Having five players out is a bit naughty, says Folkestone Invicta boss Neil Cugley

FOLKESTONE INVICTA boss Neil Cugley says he is going to be without five players for their FA Cup Preliminary Round replay at Whyteleafe on Tuesday night, writes Stephen McCartney.


An 88^th minute equaliser from Frankie Chappell (who switched from the heart of defence to an emergency striker) kept the Kent side in the competition, after Whyteleafe took the lead twice in the first half through Jay Garrick and Fabian Batchelor, with Darren Smith putting the home side briefly on terms.

Folkestone were already without strikers Paul Jones (ankle) and Stuart King (hamstring) and Cugley was dealt another blow when new striker Richard Atkins was forced off the pitch and taken to hospital with a broken collarbone.

Cugley said: “It was a game that we should have won comfortably really.  We started really well, again not taking our chances, and it came back to bite us I’m afraid.”

He added:  “To be fair to them they were quite sharp up front and caught us on the break a little bit but it didn’t help when Richard Atkins had to go off with a broken collarbone.  We already have Jonsey and Kingy out so it wasn’t pleasing that type of thing.”

It will be the third time in ten days that the two Ryman League Division One South rivals’ have met each other and Folkestone Invicta came away from Church Road with a 2-1 win in the league in the first meeting.

When asked what he is expecting this time out, Cugley said: “Same really.  Same with what we had.  They’re quite lively up front, they got the ball up field early and can be quite dangerous to be fair.

“I’m sure they’ll score so we have to make sure we score and we have to take our chances.  I’m sure we’re still not a bad side.  We’ve got people injured.  I think the side I’m putting out will be ok.”

As well as Jones, King and Atkins, Matt Hollyoak and Liam Dickson has also been ruled out for the must-win replay.

Cugley said:  “I’ve got five out.  Matt Hollyoak came off injured and Liam Dickson is not available midweek so it’s a problem at the moment, but hopefully we’ll get round it.  The good news is Luke Blewden is available and Josh Burchell, who has had a bad ankle.  He came on, on Saturday so he will start so that’s good news.

“We’ve got a strong side, hopefully we can go over there with a strong enough side.  I’m fairly pleased the shape of it is ok, that’s the important thing really.”

The last thing anybody wants is for the game to go to a penalty shoot-out.

“We haven’t got time to practice at this level to do that, hopefully it won’t come to that,” said Cugley.

Cugley says there will be a lot of pressure on the versatile James Everitt to produce the goods on Tuesday night.

“Having five out is a bit naughty, but I still think we can get around that and we’ll be ok,” he said.

“He has been playing up front this season to be fair and he has done really, really well.  He likes playing up there.  I think most people who play football would rather play up front than anywhere else.

“He can take a bit more responsibility up there and he can be a big say in us going through.

“I’ve got other options.  To be fair to Frankie Chappell, he went up there for the last twenty minutes Saturday and done really, really well, so I can always play him up front with (Roy) Guiver at the back. 

“We’re not crying wolf or anything like that.  We’ll just get on with it.  I’ve been lucky with injuries over the last couple of years’ with injuries so one day it was going to come back to bite me.”

Whoever wins on Tuesday night will bank £1,500 in prize money and will welcome either Whitehawk or Ramsgate in the First Qualifying Round on 17 September.

The dream tie would be a Kent derby in the next round.

“I wouldn’t say (the prize money) is vital, but it does help, it helps big time,” said Cugley.

“Of course you do (want to progress), desperately, desperately.  They’re looking for the same thing.  They want to get through too.  We want to get through and hopefully we can do that.

“I’m sure if we can put our chances away and defend better – it was one of those days on Saturday, the two things you don’t want to do, not defending too well and not putting your chances away.”

And Whyteleafe are also banking on the prize money, as they expect to suffer a financial blow, as secretary Chris Layton expects fans to stay at home and watch international football on the box.

He said: “With England v Wales on the telly and Folkestone bringing a coach, I am in danger of making a loss on this game, particularly if we lose.”

Visit Folkestone Invicta’s website: www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk  

Whyteleafe  v  Folkestone Invicta
FA Cup with Budweiser Preliminary Round Replay
Tuesday 6^th September 2011
Kick Off 7:45pm
At Church Road, Whyteleafe, Surrey, CR3 0AR