Tiverton Town 4, Folkestone Invicta 0

FOLKESTONE Invicta were on the receiving end of another drubbing as they went down 4-0 away to Tiverton Town at Ladysmead in deepest Devon on Saturday afternoon.

Invicta's sixth successive Premier Division defeat keeps them bottom of the table and means that they have now completed five calendar months without a league win.

This was another makeshift Invicta side, as the visitors were forced to include the injured Scott Lindsey, Allan Tait and Mike Azzopardi on the substitutes' bench.

Right-back Andy Morris came in for his first start of the season as he continues his comeback from a pre-season knee injury, and Dan Larkin returned after nearly three months on loan at Chatham Town to play at left-back.

With James Millar (injured) and Michael Everitt (suspended) also missing, 20-year-old Martin Chandler was left as the elder statesman in a new-look midfield alongside Mark Towse and Ryan Peters, a youngster from Gillingham making his debut.

Once again you could not fault Invicta's effort and commitment, but they just don't have the strength in depth to compete at this level at the present time.

Invicta held their own during the first half, but went in 1-0 down at half time. And two early second half goals put the game beyond their reach.

And it was again a case of just how many they would concede, 17 goals let in during four matches in 2003 tells its own sorry story.

Tiverton had the game's first real chance when highly-rated striker Richard Pears shot against the crossbar, when Steve Ovens played the ball in from the right after 10 minutes. And Morris somehow cleared off the line to keep out Scott Rogers' rebound.

But the home side opened the scoring after 14 minutes, when Paul Chenoweth's corner from the right was allowed to reach centre half Chris Curran, who found the net.

Invicta had their moments as Chenoweth made a vital interception after 26 minutes when Chandler's free kick looked set to put Morris clear in the box down the right. And James Dryden missed a great chance to equalise after 28 minutes, as a stray back-pass from goalkeeper Curran put him clean through, only for the striker to shoot disappointingly wide of the target.

Curran was then booked on the half hour mark for clattering into Chandler.

Invicta goalkeeper Maurice Munden saved Ovens' low shot after 38 minutes as the visitors remained still in the game.

But Tiverton brought on wing back Danny Haines at half time, and the substitute was to go on and pick up the man of the match award for his 45-minute contribution.

It was Haines who produced the left-wing cross for defender Nathan Rudge to head the home side 2-0 ahead after 48 minutes.

There was to be no way back for Invicta as Pears shot wide with a good chance to increase the lead after 50 minutes.

And it was 3-0 after 53 minutes, when Haines put Pears through again and this time the striker made no mistake.

At the other end, Dryden played a dangerous low ball across the Tiverton goal after 58 minutes, and was then denied by Curran's tackle a minute later when the Invicta striker ran through the middle of the home defence.

Phil Everett shot high and wide for Tiverton on the hour after a move involving Haines, Chris Holloway and Ovens.

And Ovens then missed in similar circumstances a minute later, when Jason Rees put him through.

A flare-up between Tiverton's Holloway and Invicta's Chandler led to a yellow card for both players after 64 minutes.

Substitute David Steele completed the scoring with the goal of the game after 75 minutes, when he took the ball on from Holloway, and hit a sweet strike into the roof of the net. Pears headed wide a cross from the right after 81 minutes as Tiverton threatened again.

Invicta were denied a consolation goal when Tivvy goalkeeper Ben Foster saved from John Ayling after 88 minutes, following a good ball from substitute Lee Blackman.

There was still time for Dryden to become the game's fourth booking after 89 minutes.

Folkestone Invicta: Munden, Moris (Blackman 82 mins), Larkin, Daniels, Henry, Guest, Chandler, Towse, Dryden, Peters, Ayling. Unused subs: Lindsey, Azzopardi, Tait.