Folkestone Invicta 0, Welling Utd 0

FOLKESTONE Invicta had to settle for their first goalless draw at Cheriton Road since the visit of Corhy Town on November 20, 1999 as they played out a stalemate with Welling in a highly charged Kent derby on Easter Monday.

Welling are unbeaten at Cheriton Road for 20 years and again proved to be a resolute side who are hard to break down despite being reduced to ten men with the dismissal of Scott Lindsey after 53 minutes.

Invicta themselves have become hard to beat this season but again had to be content with a point as they have often lacked the cuffing edge to turn draws into victories.

Lindsey was dismissed for a second bookable offence for an aerial challenge on Mall Bower after he had initially been booked for a late tackle on Danny Chapman after 39 minutes.

it had been an explosive end to the first half as Bower had been targetted by Welling supporters after an off-the-ball incident left the visitors' top goalseorer Gary Abbott poleaxed on the floor with a suspected broken cheekbone right on halftime.

'This was not a game for the faint-hearted as Welling centre half Wayne Brown somehow escaped unpunished for kicking Scott Daniels in the face when the Invicta centre half lay on the ground after 45 minutes.

Invicta twice hit the woodwork during the first half, just as they had done in their fateful F. A. Cup tie against Welling back in October, and at the same end.

Leach ng goalseorer James Dryden should have scored when he headed against the post after 20 minutes from Andy Mon-is' right wing cross.

And Welling's Brown headed backwards against his own post following a long throw in from Dryden after 3 1 minutes.

Invicta had the better of the early chances as Dryden's shot was blocked as early as the first minute when James Virgo played the ball in from the left and Morris' shot flew over from 25 yards after nine minutes.

At the other end. Invicta goalkeeper Dave Wietecha came out to save from Abbott when Curtis Johnson threaded the ball through to the ace marksman after ten minutes.

The ame hotted up at the end of the first half as Mon-is limped off to be replaced by Lee McRobert, with Daniels switching to right back in a now four-man defence.

Dryden was denied by Welling goalkeeper Glen Knight when he took Martin Chandler's glorious ball in his stride after 44 minutes and Invicta had penalty appeals turned down when Nick Dent's shot struck a Welling defender.

During seven minutes of first half stoppage time, Daniels made a crucial saving goal line clearance to deny Abbott when Johnson played in a dangerous low cross from the right. Welling's Tommy Tyne was booked during the stoppage time.

Ten-men Welling looked the more likely winners during the second half, particularly after the introduction of substitute Anthony Boot for Invicta old boy Anthony Hogg after 67 minutes. Wietecha made an excellent fingertip save to deny Johnson after 67 minutes, while at the other end Knight saved from Dent aftcr 70 minutes following a McRobert balL

Tyne couldn't quite get a decisive touch when Russell Edwards met a corner after 76 minutes and centre half Edwards was himself close when he headed over an 88th minute Johnson corner. Dent might have snatched it for invicta during injury time, but Knight got a vital touch to his attempted lob from MeRobert's left wing cross.

The attendance of 504 was invicta's highest for a league fixture at Cheriton Road so far this season and second only to their FA Cup, fourth qualifying round, tie at home to WellIng.

Folkestone: Wietecha, Morris (McRobert 44 mins), Virgo, D. Larkin, Daniels, Bower, Chandler, Chapman, Dryden, Dent (S. Hogg 90 mms), Henry. Unused suh: Larkin.

Kettering 2, Folkestone Invicta 1

ON Easter Saturday Folkestone Invicta suffered the heartbreak of a last gasp defeat as they went down 2-1 away to championship chasing Kettering Town in front of a 1,394 crowd at Rockingham Road.

Centre half Chris Perkins scored Kettering's all-important winner with an unstoppable header from an Andy Turner corner just 17 seconds before the end of the 90 minutes to keep the Poppies four points behind leaders Tamworth with six to play.

Folkestone Invicta: Wietecha, Bower, Virgo, D Larkin, Daniels, McRobert, Chandler, Chapman, Drydcn, Dent (Reina 77 mins), Henry.. Unused subs; A Larkin, S. Hogg.