FOLKESTONE INVICTA 0

CAMBRIDGE CITY 3

FOLKESTONE Invicta's miserable run continued on Saturday when they went down

3-0 at home to Cambridge City in a game that was not without controversial incidents.

Invicta went into their first home match of 2003 still looking for their

first home league win of the season. And the return to Invicta colours of the

irrepressible Ricky Reina promised to produce the spark Invicta needed.

Reina's last appearance at Cheriton Road had been as a substitute in the

club's last home league win over Newport County back on March 23 and Reina

had scored the only goal of the game on his 150th appearance for the club in

last season's corresponding home fixture against Cambridge.

But the first half was to be a tale of two penalties as first Allan Tait

struck his spot kick against the post for Invicta and then Rob Nightingale

opened the scoring for Cambridge.

Invicta were awarded a penalty after just eight minutes when Che Wilson

tripped John Ayling after some typical trickery from the young striker. Tait

sent goalkeeper Martin Davies the wrong way, but his low penalty to the left

came back off the post.

The Invicta striker hit the rebound into the net but it was rightly

disallowed as no other player had touched the ball.

The home side made the early running and Tait took the ball down the left

hand channel after 13 minutes, only for Davies to palm the ball away for a

corner.

Nightingale shot wide for Cambridge after 22 minutes when Robin Sturgess'

ball in from the left fell to him, while left back Shane Wardley blocked Mike

Azzopardi's shot at the other end after 26 minutes when Ayling played the

ball to him on the right.

But Cambridge opened the scoring after a bewildering decision by the referee when Invicta centre half John Guest conceded a free

kick when he himself had appeared to take a blow in the face.

When the subsequent free kick was played back in, striker Danny Bloomfield

went down under challenge from Scott Daniels and Cambridge were themselves

awarded a penalty. Nightingale stepped up to open the scoring after 34

minutes.

Captain Anthony Henry led the Invicta protests, but unfortunately the writing

was on the wall again for the home side. Azzopardi's shot flew wide from all of 35 yards after 43 minutes, but the

home side were to go in trailing at half time.

James Dryden started the game in midfield to accommodate Reina, but got

forward in the 47th minute when Davies turned his shot over for a corner.

Tait shot at Davies when he was forced wide after 48 minutes after Reina had

dummied an Ayling ball.

But Cambridge went 2-0 up after 51 minutes when Colin Vowden headed in a free

kick from the left.

There was controversy after 62 minutes when Vowden escaped with

just a yellow card when he pulled Ayling back as the striker broke through the

middle.

The home side's sense of injustice grew two minutes later when Everitt

received a straight red card for a reckless foul on Tim Wooding that the

referee classed as violent conduct.

There was no way back for Invicta and goalkeeper Maurice Munden saved

Bloomfield's low shot when the striker got in behind Henry after 84 minutes.

It was 3-0 in the 85th minute when Cambridge broke down the left and

substitute Kevin Wilkin pulled the ball back for Nightingale to score his

second goal of the game.

That was the cue for hordes of home supporters to make their way towards the

exits from the Cheriton End.

The home side were denied even a consolation goal when Dryden's shot came

back off the inside of the post after 89 minutes.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Munden, Everitt, Towse, Daniels, Henry, Guest, Azzopardi,

Reina (Chambers 85 mins), Dryden, Tait, Ayling. Unused subs: Blackman,

Morris, Haden, Egan.