For the third season in four Invicta kicked off with a 1-1 draw on the opening day, a poacher’s goal from Jake Hutchinson cancelled out eight minutes later after a goalmouth scramble from a corner.

Jay Saunders handed seven players their Invicta debut, plus Ronnie Dolan making his return to black & amber. The Invicta bench also featured two late additions to Saunders’ squad, with William Ademiluyi and Emmanuel Kwatchey signing on Friday having impressed during the final two weeks our our pre-season.

Josh Strouts fired off the first effort of the season inside three minutes, a wayward kick from Chichester keeper Kieran Magee headed into the forward by Dean Rance, Strouts chesting the ball down and getting off his effort on the turn but Magee down to make a simple save.

A poor header back to Magee two minutes later put the keeper in trouble again. Donell Thomas took the ball around him but was too wide to finish, squaring the ball across the face of goal, Montel McKenzie recovering it on the far side and forcing a save from a tight angle.

The hosts forced their first effort after 10 minutes from a long throw, an initial effort blocked before a second was fired harmlessly over.

Dolan picked up the first booking of the season after 19 minutes. Having been pushed over, Dolan fouled Bello as the Chichester forward looked to break away with the ball sparking handbags, with Chichester’s Joseph Clarke selected as the player to join him in the referee’s notebook.

Invicta had the ball in the net in the 27th minute, Donell Thomas feeding Hutchinson on the left side, the forward finishing from a tight angle as the whistle blew for an offside.

Invicta finished the half strong, with Rance forcing a save from Magee with an effort from distance in the 42nd minute before Jake Hutchinson fired into the side netting during four minutes of added time, but the sides headed in level at the break.

Invicta were getting close to finally breaking the deadlock, hitting the woodwork 10 minutes into the second half. A Jack Jebb corner headed back across goal by captain Kevin Lokko, Joel-Michael Odeniran turning the ball onto the crossbar before Hutchinson’s follow up header was caught by Magee.

Chichester captain Robert Hutchings went into the book for a high tackle on Dolan, Jebb’s free kick headed into the arms of Magee by Lokko. The hosts played the ball out down their right flank, Odeniran was quick in to win it back from Lloyd Rowlatt high up the pitch allowing Invicta to spring, Jebb laid the ball off to Thomas who turned one defender and skipped another challenge before unleashing a low effort from distance that Magee could only parry, Hutchinson reacted quickest to take a touch before poking the ball home to open his Invicta account.

Kwatchey entered the game for his Invicta debut in place of Dolan as the hosts began to put Invicta under pressure for the first time with a series of set pieces, eventually making one count after 68 minutes. A corner headed high up into the air by Strouts fell into a mass of bodies with Ted Collins feeling he was pushed as the ball crossed the goal-line. Who got the final touch is anybody’s guess, the hosts awarding it to their number four Joseph Moore who was actually a fair way from the carnage.

Chichester who had a chance to win the game from there, Bello found in space on the counter but his effort blocked by Kwatchey.

Invicta applied late pressure to the Chichester goal but the game ended 1-1, matching our opening day results in 2024 (v Carshalton) and 2022 (v Enfield Town) but ensuring we remain unbeaten on the opening day since a 2-1 defeat to Worthing in 2020.

We now turn our attention to Tuesday night with a trip to Cray Wanderers’ Flamingo Park. Seats on our supporters’ coach are available for those wishing to travel, click here to book.