Invicta extended our unbeaten run to 4 games with a point at Bowers & Pitsea in our first away fixture of 2025.

Manager Andy Drury elected to make just 2 changes from the side that beat Hastings United 3-1 at the Alcaline Stadium on New Year’s Day, with Joe Tyrie and Frankie Morgan coming into the defence in place of Marvel Ekpiteta. The returning Ade Yusuff would have to wait for his third Invicta debut, named amongst the substitutes after joining from Hornchurch just 24 hours earlier.

Winger Evans Kouassi had opened the scoring inside the opening minute of our previous 2 wins and nearly turned provider for Dan Smith to do exactly the same for the third game running, Smith lifting an effort over goalkeeper David Hughes after just 36 seconds, defender Luke Reeve clearing off the goal-line.

Invicta’s fullbacks combined as Gavin Hoyte headed narrowly wide from a Morgan cross a few minutes later, the hosts having their first effort after 12 minutes after working a free kick to TQ Addy who drove inside and fired wide from distance, Dan Smith producing an almost identical run and shot a few minutes later at the other end.

Ian Gayle was denied a 3rd goal in 3 games, seeing his header from a Jebb free kick saved midway through the half. Joe Tyrie was forced off with a blood injury and needed a change of shirt just as Bowers hit a free kick of their own on the half hour to force a simple save from Henly before Jack Jebb saw 2 efforts blocked to deny him a first goal for Invicta.

The hosts struck against the run of play 10 minutes before the break, working the ball out to the left flank, a low cross reaching Alex Teniola to fire into the roof of the net.

Evans Kouassi forced a save with a left footed effort from the edge of the box while Dan Smith hit 2 efforts wide before half time, but with Invicta trailing at the break Andy Drury turned to his bench to call on Yusuff to replace midfielder Amadou Kassaraté.

Turner and Kouassi both fired over the target in the opening minutes of the second half before a cross from the latter reached the former via the leg of a defender for Turner to force the first save of the second half. As Invicta continued to pile on pressure Smith fizzed an effort a whisker over the bar off his left boot from just outside the box.

Finally, 10 minutes into the second half, Smith was in the right place at the right time to make Invicta’s dominance count. Kouassi delivered another cross from the right that reached Turner, having evaded Smith at the front post, Invicta’s no. 11 poked an effort goal-bound that the keeper failed to hold allowing Smith to tap into an empty net.

Turner delivered Yusuff’s best chance to mark his third debut with a goal, an in-swinging cross from the left onto the 6 yard line, Yusuff rising high between defender and keeper to get a head to the ball but unable to sneak it under the crossbar.

Shortly after the hour mark, Smith was denied again by a superb save from Hughes but Invicta wouldn’t be denied the lead for much longer. Smith turned provider as he fed a ball in behind the Bowers defence for Kouassi to race onto, the winger spotting Hughes off his line and lifting the ball high over the keeper to leave the travelling supporters holding their breath as it dropped under the crossbar for his 3rd goal in a week.

The lead was short-lived, however, a free kick from wide on the right delivered to the back post for Rohdell Gordon to head home just 2 minutes later.

Invicta turned turned up the pressure again in search of a third. Joe Tyrie headed wide from a Jebb free kick, Ade Yusuff forced a save with a snap shot from the edge of the box and Ian Gayle saw another header cleared off the line.

Bowers & Pitsea held on for a point to make the first game under their new management team of Joe Flowers & Luke Wilson, Invicta left to rue missed chances but manager Andy Drury left happy with the performance of his side, with games at home to Cheshunt and away to Dulwich Hamlet coming this week.