Folkestone Invicta looked like heading to the top of the table at East Thurrock United this evening, only for ‘The Rocks’ to score in the 88^th minute to share the points, although the majority of those within the ground wouldn’t have begrudged them doing so as both sides served up a tremendously exciting game. 

With the mist drifting in from the marshes, there was an eerie feel as the players came out for the first half. We made two changes to the starting line-up from Saturday, with Finn ‘O’Mara coming in for Josh Vincent, who hadn’t recovered from the injury he received on Saturday, although there was good news when Ronnie Dolan was named in the starting line-up having recovered from his knock, whilst in midfield, Scott Heard replaced Ian Draycott. Our opponents made three changes to the side that lost 3-2 at Worthing on Saturday, goalkeeper Chiedozie Nwosu came in for Arthur Janata, defender Ben Wyss replaced Fahad Nazor, who was on the bench, and midfielder Samuel Owusu played in place of Fahad Nazor, who was also one of the named substitutes. 

The game started at a fast pace, with both teams pushing forward, having turned his defender, Ade Yusuff saw an early cross cut out by Nwosu as David Smith waited at the back post, whilst at the other end Scott Heard cleared a throw-in for a corner, but when it came in it was eventually cleared. Invicta then had a real let off as the ball was half cleared by the defence but as it was fed back in, it reached Johnny Ashman and his shot crashed against the post and bounced out, from the rebound, we broke away, but Alfie Paxman’s cross was cleared. Yusuff was again involved as he played a good ball to Heard, but his cross was collected by Nwosu.

Ola Ogunwamide then fed the ball onto Alex Hernandez, and from his shot, Tim Roberts made an excellent point-blank save, but again it was a narrow escape for the away side. Ashman also had a half-chance, but Ryan Johnson made a covering block, and the ball was deflected for a corner which came to nothing. In what was becoming a real end-to-end game, Yusuff was fouled as he played the ball to Smith, and the Referee played a good advantage, which allowed Smith to get his shot away from the edge of the area, but it was pulled wide. Having weathered the early storm, we started making further chances of our own, Callum Davies played a speculative ball forward, from which Heard won a corner on the right-hand side, Yusuff glanced the ball on and it was cleared for another corner on the other side, this time the ball reached Jordan Wright and Wyss sliced it over his own crossbar for a third corner, but that was eventually deflected for a goal kick.

We continued to press, from a Dolan corner, Yusuff tried to get his shot away, but it struck an East Thurrock United defender amid claims of handball, but the Referee who had a good ‘non-fog’ view rightly waved the claims away. Dolan then played a good crossfield pass to Matt Newman who was allowed to travel forward, before seeing his shot deflected for another corner which then resulted in another from the other side and this time it was cleared. Yusuff was again involved as he deflected a clever header to Heard who switched the play and found Paxman who ran through but then shot wide. Smith then played the ball to Wright, who sent in a decent cross which was well collected by Nwosu in ‘The Rocks’ goal. 

All this had happened in the first twenty-five minutes and the only real surprise was that the score was still 0-0 as both sides had made and squandered a number of chances. The game continued in the same vein, with Paulius Ditkevicius seeing his shot charged down at the far post, and Roberts dealt with the corner, plucking it out the air under pressure. Our opponents then almost caused their own problems as Rimmel Daniel played a difficult back pass to Nwosu who did well to clear the ball under pressure from the onrushing Smith, whilst at the other end, Wright showed how to execute a back pass when he nodded a long ball back to Roberts. The Invicta goalkeeper then had to be alert again, as the dangerous Ogunwamide left fly from the edge of the area, but he saved diving low to his left. Daniel then received the games first booking six minutes before the break as he scythed down Heard as he broke away.

Paxman then did well to win the ball from Daniel, but his cross was cleared from a corner, from which Daniel received an injury to complete a miserable five minutes for the defender, although he was able to continue after a short bout of treatment. Whilst we were edging the game at this stage, ‘The Rocks’ were still looking dangerous and Ogunwamide sent in a good cross which Ashman headed over from around six yards and then he had a long range shot which Roberts collected. 

Just as the game unbelievably looked to be heading to the break scoreless, in stoppage time, Heard played a great ball to Paxman who took on the defender before sending in a pin-point cross and Smith was on hand to turn the ball in for his fifth League goal of the season and so joining the Division’s leading scorers. It had been a terrific first half with both sides creating several chances and it was going to be interesting to see if it would continue in the second.

