Folkestone Invicta 1 - 0 East Thurrock Utd

RECORD goalscorer James Dryden achieved another personal milestone when his 100th goal for the club was enough to give Folkestone Invicta a much-needed win over East Thurrock United at the Buzzlines Stadium on Monday night.

Dryden reached his century to break the deadlock just 37 seconds after half time when he fired home after the ball had broken loose on the edge of the penalty area as supporters were still making their way back to the terraces.

The 25-year-old striker’s goal was enough to give Invicta their fourth 1-0 win in five matches and put the club back on track after Saturday’s 5-0 drubbing at Harrow.

Dryden had been an injury doubt before the game and passed a late fitness test on his back before going on to end a run of five matches without a goal after being like a cricketer stuck on 99 runs.

This was a typically hard fought Ryman Premier League encounter in which clear cut chances were few and far between as Invicta returned to their defensive best after leaking goals at Harrow.

John Guest returned from suspension and Steve Norman also passed a late fitness test after going off injured at Harrow to form a three-man central defensive partnership with Adam Flanagan.

And the home side also had goalkeeper Tony Kessell to save for a miraculous 60th minute save to deny Danny Harris from close range when Lee Burns played the ball in from the right.

Invicta started strongly as Dryden shot wide in the third minute and a Paul Lamb free kick from the right ricocheted back into hands of big goalkeeper Mark Hardingham after eight minutes.

At the other end, big striker Harris shot wide from the edge of the penalty area after 12 minutes.

With half time approaching, the ball ran away from Harris when Stuart Williams played him through after 39 minutes and a fierce shot from Jon Turnball was charged down by Invicta defender Guest after 42 minutes.

As with Invicta’s previous home game against Billericay one goal always looked like being decisive and again it was to be the Folkestone side who were to score it after the interval at the cricket end.

The visitors responded to Dryden’s goal and put Invicta under pressure as Kessell made his wonder save and Harris then appealed in vain for handball when his shot hit a defender and went out for a corner when Burns pulled the ball back after 65 minutes.

A Dean Palmer shot deflected for a corner from the edge of the area after 81 minutes, whilst at the other end Dryden curled a shot at Hardingham after 87 minutes following a Stuart Myall throw from the right.

As the game went into stoppage time, Invicta’s James Everitt was booked for a foul in a central position and Turnball poked his shot wide when Palmer’s initial free kick was charged down.

Guest had earlier been booked for a fourth minute foul.

Folkestone: Kessell, J. Everitt, Lamb, Flanagan, Guest, Lindsey, M. Everitt, Myall, Dryden, Jones, Norman.
Subs Not Used: Glover, Dunlop, Neilson, Chandler, Mann.