Invicta bounced back from Monday’s disappointing 5-1 defeat against Maidstone United to produce an encouraging performance in a fully deserved 1-1 draw against another National League side, old rivals Dover Athletic on a warm afternoon at the Fullicks Stadium on Saturday.
Manager Neil Cugley readily admitted that his side had looked tired in the Stones game, which came just two days after a hard-fought draw with League Division One Gillingham.
Chris Kinnear’s Dover side, who had won their opening two friendlies at Deal Town (5-1) and Hythe Town (1-0) included a host of trialists – part of the reason for playing this kind of game of course, though there were enough first team squad men on show to make this a more than worthwhile exercise for both sides.
Having missed a couple of training sessions through a knee problem, and awaiting the results of a scan, Johan Ter Horst looked typically sharp and might have scored inside the first few minutes when his close-range effort was saved by Whites first choice keeper Mitch Walker.
But the former Hull City striker was not long denied and when the again lively Kieron McCann eluded an attempted challenge from Ejiro Okosieme on the left before squaring the ball into the centre where his cross was tucked into the net by the jubilant Ter Horst midway through the first period.
Big ex- Woking and Ross County forward Inih Effiong’s claims for a penalty towards the end of the first period by referee Lee Dyson and Invicta went in at break well worth their one goal lead.
Both sides were making changes – Kinnear with no fewer than six of them in the second period while standby keeper Nick Shaw and youth team players Ethan Madden and Tom Walmsley all had their first football of the season for Folkestone.
Ian Draycott wasted a great chance to double the home side’s lead when he fired over the bar within a few minutes of the restart.
Dover tried to up the tempo, but Invicta defended well and when Whites got through they found keeper Tim Roberts more than up to the challenge.
One of Whites’ un-named trialists eventually tucked home the equaliser and both sides can be reasonably happy with the outcome – Dover perhaps a little happier than their hosts who are beginning to gel quite nicely.
In a good all-round performance, Ade Yusuff was named man of the match by sponsors Dominic Castle and friends.
Folkestone’s next game is away to Cray Valley on Tuesday (ko 7.45pm).
Invicta: Roberts, Aboagye, Blanks, Vincent, Davies, Evans, Ter Horst, Dolan, Draycott, Yusuff, McCann
Subs: Shaw, Paxman, Newman, Everitt, Walmsley, Madden
Not used: Everitt, Starkey
Dover Athletic; Walker (Lewington 45), Triallist, Passley (Fazakerley 45), Essam (Adebowale 45), Lokko (Diarra 45), Okosieme (Triallist 45), Gomis (Triallist 45), Brundle (Triallist 45), Jeffrey (Triallist 45), Effiong (Triallist 45), Daniel (Triallist 45)