Sittingbourne 0-1 Folkestone Invicta - We haven't really got going yet, says Neil Cugley

Wednesday 22nd August 2012

SITTINGBOURNE 0-1 FOLKESTONE INVICTA
Ryman League Division One South
Wednesday 22^nd August 2012
Mike Green reports from Bourne Park

NEIL CUGLEY’S Folkestone Invicta held off a spirited second half recovery from Sittingbourne to make it two wins from two games to move joint top of the Ryman League Division One South table after the season's opening week.

The games only goal was scored after just 15 minutes when James Everitt and Darren Marsden combined to thread the ball through to Stuart King, and last season's top scorer held of the attentions of the Sittingbourne defence to coolly slip the ball wide of home keeper Adam Molloy and into the net.

Yet despite bossing the first half, the visitors were in the end indebted to a magnificent rear guard display in the second half where their defence, brilliantly led by the outstanding Liam Friend, simply repelled wave after wave of red and black attacks before coming agonisingly close themselves to doubling their advantage late on.

Speaking after the game, Cugley was obviously very happy with the three points.

He said: "We haven't really got going yet, and to come here on not the best pitch and get a result is very pleasing indeed, especially as you haven't been able to play the way that you want to.

“Coming in only one or two up at half time was shame as we should have been two or three up as we really played well first half. And then they've come out and got into us, got stuck into us as they made it hard for us which is fair enough.

“Despite all their pressure I thought we defended magnificently tonight and our keeper didn't have a shot to save, and even at the end there I thought we could have got a second."

Brickies joint-manager Jim Ward on other hand was left rueing a poor first half display by his side which ultimately cost the home side the points.

“We're a very young side, and it took us 45 minutes to get rid of the respect thing," rued Ward.

"They've now won two out of two which puts them in the play-off places already and I'd expect them to stay there as they're one of the better teams.

“Second half they're as happy as Larry though to get out of here with a result as we battered them, but the damage was done as far as we're concerned in the first half, and we must learn from it.

“But at the end of the day, you'll look in the paper in the morning and we got beat one nil!

“The main plan when we came in was to get the changing room right and get the players playing for each other and see where that takes us, so haven't done bad.

“We had a good result at Three Bridges on Saturday, frustrating result tonight."

The home side created the first chance when a long through ball forced Invicta keeper Jack Delo to leave his box to head clear, only for the unlucky Joe Nwoko to get a horrible bobble off the Bourne Park pitch just as he looked set to chip the ball into the net.

That ninth minute scare seemed to kick start Folkestone as they took the lead with what proved to be the game's solitary goal just six minutes later.

Everitt and Marsden combined and King did what he does best - putting the ball in the opposition net.

Sittingbourne had the chance to level almost straight away, but Jason Dolby shot wide from a corner before Folkestone eased up a gear.

Firstly on the half hour, home keeper Molloy did incredibly well to deny King on the edge of the box after a woefully under hit back pass was played directly into the strikers path - the Brickies keeper delayed King just long enough for defenders to get back to help with the clearance - before Darren Smith (in his first League start of the season) blazed high over after great work down the left from Liam Dickson.

Everitt and Marsden then combined on 41 minutes with the latter stinging Molloy's finger tips from 25 yards, the keeper again performing heroics to keep his side in the contest.

Whatever the Ward brothers said in the Sittingbourne dressing room at the break almost reaped immediate rewards as from their first corner 90 seconds into the second half.

Folkestone were indebted to a goal line clearance from Lee Gledhill after Delo failed to take the ball cleanly under pressure from Nwoko.

On 53 minutes, there was loud penalty claims from the home side as following a super run down the right by Tom Loynes saw the ball pulled back for Dolby whose drive was either brilliantly blocked by Friend - or handled by the Folkestone defender - dependant on who you spoke to.

Ward was clearly upset by the officials decision. He said: "How can the lad not have handled it after throwing himself in front of the ball like that. The assistant said that he thought he handled it - the referee said that he didn't!"

Shrugging the Brickies boss added, "Decisions still surprise me, but then that’s football!"

Cugley meanwhile simply re iterated the praise for his defence. "We put our bodies on the line when we had to, as we always do, and I thought as a unit we defended very well!"

Folkestone's forward thrusts were becoming ever more infrequent, but on 70 minutes they should really have put the game beyond the home side - and would have done but for a really fine save from Molloy.

King this time was the provider as he sprinted clear down the right. His pull back was perfect for the long-serving Everitt who did well under pressure to poke the ball goal wards, only for Molloy to make a fine save away to his left.

Ward made attacking changes as the home side piled forward looking for an equaliser, and on 74 minutes they were within a whisker of drawing level.

Nwoko beat the offside trap down the right, and his centre was perfect for the arriving substitute Elie Kayembe who just met the ball before the fast arriving Dolby, and the sub's first touch of the ball sent it whistling inches past Delo's left post.

Six minutes from time and another substitute Connor Coyne fired a shot that Delo did well to block (after Dolby's free kick cannoned off the wall) and as the ball dropped Nwoko was denied by last ditch Folkestone defending!

In stoppage time, the home side were agonisingly close to getting the goal that their second half performance arguably deserved.

Kayembe's charging run into the box left defenders in his wake and as the ball whistled across the box, Invicta were again indebted to Gledhill who cleared the ball off the line for a second time.

At the final whistle there was a definite sense of relief from the visitors, and one of frustration from the Brickies faithful.

Sittingbourne: Adam Molloy, Curtis Winnett (Elie Kayembe 73), Ashley Ulph, Jonathan Hogg, Anthony Woodward (Nick Davis 64), Luke Girt, Tom Loynes, Nick Treadwell, Joe Nwoko, Jason Dolby, Hicham Akhazzan (Connor Coyne 64).
Subs: Tunde Aderonmu, Aaron Gough

Booked: Luke Girt 69

Folkestone Invicta: Jack Delo, Lee Gledhill, Liam Dickson, Liam Friend, Frankie Chappell, Roland Edge, Darren Smith, Darren Marsden, James Everitt, Stuart King, Josh Burchell.
Subs: Joseph Lester, Ryan Philpott, Roddie Haward

Goal: Stuart King 15

Booked: Darren Marsden 53, Josh Burchell 86

Attendance: 157
Referee: Mr Nolan Wilde (Maidstone)
Assistants: Mr Tim Burman (Stone) & Mr Karl May (Gillingham)