Folkestone Invicta booked their place in the Kent Reliance Senior Cup semi-finals with a big win at Dover Athletic.

Fair play, White’ fans will say that their side was made up of academy lads, and Dover did have only one player – pint-sized defender Loui Fazackerley – in Monday’s starting line-up in from that which began their game against Bromley on Saturday plus Kane Richards who scored their late point-saver in the eventual 2-2 draw at Hayes Lane.

But there were a handful of others with first team experience, and Neil Cugley’s Folkestone could only beat what was put out against them.

That said, the style with which they hammered the Kent Reliance Senior Cup holders must have surprised even their most ardent fans in a fairly small crowd at Crabble.

The Invicta boss himself made no fewer than six changes from the 11 that started at Wingate & Finchley and watched side ram home four goals in the opening half and two more after the interval while standby keeper Nick Shaw kept his second clean sheet in two starts for Folkestone with a minimum of fuss.

Man of the match Scott Heard tested keeper Chris Lewington inside the opening seconds and laid on a chance for Joe Taylor to force the ball over the line moments later with referee Ollie Butcher upholding a debateable offside decision.

But Folkestone were not long denied and the bang-in-form Heard crossed for Johan Ter Horst to nod in the opener on six minutes.

The visitors dominated early possession and it was no real surprise when defender Josh Vincent powerfully headed home Heard’s corner from the left to double the lead with 20 minutes on the clock.

Whites rallied a little but two goals in the final four minutes of the first period put the result beyond doubt by half-time.

Kieron McCann was denied by a decent save from Lewington, but only seconds later fullback Ryan Cooper squared the ball along the goal-line for lively midfielder McCann to tap in Folkestone’s third and Taylor deservedly made it four on the stroke of half-time.

On loan Maidstone forward Ter Horst was chopped down in the box and Taylor slammed home the penalty before Ter Horst completed the scoring on 65 minutes.

A nasty foul on teenage substitute Euan Sahadow took a little of the gloss off the night but with Folkestone having already made a night unprecedented triple substitution, the 17-year-old soldiered onto the end.

Heard, who this time last year had moved from Folkestone to Dagenham & Redbridge has arguably been Folkestone’s man of the match in their last three games, though others have taken the glory while 16-year-old Ethan Madden made an impressive full debut at left back.

Dover had beaten Folkestone 3-0 in last season’s semi-final of the Kent Cup at Crabble to reach the final where they beat Welling last season but it is Invicta who now go into the last four once again when a home semi-final would be nice for a change!!

Dover Athletic line up: Lewington, Passley (Smith 46), Bond (Spencer 46), Connelly, Adebowale, Fazakerley (c), Richards, Tiemoko, Alabi, Robinson (Cussen 76), Wratten.

Subs not used: Okosieme, Hook.

Folkestone Invicta line up: Shaw; Cooper, Vincent, O’Mara, Madden; Wright, Dolan, Heard (Sahadow 67), McCann; Ter Horst (Hasler 67), Taylor (Yusuff 67).

Subs not used: Newman, Roberts.

 

Other Kent Senior Cup tie dates are –

Tuesday, December 5: Bromley v Margate

Wednesday, December 6: Cray Wanderers v Charlton Athletic

TBC: Maidstone United v Gillingham