On a chilly afternoon, the Invicta players turned in an excellent performance to win 3-2 at 2nd placed Enfield Town and becoming the first team to win a League match at the QEII Stadium since Cray Wanderers did by the same score on Saturday 25th January 2020, and in doing so moved up to 3rd, two points behind ‘The Towners’ having played the same number of games.
Invicta made two changes to the starting line-up from the Buildbase F.A. Trophy victory at Hartley Wintney last Saturday as Micheal Everitt replaced Matt Newman, who picked up an injury last week and is probably a couple of weeks away from full fitness, which meant Ryan Johnson dropped into the centre of the defence and Everitt came into the midfield, whilst there was better news as Ronnie Dolan came back into the side having missed the last two games due to injury, which meant Ian Draycott returned to the bench. Our opponents made one change from their starting line-up from their own Buildbase F.A. Trophy win at Hanwell Town with Jonathan Muleba replacing Lee Chappell at the back.
Our opponents made the early chances as Lyle Della-Verde saw his shot charged down, with the returning cross headed clear before Tim Roberts came off his line to collect a through ball. The Invicta goalkeeper then saved well from Della-Verde as his shot from twenty-five yards bounced viciously in front of him, but he scooped it away for a corner from which Jerry Gyebi nodded wide at the far post.
Gyebi was then again the focus of attention, but this time for the wrong reason as he picked up the game’s first booking after just ten minutes when he scythed down Ade Yusuff some twelve yards out to the left of the penalty area. Dolan’s free kick was headed clear, but when it was returned, David Smith was unable to turn it in at the far post. Yusuff was giving Gyebi a torrid time and when he fouled him again in an almost identical position, Dolan sent his free kick to the back post where Smith returned it back across goal and Everitt bravely dived in amongst the flying boots to knock the ball home with his head after sixteen minutes. This was the combative midfielder’s first goal since Saturday 5th February 2019 when he scored the winner in a 2-1 victory at home against Corinthian-Casuals!
One man who Invicta didn’t want to give a chance to was Mo Faal, but within two minutes of us taking the lead, the prolific forward latched onto a through ball from Della-Verde and turned the ball past the advancing Roberts to put ‘The Towners’ back on level terms. Not to be deterred, Josh Vincent won the ball in midfield and played it to Yusuff who switched play with an excellent cross-field pass to Scott Heard who’s shot from the edge of the area was saved by the Enfield Town custodian, Nathan McDonald. There was then a curious incident as Heard had to leave the field and change his undershorts as the ones he had on didn’t match our black shorts!
Kieron McCann was then fouled on the edge of the area in the ‘D’ and when the Enfield Town wall lined up it was obvious what a big side they were as it looked akin to the New York skyline, this seemed to concern Smith as his free kick was shot weakly into the wall and cleared. Alfie Paxman then showed some good trickery to get out of a tight spot by his own corner flag, before playing the ball to Dolan, who sent Yusuff through with a defence splitting pass, McDonald made a good save having come swiftly off his line and he then he dived bravely at Yusuff’s feet to collect the rebound as the striker closed in on the loose ball. On the half hour, Yusuff got the goal his performance had deserved, Dolan played the ball to Smith, who was fouled as he controlled the bouncing ball, but the Referee played an excellent advantage and Smith slipped a pass through to Yusuff and this time he slotted the ball past the advancing McDonald. We then went close to a third, but Paxman saw his speculative cross from the left just clear the bar before bouncing off the stanchion, but not before McDonald had shown concern as to where it was going to finish.
At this stage, Invicta were on top, and Vincent played another excellent cross-field ball which was hacked away from a corner, and although it was originally cleared, Heard returned the ball and Johnson headed into the side-netting at the far post. Manny Maja and Smith then got involved in an altercation which earned them both a good ticking off from the Referee. Whilst we looked the most likely scorers, just before the break, Faal sprung the offside trap and bore down on goal, but just as he shaped to shoot, Vincent slid in and made a superb, probably goal saving tackle, to ensure we went into the half time break 2-1 to the good. As the players went off the pitch at half time, there was a coming together in the tunnel as tensions rose, but thankfully everything simmered down.
The second half started in much the same vein as Smith’s shot was charged down before Heard shot the rebound wide from around the penalty spot. Our opponents then picked up their second booking of the game as Sam Youngs brought down Everitt. Faal, who as expected was a constant threat, combined well with Andre Coker and his shot was deflected and somehow cleared the cross bar which was a real let-off for the Invicta defence.