Our fears were allayed as the game returned to a similar pattern, Tobi Joseph saw his shot deflected for a corner from which it was our opponent’s turn to have a penalty shout for handball, but the Referee was once again in a good position to turn their claims down, and by now any decision making was made easier as the fog had lifted. Hernandez then played a good ball to Ashman, but his cross was deflected away for a corner, which was again dealt with. O’Mara played a good ball through to Smith, but a defender got back well to concede a corner, although any danger was averted when Newman committed a foul whilst going up for a header.

Yusuff, who was again very much involved, played the ball to Paxman who in turn fed Smith, but his shot went over from twenty-five yards. Smith then had another shot moments later, but that also went wide. The game continued at an incredible pace and ‘The Rocks’ had the next chance, but Ditkevicius blasted his shot over the bar and then Roberts made an excellent save from an Hernandez free kick as he tipped the ball over the bar after the East Thurrock United had been fouled by Johnson on the edge of the area. 

Our opponents made the first substitution of the evening as in the 70^th minute, Fahad Nazor replaced Elliot Kettle. After Smith had seen his shot deflected away to safety, the Invicta defence was almost caught out by a long ball, but O’Mara did well to shield the ball back to Roberts under pressure from Ashman. Ditkevicius then made a good run and although Newman tried to stop him illegally the Referee played another good advantage as the ball reached the increasingly dangerous Hernandez, but he dragged his shot wide. 

Paxman then had a great chance to possibly wrap the game up as following a break, he found himself through on goal, but he too dragged his shot wide of the far post. With twelve minutes to go Draycott replaced Yusuff, who had again put in a good shift, but perhaps things hadn’t quite come off as he wanted on the evening. By now Invicta’s chances were sporadic, whilst the home side was upping the pressure and after a couple of anxious moments, including Wyss shooting just wide from the edge of the area, with two minutes to go Hernandez got the goal his performance deserved, as he met a low cross some ten yards out and guided the ball past the diving Roberts. Moments later, Hernandez almost claimed a second as he found himself in the clear around fifteen yards out, but Roberts made a fine save as he deflected the ball onto the bar, after it had cannoned back into play, the ball was played back across goal and somehow it was out of reach of everyone and was scrambled away. Hernandez then saw another shot deflected away as Invicta were hanging on at this stage. 

That was about it, but there was still time for Owusu to pick up a booking for a foul on Heard and O’Mara also saw yellow for pulling back Daniel. Although it was disappointing to concede that late goal and miss the chance to go top, it was a fair result against an East Thurrock United side who looked far better than their League position suggests, and in the end of season reckoning this will probably be looked on as a good point gained.                 

Talking to a breathless Neil after the game, he said: “I thought it was excellent game, and although it was disappointing to concede the late goal, you have to give them credit for the way they changed things and put us under pressure. “They started the game very strongly, but we got into it, and I thought we deserved our lead at half-time and had Alfie [Paxman] scored with that chance he had towards the end of the game, I think we would have gone on to win, but as I’ve said credit to them as they put us under a lot of pressure in the last fifteen minutes.” 

I also mentioned to him that we came out early after half time and he added: “To be honest, I thought we were playing well, and we didn’t really have much to say. I always find fifteen minutes too long anyway. “Also, some of the players stiffen up a bit and they would prefer to be back out on the pitch, so we said what we had to and let them back out.”    

Finally, many thanks to East Thurrock United for their hospitality and we wish them well for the rest of the season.  

East Thurrock United: Chiedozie Nwosu, Ben Wyss, Rimmel Daniel, Callum Robinson, Elliott Kettle (Fahad Nazor, 70 mins), Ola Ogunwamide, Samuel Owusu (Capt), Johnny Ashman (Kenny Aileru, 83 mins), Tobi Joseph, Paulius Ditkevicius & Alex Hernandez, (Unused substitutes: Harry Lodovica, Necati Gench & Arthur Janata).

Goalscorer: Alex Hernandez (88 mins).

Folkestone Invicta: Tim Roberts, Finn O’Mara, Jordan Wright, Matt Newman, Callum Davies (Capt), Ryan Johnson, Scott Heard, Ronnie Dolan, David Smith, Ade Yusuff (Ian Draycott, 78 mins) & Alfie Paxman,  (Unused substitutes: Tyler Sterling, Micheal Everitt & Connor Collins). 

Goalscorer: David Smith (45 mins).

Referee: Scott Rudd

Assistant Referees: Piotr Zachwieja & Marcin Indyk.

Attendance: 232, many thanks to all the Invicta fans who went to the game this evening to support the team, it is much appreciated. 

Next Fixture: Next Saturday (18^th September), we take a break from the League and visit Ashford Town (Middx), of the South Central Division in the Second Qualifying Round of this season’s Emirates F.A. Cup, 3:00pm. 

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