Folkestone Invicta Women made history on Sunday as they secured a win in the first ever fixture streamed live on Invicta TV.
With Mark Janser’s side sat top of the SECWFL Kent Division 2 East on goal difference from Sellindge Ladies, who were in cup action against Sittingbourne, Invicta were given the chance to put daylight between themselves and the chasing pack as we head towards the halfway stage of the season.
With Invicta attaching the West Stand in the first half, Gianna Moscato was the first to force a save from the Ramsgate goalkeeper inside 3 minutes but the first real chance of the afternoon fell to Hayley Turrell in the 8th minute, fed clean through by Katelyn Luckett she forced a double save from the keeper. From the resulting corner Moscato forced a save with an effort through a crowd of players before Luckett fired into the side netting from a second corner. Charley Kerry was next to take aim as she fired wide from distance.
After seeing out Invicta’s early pressure, Ramsgate’s opening effort of the afternoon came in the 17th minute, a shot from distance on the left comfortably saved by Aaliyah Singh.
Beyond the halfway point of the first half, Nyah Commons fired wide of the near post after racing in behind the Ramsgate defence before Charley Kerry had a real chance to grab her first goal for the club as she struck a cutback first time from the edge of the penalty area but saw her effort well blocked, Maisie Edwards forcing a save from the rebound.
Invicta’s breakthrough came just after the half hour mark through our top scorer. A move worked on the left between Commons, Molly Surridge and Rebekah Goodhand resulted in the latter delivering a cross into Turrell who was closely marked but turned her effort inside the bottom corner for her 13th goal of the season.
Ramsgate responded well to the setback and put Invicta under pressure with a series of corners, the last of which resulted in a shot from inside the penalty area that forced a good save from Singh to keep Invicta ahead. Singh was called into action again 5 minutes before the break as Ramsgate opened the Invicta defence to get off a shot from 15 yards, the Invicta number 1 diving to her right to push the shot away.
Invicta finished the half with a flurry of chances to add to our lead, Commons and Ria Lowery-Jones both having shots blocked before Moscato fired over before Charley Kerry tested the keeper from distance with the last effort of the half.
It took Invicta just over 10 minutes after the break to reassert pressure on the Ramsgate goal. Moscato forced a save from just inside the penalty area leaded to a series of corners, a glancing header from Turrell the closest Invicta came to troubling the Ramsgate goal.
Chloe Lloyd came closest to adding to the scoring midway through the second half, Luckett and Commons working the ball on the Invicta right before the latter drove infield and found Crystal Hoveman who slipped in Lloyd who looped an effort from the edge of the penalty area onto the top of the crossbar.
Chances were few and far between as the sun set over the Alcaline Stadium in the final 20 minutes, Invicta’s best chance to settle and nerves Hayley Turrell in the 82nd minute while at the other end Singh’s goal remained untroubled as Invicta saw out the win with a third consecutive clean sheet.
Invicta’s attentions now turn to cup action as we take on Betteshenger Development in the SECWFL Kent Division Cup Group Stage on Sunday 3rd November, the match due to be played at The Stadium, Church Road. Invicta will return to league action the following week when we host Hawkinge Town on Sunday 10th November.