Let's make it a Good Friday, says Cugley

After beating Bromley 2-1 at the weekend thanks to goals from former Gillingham maestro Mark Saunders and hot prospect Damian Abel, Folkestone Invicta head into the Good Friday clash with Heybridge Swifts at the Buzzlines Stadium in high spirits, writes Andy Bown & Tom Marchant.

Manager Neil Cugley made three changes to the side that turned in a disappointing performance and result the previous week at Walton & Hersham; Ben Sly, James Everitt and Ellis Remy made way for Paul Lamb, Mark Saunders and Paul Jones.

“Before the game on Saturday I bought up the Walton & Hersham game and how poor I felt it was and it was one of those days where I made some changes and they came off, and obviously as a manager you’re always pleased when that happens,” Cugley told www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk.

“If you take Ellis for example, he’s our leading goalscorer but he has had a bit of a tough time of it in front of goal recently as all forwards do and I felt I needed to freshen things up and against the better sides you need to hold the ball up well to bring other players into the game and I thought I would start with Jonesy.”

“There weren’t any players that kicked up a fuss and you can call it what you will; dropped or rested.  To be fair to Ben Sly and James Everitt, they’ve run their hearts out this year and I felt they just looked a little jaded against Walton & Hersham and that they needed a break.”

“I was delighted with everyone’s performance really.  Paul Lamb had a particularly good game and I bought him back in and he did ever so well.  I felt when I bought James and Ben on when they (Bromley) changed their system, the pair did really well against their wide men and stopped them playing. 

“It helped no end that I had a stronger bench and that I could make changes if I wanted and that is so important at this level”.

The Seasiders went behind early on when defender Samuel Kola Okikiolu was adjudged to have handled the ball in the penalty box and Gareth Williams dispatched the subsequent penalty after just five minutes.

“It was slightly worried when Bromley scored early on and we were quite under the cosh but they didn’t get the second goal in the first half. 

“I felt at 1-0 what we are good at is digging in and holding teams off and then we would have a chance of getting back into the game.  With the experience we did have out on the pitch, especially Mark Saunders, it meant that we could ride the good start by Bromley and second half we really came at them.”

Folkestone certainly came out strongly in the second half and got their rewards within two minutes of the restart when Saunders directed a powerful headed which went in off the crossbar to bring Invicta level, from a corner. 

Then, after 54 minutes Damian Abel gave the visitors the lead by directing the ball home after the Bromley goalkeeper had saved his first attempt when strike partner Paul Jones had put him through.

Cugley said:  “Mark’s experience showed with the corner and he lost his man and planted a great header beyond the keeper and I was pleased for him because he’s had quite a few niggling injuries and its been a bit of a stop-start season for him. 

“The corner we scored from was something that we have been working on over the past few weeks and every training session we work on different things. 

“It was Mark’s idea in training and it’s really nice when it comes off for him because it’s a result of the hard work he puts in every week on the training ground.

“I’m pleased we tried something different with Damian Abel by playing him a little bit deeper, running at people, which is what he’s best at and it’s pleasing when a goal goes in like that and he’s running at the defence. 

“I think he started off really well at the club and scored goals and he had a lot of confidence and recently he hasn’t been quite there and hasn’t scored the goals but I was especially pleased that he scored because hopefully it’ll kick him on a bit more.  He still needs more time to adjust to this level of football but hopefully with a good pre season he’ll be raring to go.”

Folkestone welcome Heybridge Swifts to Cheriton Road on Good Friday (6^th April), an afternoon where Commercial Manager Mike Pay has organised the Invicta Family Fun Day. 

Full details of this event can be found by returning to the homepage of www.folkestoneinvicta.co.uk. 

The Fun Day is sure to be a great day for all the family, and represents excellent value for money for entertainment all afternoon.

“I think it’s a good thing to try as it’s something we haven’t done before and I’ve been here 10 years,” he said.  “We would definitely like more people in through the gates – especially families – to come along and support their local side. 

“It is a family orientated club and that shows by the amount of players we have coming out of our youth teams and there is a lot of opportunity for youngsters to play for this club if they want to and attracting more families along is the one way to do this.”

Aside from a knee injury to Roy Guiver, which looks set to rule the former Hythe Town defender out for the rest of the season, Invicta have no injury worries or suspensions to contend with for the visit of Heybridge. 

The Invicta boss predictably replied “no comment” when quizzed over whether he would name an unchanged starting line up.

However, he did point out: “We’ve never done that well against them over the time I’ve been here and when we’ve played them in the Ryman League, so hopefully this will be the one that can turn that form around. 

“They’re one of the teams you would’ve thought would’ve been further up the League and at least in the play offs and it’s surprising the sort of season they’ve had because they’ve got a lot to do to get into the play offs now. 

“They’ve recently sold their top striker Richard Jolly to AFC Wimbledon so they’ll most likely miss him and he has always been a quality player for whoever he’s played for so it’ll be a bonus for us for them not to have him.”

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

Folkestone Invicta  v  Heybridge Swifts
Ryman Premier League 
Good Friday, 6th April 2007 
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Buzzlines Stadium, Cheriton Road, Folkestone