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Folkestone Invicta 1-0 Chelmsford City, Saturday 17th March 2007, The Buzzlines Stadium, Kick-Off 3:00pm, Ryman League Premier Division.
James Everitt's 49th-minute tap-in consigned Jeff King's Clarets to their eighth away League defeat of the season but it wasn't enough to topple them from the summit of the Premier Division. The Invicta marksman netted the only goal of the game early in the second half at the Buzzlines Stadium and moved his side further away from the threat of relegation though for City more points were dropped in their hunt for a place in the Nationwide Conference South. Fortunately, on the day, Chelmsford's rivals mostly picked-up disappointing results of their own elsewhere to allow City a stay of execution as league leaders. Folkestone has proved a notoriously difficult place for the Clarets to pick-up positive results from in the past and former City player Kevin Watson was amongst those at Cheriton Road who were intent on ensuring this was to also be another unwelcoming visit. The visitors made two changes to the team which drew at East Thurrock United in midweek, preferring Kezie Ibe to Jason Hallett up-front while Chris Duffy replaced Spencer Knight at left-back. In the 11th minute Chelmsford went close as Ricky Holmes turned inside a defender and rammed his strike off the palms of Invicta's on-loan goalkeeper Richard Martin. The next opportunities didn't arrive until 25 minutes had gone, with an opportunity missed at each end. Firstly, Liam Friend managed to work his way through on goal for the home side though he was prevented from getting a dangerous shot in by Jay Conroy's saving tackle. At the other end seconds later, Duffy's driven cross found Lee Boylan though his finish whistled narrowly past the angle of crossbar and post. With seven minutes of the half remaining Stuart Ainsley floated a free-kick inches wide for the Clarets though they came nearest to a goal within a minute. Boylan and Martin challenged for a 50-50 ball in the Folkestone 18-yard box and the custodian's punch missed its target, instead smashing the Clarets' front-man firmly in the head. However, Referee Mick McCoy adjudged this to be a foul against Boylan and instead of a penalty a free-kick was awarded. After the interval Chelmsford's frustrations grew still further with the breaking of the deadlock in favour of Invicta. City failed to deal with a left-wing centre, allowing the handily-placed James Everitt to tuck home low from a few yards into the bottom corner despite a despairing Harrison hand making contact on the line. Matters could have been made far worse for King's men on 55 minutes as James Corbett caught Harrison rushing from his line but the former Southend United striker's lob was wayward and dropped behind the goal to the relief of the travelling contingent. Ellis Remy also got a sight of goal a few minutes later though his effort was also off-target. Upon the 69th minute Hallett was sent from the bench to form a three-pronged attack with Ibe and Boylan and after Holmes' brilliant turn and volley was saved he forced one of the saves of the season out of Martin, hammering goalwards at full pelt only to see the Folkestone stopper react quickly and push the ball away. A minute later Martin was at it again, this time showing his prowess on the floor to thwart Ibe with a block. With ten minutes left Hallett again managed to raise the tempo as he received a deep Steve Ward ball to the far post then smashed first-time across the face of goal and agonisingly out of the reach of Jeff Minton's out-stretched toe as he stared at an open goal. This was to be followed by a goal-mouth scramble in the final seconds in which City couldn't force the ball home and in the end they were forced to accept second best on the Kent coastline. City: 1 Ashley Harrison Folkestone Invicta: Richard Martin, Kevin Watson, Ben Sly, Adam Flanagan, Liam Friend, James Everitt, Michael Everitt, Damian Abel, Ellis Remy, James Corbett, Samuel Kola Okikiolu. Subs: Paul Jones, Roy Guiver, Paul Lamb, Josh Burchell, Luke Stonebridge (GK). Bookings: None. Referee: Mick McCoy. Assistant Referees: Graeme Ions and Nolan Wilde. Attendance: 524. City Man of the Match: Fiston Manuella. |
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By
Chris Evans
(Picture by Matt Bradshaw)
