For the second consecutive summer Invicta played out a goalless draw with Tonbridge Angels as Jay Saunders made his first return to Longmead.

New signings Ben Mason and Donell Thomas were named on the team sheet for the first time since signing last week, as a starter and a substitute respectively.

Jake Hutchinson led the line with Josh Strouts, and it was Hutchinson who nearly had Invicta ahead inside three minutes. A long pass from Liam Smith caught out the Tonbridge defence as Hutchinson lifted the bouncing ball over the goalkeeper but was unable to head home from close range.

A defensive mix-up between a defender and trialist goalkeeper almost allowed Tonbridge an open goal on the 15-minute mark, but three defenders and the goalkeeper managed to drop back onto the goal-line before the shot was fired over.

Tonbridge’s goalkeeper was forced into his first save at the midway point of the first half, Hutchinson set through by  a flick from Mikey Berry before unleashing a low effort from the edge of the penalty area. At the other end, Invicta’s trialist made his first save with his feet just after the half hour mark to deny an effort from a tight angle.

Invicta built up a head of steam late in the half, Montel McKenzie with the game’s closest effort five minutes before the break. Invicta won the ball back high up the pitch following a Tonbridge throw in and worked the ball from right to left to find McKenzie in space to unleash a left-footed effort from more than 20 yards that struck the underside of the crossbar.

Invicta introduced Ronnie Dolan and a trialist forward at half time in place of Liam Smith and Josh Strouts, the trialist having the first sight of goal after the break as he volleyed wide from a Hutchinson knock down outside the penalty area.

Ten minutes into the second half Invicta replaced Mikey Berry with Jeremy Santos, but less than ten minutes after joining the action the midfielder went down holding his leg after taking a free kick, departing on a stretcher shortly after with Donell Thomas replacing him. Manager Jay Saunders said after the game that it appeared to be a hamstring injury.

Thomas showed quick feet to burst into the penalty area before firing into the side netting with 15 minutes remaining.

Invicta players felt they should have had a penalty with less than five minutes to play, a corner worked back to the edge of the box for McKenzie to shoot, his shot striking the arm of a Tonbridge player who went down holding his face but appeals were waived away by the referee. From the resulting corner Joel-Michael Odeniran headed wide at the back post, the final chance of the afternoon.

Saunders praised his side’s first half performance post-match, but stated the need to be more clinical in front of goal as we move towards the start of the new season.

Invicta now look forward to two more tests against National South opposition this week, with a Tuesday night trip to Dover followed by our final friendly at Hornchurch on Saturday 2nd August.