Pellatt (chairman), people like that who have worked so hard. Everything that we’ve done today, they’ve deserved it and we deserved it.

“Over the course of the year we’ve been the stand out team and it’s up to us to make sure we proved that we are by winning as early as possible – and we’ve done that!

“Not many people win the league this early on do they, so it’s a nice marker to put down.

“We’re all looking forward to the Ryman Premier League. It’s a level all of our players need to be at. We’re obviously too good for this division by the fact that we’re 19 points clear. We’re ready for it and we’ll look forward to it.

“We’ll have a party tonight, we’ll be alright. We’re going to try and set a points record and things like that so we’ll be professional and turn up (at Herne Bay) and hopefully win.”

Folkestone Invicta: Tim Roberts, Josh Vincent, Nat Blanks, Liam Friend, Frankie Chappell, Ronnie Dolan, Phil Starkey (Jordan Wright 72), Scott Heard (Micheal Everitt 72), Ian Draycott, Carl Rook (Harry Smith 65), Ashley Miller.
Subs: Jon Pilbeam, Matt Newman

Goals: Frankie Chappell 18, Carl Rook 48, 62, Ian Draycott 56, 83, Harry Smith 85

Walton & Hersham: Liam Beach, Theo Newton, Veejay Miller, Gary MacDonald (Sebastien Castello 63), Rokas Janilionis, Dylan Casey, Olakunle Akinwande, Edvardas Gaurilovas, Gareth Chendlik (Kambo Smith 63), Prince M’Bengui (Leavan Sullivan 75), Michael Salako.
Subs: Borja Leoches-Teixeira, Mark Corbett

Attendance: 1,545
Referee: Mr Matt Goldsmith (Hastings, East Sussex)
Assistants: Mr Jack Owen (Sevenoaks) & Mr Leigh Judd (Tunbridge Wells)