Folkestone Invicta 1 - 1 Chelmsford City

AN EQUALISER 13 minutes from time by striker Paul Jones rescued a point for Folkestone Invicta on a cold night at the Buzzlines Stadium after Chelmsford had taken the lead thanks to a speculative early strike from Peter Smith.

Jones planted a low shot into the net to salvage a point for the home side after playing a quality one-two with Stuart Myall.

Chelmsford had been the better side during the first half and opened the scoring when former Alma Swanley and Brighton player Smith collected the ball and chipped the ball over goalkeeper Tony Kessell from 30 yards.

Moments earlier Craig Edwards had run through the middle and shot at Kessell as the visitors made a purposeful start.

Invicta responded to Chelmsford’s goal as a Myall shot flew over the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area after 15 minutes.

Kessell was called into action again after 25 minutes when he came out to block a close range effort from Adrian Allen after he had been played in by Greg Lincoln.

Lincoln himself then had a half chance when Kessell pushed a cross from the left hand side back out.

Edwards shot at Kessell after 28 minutes and the same player then volleyed over from close range on 40 minutes.

Invicta came back into things during a second half which began with an icy wind and fog descending.

Kessell made a crucial save after 68 minutes to deny Richard Halle, but Invicta began to create chances of their own and a James Dryden shot was well saved by goalkeeper Gavin King after 74 minutes.

Jones’ equaliser followed and the striker then turned provider when he threaded the ball through to substitute Joe Neilson but King rushed out to contest the ball with the teenager and was relieved to see the ball go out for a goal-kick.

The ball then just eluded Dryden on the right hand side of the box a minute later as Invicta chased a winner.

Folkestone: Kessell, J. Everitt (Neilson 60), Lamb, Flanagan, Guest, Lindsey (Chandler 67), M. Everitt, Myall, Dryden, Jones, Norman.
Subs Not Used: Watson, Sly, Mann.
Attendance: 304.