Home fans were left asking just how good is this Folkestone side, but we are not the sort of club to get carried away with that sort of thing.
Glenn Tamplin’s Billericay have been the bookies’ favourites for the Bostik Premier Division title since their multi-millionaire owner Glenn Tamplin took the club over midway through the last football season, but two successive defeat in as many league games might see to odds lengthening quite considerably, but why should we Folkestone fans care a fig about that!
Buoyed by last weekend’s convincing and crucial win over fellow play-off hopefuls Wingate & Finchley, Neil Cugley’s side took the game to their visitors from the start with Ade Yusuff going close inside the first few minutes.
And they took the lead on 14 minutes when the ball found Johan Ter Horst on the left hand side and the former Maidstone striker took his time before pulling it back for midfielder Kieron McCann to blast home a truly wonderful strike from – at the very least – 20 yards.
The visitors huffed and puffed but – as Wingate had found a few days earlier – Invicta’s backline weren’t about to be bullied into submission and the only surprise was that it took Folkestone until the last minute of normal time in the opening half to go further ahead.
That mattered not when Ter Horst tucked away his fifth goal in three games since rejoining his ‘home town side’ in the closing seconds of the first half to double Invicta’s lead.
Centre backs Dean Inman and Rob Swaine had both been fortunate to escape more than the first half yellow cards they received from referee Paul Johnson, but let’s not go into all that.
Surely Mr Tamplin’s side would hit back with a vengeance after the break.
But keeper Tim Roberts, who had done well with what was thrown at him in the first 45 minutes did everything that was needed for the most of the time.
And then, in an incredible escape, defender Josh Vincent twice cleared off his own goal line in the space of very few seconds
To preserve Folkestone’s two goal lead.
If we are honest, that was about as close as it got and Billericay’s late penalty strike from substitute Billy Bricknell was hardly worth mentioning.
For the moment, at least, it meant that Invicta had, let’s just say not yet, gone level or past with the Essex side as top scorers in this division!
But, as if they needed any slight consolation for that, these three points took them back to fourth place in the table and in contention for the end of season play-offs.
Such fun we rarely do see!!
As a final word, we’d like, on behalf of Folkestone Invicta Football Club, to thank all those who came out of curiosity or for whatever reason, to watch this game.
Judging by the comments we heard, majority of those folk certainly enjoyed what they saw, so please ladies and ladies, do consider coming again!!
We’ve eight more league games left and plenty to play for – as well as a Kent Cup Semi-Final with the next of those at home to Lowestoft a week from now on Tuesday, February 27th.
Invicta: Roberts; Vincent, Blanks, Dolan, Davies, Newman, Ter Horst, Aboagye, Draycott, Yusuff, McCann.
Subs not used: Taylor, Madden, Wright, Walmsley, Shaw
Referee: Paul Johnson
Attendance: 728