Horsham YMCA 0-2 Folkestone Invicta

First half goals from James Everitt and Mark Saunders gave Folkestone Invicta victory in Tuesday night’s FA Cup First Qualifying Round replay away to Horsham YMCA, writes Richard Murrill.

Invicta’s reward is a home tie against Windsor & Eton in the Second Qualifying Round on Saturday September 29^th.

Saturday’s initial 1-1 draw at the Buzzlines Stadium had been Invicta’s fourth successive failure to register a home win so far this season, but the Folkestone side has now won four consecutive away matches following a narrow 1-0 defeat over the fence by Gorings Mead against the other Horsham.

Invicta brought Samuel Kola Okikiolu and James Corbett back into the starting line up, but lost striker Leigh Bremner to injury within the opening ten minutes when he pulled up after closing down the ball when goalkeeper Chris May prepared to clear.

That gave an early introduction to Damian Abel who had been left out of the initial eleven, but who was to relish partnering Corbett as the spearhead of the Invicta attack.

Corbett had missed Saturday’s game as he was attending his brother’s wedding, but was soon in the thick of the action as he shot at May when Kevin Watson played the ball up the right hand side after five minutes. And Corbett was to do everything but score during the second half when Invicta found May once again in inspired form between the posts for the home side.

At the other end, home striker Andy Jupp had a shot blocked when Andy Ottley’s cross from the left hand side fell to him inside the penalty area after 12 minutes and Dan Taylor fired over from just outside the box in the 24^th minute.

Invicta centre half Liam Friend then got back to clear a minute later when goalkeeper May’s clearance went over the Invicta defence to put striker Steve Davies through.

But two goals in the closing stages of the first half was to put Invicta in the driving seat.

James Everitt and Saunders were arguably Invicta’s best performers in both ties, having combined for the equaliser which forced this replay.

Saunders had scored that one but this time returned the compliment when Corbett found him on the right hand side of the penalty area and his ball in was fired home by Everitt via a slight deflection in the 32^nd minute.

Abel hit a well-struck shot at May from 30 yards three minutes later.

And Saunders found space for himself to head in Watson’s corner on the right to double Invicta’s lead in the 42^nd minute.

Saunders was getting into the penalty area with good effect and might have struck again from Micheal Everitt’s inviting ball in from the right after 44 minutes.

Invicta captain Roland Edge got forward to head at May after 51 minutes when James Eveirtt played the ball in from the right.

But the home side had their best chance a minute later when Davies put Jupp through down the right hand side of the penalty area, but Kieron Mann got down to save at the expense of a corner.

Edge headed strongly at May from a deep Watson cross on the right after 55 minutes and a classic Invicta counter attack three minutes later resulted in Corbett heading just over in the middle following a quick run and cross from Abel after Okikiolu had played the ball out of defence.

And Invicta were desperately close again on the hour when May saved at point blank range from Corbett following a dangerous ball in from Watson on the right.

Davies had a couple of half chances after 61 minutes as the home side sought a way back into the game.

But May got down to deny Corbett again in the 64^th minute when he touched the one-time Gillingham and Blackburn Rovers player’s curling shot round the post following a ball from Edge and James Everitt was close when the subsequent corner was played back to him.

Ottley then struck the top of the Invicta crossbar with a 25-yard free kick in the 72^nd minute.

But the visitors were close again a minute later following a great solo run from James Everitt, with May saving Abel’s subsequent shot.

Abel broke again and fired a low shot just wide of the far post across goal in the 79^th minute and Abel called May into action again two minutes later, with Saunders’ rebound blocked from virtually on the goal line when Frankie Chappell’s ball out of defence was only temporarily cleared.

An 82^nd minute Ottley corner from the left was headed over by centre half Glen Woodburn and Mann saved from substitute Mithun Nayee to prevent any late drama when Taylor played the ball over after 86 minutes.

There were bookings for Horsham YMCA’s Matt Russell and for Inivcta’s Corbett amd Friend.

It was a case of job well and truly done for Invicta and it was worth the air miles for Manager Neil Cugley who had interrupted a midweek break in Magaluf to fly back to nearby Gatwick for the game.

HORSHAM YMCA: May, Duffield (Percival 65), Ottley, Keehan (Carter 74 ), Woodburn, White, Russell, Carden, Jupp (Nayee 65), Davies, Taylor. 
Subs: Keaney, Simpson.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Mann, Watson, Edge, Chappell, Friend, Okikiolu, M. Everitt, Saunders, Bremner (Abel 7), J. Everitt (Briggs 85), Corbett (Remy 83).
Subs: Sly, Stonebridge.

Attendance: 105.