In the fifty-seventh minute, we were forced into a change as Everitt picked up a dead leg and he was replaced by Ian Draycott. Our opponents then made two substitutions of their own shortly after with experience forward Adam Cunnington replacing Muleba and Nathan Smith coming on for Andre Coker. However, it was Invicta who went further in front, when, on sixty-nine minutes, McCann, whose crosses had been a bit off target in the first half, this time sent in a perfect low ball and Smith was on hand to turn the ball into the net. This was McCann’s last contribution as five minutes later he was substituted, and Jordan Wright came on in his place. Draycott let fly from thirty yards as he returned a corner, but it bobbled along the ground and was easily collected by McDonald.
In the seventy-fourth minutes our opponents pulled a goal back, Roberts initially saved Faal’s shot but Youngs followed up and bundled the ball home despite the efforts of Callum Davies. We then suffered a further injury setback as Johnson picked up a knock and was replaced by Youth Team skipper Luca Borrello making his senior competitive appearance for the First Team, and he immediately proved he wasn’t overawed as before he had touched the ball, he picked up a yellow card for pulling back Ryan Kirwan as he attempted an overlap! A minute later, Smith then joined him in the Referee’s notebook as he had been spoken to a couple of times previously, although om this occasion it seemed a little harsh as he appeared to be the one being pulled back.
Enfield Town then made their third and final substitution with eight minutes left when Lewis Taaffe replaced the impressive Della-Verde, but if Invicta thought that was going to quell their attacking options, the last few minutes turned into a real rear-guard action as our opponents looked to save their long unbeaten home League record. Cunnington controlled a long ball out of defence before playing it to Faal, who let fly from just inside the penalty area, but Borrello bravely put his body on the line and charged it down before Faal blasted the rebound over the bar. As our opponents got increasingly frustrated, non-used substitute Scott Thomas, picked up their third booking.
Just as it looked like the threat had been averted, ‘The Towners’ had one last chance as they won a free kick wide on the left, but it was over-hit by Taaffe and the ball went out of play at the far post. So, that was it, an excellent 3-2 victory against a good side who will undoubtedly be challenging for a Play-off place between now and the end of the season.
Talking to Neil after the game, he was understandably upbeat, saying: “I thought we were very good today, and to be honest but for the injuries and having to make enforced substitutions, I thought we could have won by a greater margin as we controlled the game for large parts of it. “What we said to the players after was that we need to take this result into Tuesday and follow it up with another win. “In Faal and Cunnington, they have got two of the best forwards in the Division, but I thought our front two, Ade [Yusuff] and David [Smith] were excellent today, a constant threat and they didn’t give the Enfield defence a rest all afternoon and of course they both got a goal.”
Finally, many thanks to Enfield Town for their hospitality and we wish them well for the rest of the season.
Enfield Town: Nathan McDonald, Jonathan Muleba (Adam Cunnington, 64 mins), Ryan Kirwan, Manny Maja, Harold Joseph, Jerry Gyebi, Percy Kiangebeni (Capt), Sam Youngs, Andre Coker (Nathan Smith, 64 mins), Mo Faal & Lyle Della-Verde (Lewis Taafe, 83 mins).
(Unused substitutes: Rian Bray & Scott Thomas).
Goalscorers: Mo Faal (18 mins) & Sam Youngs (74 mins).
Folkestone Invicta: Tim Roberts, Josh Vincent, Kieron McCann (Jordan Wright, 74 mins), Micheal Everitt (Ian Draycott, 57 mins), Callum Davies (Capt), Ryan Johnson (Luca Borello, 77 mins), Scott Heard, Ronnie Dolan, David Smith, Ade Yusuff & & Alfie Paxman.
(Unused substitutes: Ollie Freeman & Connor Collins).
Goalscorers: Micheal Everitt (16 mins), Ade Yusuff (30 mins) & David Smith (69 mins).
Referee: Michael Robinson-Tant
Assistant Referees: Steven Marr & Ashley Butler.
Attendance: 501, many thanks to all the Invicta fans who went to the game this afternoon to support the team, it is much appreciated.
Next Fixture: We are at home on Tuesday (7th December), when Bishop’s Stortford visit for a Pitching In Isthmian League Premier Division fixture, kick-off 7:45pm.