In a hard-fought game at Hartley Wintney, Invicta reached the 3rd Round Proper of the Buildbase F.A. Trophy following a 2-0 win over our Pitching In Southern League Premier Division South opponents.
This game wasn’t for the purists however, as both teams had another opponent in ‘Storm Arwen’ which swept across the country bringing with it a gusty wind, although both teams deserve credit for serving up an entertaining game, nevertheless. To give you an idea of the wind strength, a marquee which had been used the previous evening was blown up onto the dressing room roof before the game!
Invicta made one change to the line-up that started at Cray Wanderers, with Ade Yusuff replacing Jordan Wright having recovered from illness, whilst Hartley Wintney made four changes to the team that played in their previous game against Yate Town on Tuesday, due to additional suspensions and the fact that one of the clubs that had loaned them a player wouldn’t let him play, so he wasn’t cup-tied when he returned to them.
Our opponents kicked-off, playing down the slight slope, but with the wind at their backs, although it was Invicta who threatened first as Yusuff fed Kieron McCann, but his cross from the left went harmlessly across goal. As expected, both sides took time to get used to the conditions but ‘The Row’ were next to threaten as they won a corner on the right, which, although over-hit, was sent back in by Kofi Halliday from the opposite side and their skipper Jordan Edwards shot over. Scott Heard then almost used the wind to his advantage as he played a speculative ball through the centre but as David Smith closed in their goalkeeper, Luke Williams, was swiftly off his line to avert the danger.
Edwards then had another chance as following a good overlapping run from left back Ryan Case, he failed to make the best of the cross when well-placed. Smith had a similar chance at the opposite end, Ryan Johnson intercepted a pass in midfield and played it to Josh Vincent, who’s cross from the right found Smith unmarked at the far post, but he headed the ball tamely into Williams’ arms. Case then threatened again as having pushed forward he let fly from around twenty-five yards which Tim Roberts collected, despite it taking a nasty bounce in front of him.
Edwards turned Callum Davies, but as he ran through on goal, the Invicta skipper chased back and made an excellent sliding tackle as he shaped to shoot in an incident that epitomised the work ethic and determination put in by the team.
In the thirty-sixth minute, Yusuff put Invicta ahead, Heard won the ball in midfield and played it to Johnson, who in turn found the striker, who still had plenty to do, but he cut inside the defender and sent in a vicious shot which dipped under the cross bar giving Williams, in the Hartley Wintney goal, no chance. Our opponents came back looking for the equaliser and Halliday sent in a good cross which was met by Case, but he couldn’t quite connect with his header some eight yards out, and then moments later he had another long-range shot, but this time it went high and wide, before Reece Robins also had a speculative shot from distance which Roberts saved diving to his right.
That was it for the first half action, as expected it had been one of real attrition, but Invicta would have been delighted to have gone into the break with a 1-0 advantage having played against the wind. In general, our opponents were kept at a distance assisted by Hartley Wintney’s tendency to be caught offside by our well-drilled defence.
Invicta kicked off in the second half and almost carved out an early chance as McCann set-up Alfie Paxman, but his cross was cut out by Williams as Smith closed in. As with the first half, ‘The Row’ won the first corner of the second and it was cleared to Reece Wylie on the edge of the area, but he shot wide. Yusuff then fouled Case as he went on another overlapping run, but the danger was averted as the initial free kick from Edwards was blocked by the Invicta defensive wall, before Yuseff himself was fouled tracking back. Yusuff was then fouled at the other end of the pitch as he collected a through ball from Matt Newman, the free kick was taken by Paxman, and wind assisted, it almost caught out Williams, but it curled just wide of the far post.
Just before the hour, our opponents made their first substitution when Case was replaced by James Beauchamp which, unless he was injured, was a bit of a surprise as although playing at left back, he had been their most threatening player, making the most of the space he was creating down the flank.
Invicta then had a flurry of corners which caused some anxious moments for the Hartley Wintney defence, although eventually they managed to clear the ball. However, in the sixty-fourth minute we doubled our advantage, Paxman intercepted a pass in midfield and played an excellently weighted through-ball and Heard ran through and shot early past the advancing Williams, who didn’t have time to ready himself for the shot.
