Staines Town 0 Folkestone Invicta 0

FOLKESTONE INVICTA recorded a goalless away draw for the second successive Saturday in the Ryman Premier League as they stretched their unbeaten run to five matches in all competitions.

Neil Cugley's side made it three consecutive clean sheets and have still not conceded a goal since signing former Dover Athletic defender Steve Norman from Chelmsford City.

And if either side looked like snatching all three points from Saturday's encounter at Wheatsheaf Park then it was the visitors.

There were pre-match problems for Invicta as striker Simon Glover missed out with a foot injury, but in-form centre half John Guest played through the pain barrier with a chest injury.

Staines started the day in fifth place and threatened early on when Mark Jones fed Gavin Tomlin, but both Invicta centre halves Adam Flanagan and Guest blocked shots and a third shot flew over the crossbar from the edge of the box.

At the other end, a stretching James Dryden couldn't quite force the ball in after 16 minutes when Flanagan got a touch after a back header from a Staines defender sent the ball heading towards the home goal.

The closest to a goal in the first half came after 31 minutes when Mark Munday narrowly failed to make headed contact at the far post when Paul Sykes flicked on Burke's corner.

Sykes then ran on and hit a low shot at goalkeeper Matt Lovett when Burke played him through after 34 minutes.

The best save of the game came after 57 minutes when Lovett did well to touch Flanagan's header over the crossbar when Norman played the ball in from the left.

Invicta had another chance two minutes later when Sykes failed to connect properly with a header when Burke put in a great cross from the left.

For Staines, Elliot Onochie's shot also lacked sufficient power after 62 minutes when the striker threatened to lob goalkeeper Tony Kessell.

Invicta brought on teenager Joe Neilson for Sykes after 82 minutes and the substitute made an immediate impact as he shrugged off his marker, exchanged passes with his striking partner Dryden, before the latter set up right back Watson who hit a low shot just past the far post.

Fokestone Invicta: Kessell, Watson, Norman, Flanagan, Guest, Lindsey, M. Everitt, Munday, Dryden, Sykes (Neilson 82), Burke. Subs Not Used: Coleman, J. Everitt, Dyson, Morrin.