YOUNG GILLS SHADE FRIENDLY WIN ON A CHILLY NIGHT AT THE FULLICKS STADIUM

FOLKESTONE INVICTA 1

GILLINGHAM 2

All three goals came in the first half as Folkestone Invicta were just shaded out by a young Gillingham side, virtually the League Division One club’s numerically strong development team, at the Fullicks Stadium on a bitterly cold February night.

Folkestone took the lead through defender Josh Vincent’s fine strike at the end of a good team move after just 13 minutes.

At the other end, this young Gills side had tested keeper Tim Roberts several times as they tried to get back on terms, but Roberts was left exposed and failed to cope with the danger as the visitors got back on terms just after the half hour.

And with the first seemingly drifting even Stevens at the break, the Medway outfit snatched a lead that was rarely threatened by the Bostik Premier Division Invicta in the second half.

The most memorable moment at that stage of the game was a penalty save from sub-goalie Nick Shaw who has never failed to impress in several first team appearances and still – unless anyone reminds us otherwise – has yet to end on the losing side for Neil Cugley’s men.

Both managers rung the changes as the game progressed but this result was a reasonably fair reflection of what seemed a sort of fact-finding of exercise between these two Kent clubs.

First team boss Steve Lovell’s squad included former Folkestone loanee Finn O’Mara, prictued in action at Hendon above rifght, whose performances over a three month period helped Invicta maintain their place towards the top of their division.

Inicta starting eleven: Roberts, Vincent, Madden, Blanks, Davies, Newman, Aboagye, Dolan, Draycott,Hasler, Taylor.