A long ball was then played through to Halliday and as he chased back, Newman seemed to pull up and had to go off, although our opponents made the next substitution when Toby Raggett replaced Harrison Bayley after seventy-four minutes. Whilst Micheal Everitt was getting ready to replace Newman, we had a let off as Paxman cleared a cross from under the bar as Edwards closed in. Everitt then came on which caused a reorganisation as the excellent Johnson replaced Newman at the back and the substitute slotted into midfield.
Both sides made a further substitution in the seventy-ninth minute as Ollie Freeman came on for McCann, whilst our opponents replaced Halliday with Shane Hollamby. Both sides then almost carved out chances. Robins was tackled as he tried to pick his way through the Invicta defence, before Yusuff was unlucky to slip over as he turned his defender on the edge of the area, whilst at the other end, Beauchamp sent in a cross which Hollamby tried to turn in from close range, but the ball reached Jacques Kpohomouh and he blasted wide from the edge of the area.
Paxman then looked as if he had broken through in a similar fashion to Heard, but the slight delay on the ball forward saw him just stray offside which was spotted by the eagle-eyed Assistant Referee. Kpohomouh was then foiled by Roberts who made a superb save diving low to his right as the full back met a cross from Robins, and from the rebound, our opponents had a half-hearted appeal for a penalty as Robins claimed he was fouled, but the Referee wasn’t interested and that was it.
So, Invicta are in the bag for the Third Round Proper draw, which will be available from around 1:00pm on Monday. With the tie scheduled for Saturday 18th December, it means our long-awaited game at Worthing will be postponed until the New Year.
I spoke to Neil after the game: “The players were excellent today, we came up against difficult opponents on a sticky pitch in a gale-force wind, but everyone stuck to their task and worked so hard, and I’m really pleased for them. “ We’ve spent the last month travelling to all parts of the South East which has taken it out of them a bit, but today, we not only defended well, but we scored two really good goals, and I think a couple of seasons ago this may have been the sort of game we would have lost.”
Looking ahead to the draw he added: “As mentioned, with all the travelling we’ve done recently, I’d be delighted if we got a home draw, but that is of course in the lap of the Gods! It would give us the chance to have a bumper crowd just before Christmas which would be more much needed income for the club and who knows perhaps more prize money.”
He then finished by looking back on the season: “We’ve done really well so far, I don’t think there would be many people that would have thought we would go into December having lost just two League games and it is a testament not only to the players but the work put in by Edgy [Roland Edge] and Mev [Micheal Everitt] in setting us up for the games. “Having said that, I would still like to add to the squad and I’m still on the lookout, but they have to be the right player at the right price.”
Finally, many thanks to Hartley Wintney for their hospitality and we wish them well for the rest of the season.
Hartley Wintney: Luke Williams, Jacques Kpohomouh, Ryan Case (James Beauchamp, 59 mins), Matt Drage, Aaron Goode, Harrison Bayley (Toby Raggett, 72 mins), Josh Webb, Reece Wylie, Jordan Edwards (Capt), Reece Robins & Kofi Halliday (Shane Hollamby, 79 mins), (Unused substitutes: Anton Miller, Jack Gardner & Lewis Hoy).
Folkestone Invicta: Tim Roberts, Josh Vincent, Kieron McCann (Ollie Freeman, 79 mins), Matt Newman (Micheal Everitt, 74 mins), Callum Davies (Capt), Ryan Johnson, Scott Heard, Ian Draycott, David Smith, Ade Yusuff & Alfie Paxman, (Unused substitutes: Jordan Wright, Luca Borello & Connor Collins).
Goalscorers: Ade Yusuff (36 mins) & Scott Heard (64 mins).
Referee: Jack Oxenham
Assistant Referees: James Barry & Derek Pratt.
Attendance: 207, many thanks to the Invicta fans who went to the game this afternoon to support the team, it is much appreciated as it wasn’t the easiest day for travel.
Next Fixture: We’ve actually now got a week off with no midweek game before we visit the Division’s in-form team, Enfield Town, next Saturday (4th December) for a Pitching In Isthmian League Premier Division game, kick-off 3:00pm.