Cray Wanderers’ second derby game of the week ended in defeat as Folkestone Invicta edged a hard-fought encounter at Cheriton Road courtesy of a first half goal from Dan Smith.

After a difficult opening half where Shaun Rowley had to make three fine saves to keep Cray in the game at the break, the Wands were much improved in the second half and came close to levelling when Anthony Cook’s 57th minute penalty was well saved by Jonny Henly.  From here Cray poured forward in a bid to gain a point but couldn’t find a goal. The second half display deserved and remained in the bottom four in 20th place in the Isthmian Premier League table.

On a grizzly wet afternoon, Cray in 19th place were looking to bounce back from a close loss at Cray Valley on Tuesday night and there were two changes to the starting lineup with Josh Williams and new signing, defender Remi Sutton signed from Cheshunt who won the FA Trophy with Hornchurch and the FA Vase with Romford coming in for Charlie Edwards and Toby King.

Folkestone in 13th place had lost their last two league games including a 0-1 defeat to Dover on Tuesday and there were two changes with Joel Odeniran and Joe Turner coming in for Ian Gayle and Khale Da Costa.

Invicta began the game on the front foot and had the first opportunity of the game in the 4th minute when down the left Joe Turner’s cross was met by the head of Odeniran from close range and was pushed over superbly one handed by Shaun Rowley.

Folkestone continued to look threatening with crosses into the box, but Cray were slowly beginning to impose their game and Ike Orji down the right put over a cross into the box which Marvel Ekpiteta put behind for a corner.  Then David Ijaha won a corner and from this the ball came to Nyren Clunis whose shot was blocked.

Cray’s best chance in the first half came in the 19th minute when from a corner down the left from Frankie Raymond played into the area the ball came to Remi Sutton whose header was blocked but following up drove a shot wide of the left post.

After a lull in the game, Folkestone took the lead in the 28th minute when down the right, Smith who was sent off in the game against Dover in midweek shaped to shoot but found Turner down the left of the area who squared the ball back to Smith to fire into the net.

From here Invicta dominated and Cray couldn’t get a foothold in the game and in the 35th minute almost went two nil down when Amadou Kassarate down the right of the area saw his curling shot turned round the left post by Rowley for another very good save.

Then a ball in from midfield was flicked on by ex-Wand Tom Derry for Kassarate who shot over the top.

Just on half time, Rowley made his third key stop of the half when Dean Rance and Smith combined to find Kassarate who set up Smith for a near post shot parried by Rowley with the last kick of the half.

HT: 1-0

There was a change at half time for Cray with Nathan Jeche coming on for Kenny Coker in a bid to change the tide and the Wands played well in the second half without quite being able to make their possession count.

The half would be a scrappy one as Folkestone lost a bit of the zip they had in the first half and after Charlie Edwards and Anthony Cook were brought on Cray began to impose themselves on the game.

Cray were awarded a penalty when Williams down the right of the area was brought down by Odeniran and after a delay in taking the kick, Cook’s spot kick was well saved by Jonny Henly and turned round the left post.

Folkestone had one or two sortees going forward with crosses into the box claimed by Rowley but Cray were looking comfortable at the back.

Going forward, Clunis saw an effort blocked from the edge of the area and then Edwards and Clunis combined to find Williams whose effort was blocked.

The Wands did threaten with a couple of chances as a ball into the area came to Quade Taylor and his cross into the area was headed out to Cook who saw his shot deflected past the left post for a corner.   Then from the corner, the ball eventually came to Clunis who fired a shot wide.

Cray continued to press forward in the last twenty minutes but couldn’t quite create that big chance to test Henly but certainly gave it their all but Folkestone were able to soak up the pressure and had a couple of opportunities on the break to add a second but for some good Wands defending.

In the end Folkestone ran out winners and moved on to 18 points while Cray drop one place to 20th and after two close defeats on the road next week head to Kings Langley to face Potters Bar Town and will hope to just find that cutting edge as certainly the Wands deserve to have more points than they have at this time and move up the table.

Folkestone Invicta:      Jonny Henly, Gavin Hoyte, Frankie Morgan, Joel Odeniran, Marvel Ekpiteta, Amadou Kassarate (Sam Blackman, 83), Dean Rance, Jack Jebb (Eze Ebuzoeme, 90+5), Tom Derry, Dan Smith (Jamie Mascoll, 88), Joe Turner (Matty Fanimo, 74): Sub: Dan Kennedy

Scorer: Smith 28

Booked:           Kassarate 65, Derry 90+2, Ebuzoeme 90+7

Cray Wanderers:         Shaun Rowley, Darion Dowrich, Remi Sutton, Quade Taylor, Ike Orji, David Ijaha (Charlie Edwards, 48), Frankie Raymond (Toby King, 72), Josh Williams, Lateef Adaja (Anthony Cook, 53), Nyren Clunis (Stefan Ilic, 79), Kenny Coker (Nathan Jeche, H/T)

Booked:           Edwards 52, Taylor 65, Orji 90+7

Referee:          Jake Woodman

Assistants:       Matthew Pollington, Stephen Ryan

Att:       966