Folkestone Invicta 1 Blues 1 (Blues win 6-5 on penalties)

The Blues love affair with the FA Trophy continues after a tremendous effort in Kent on Tuesday night. Marcus Garnham was the Blues hero with a string of telling saves including two in the penalty shoot out as Seb Dunbar fired home the match winning penalty to seal the passage to an away tie against Dorking Wanderers in the Second Qualifying round next Saturday.

This was the Blues 21st FA Trophy tie six of which have gone to replays while the Blues have reached the First Round twice in the past three years before losing to National League opposition. With the core of the squad absent (Tom Bullard, Dominic Docherty, Christy Finch, Kyle Hammond and Chris Henderson injured, Robert Eagle unavailable) the squad travelled with four under 18’s on the bench and 18 year old Harry Knights starting in defence while the experienced Kevin Inglis started in midfield. Blues boss Glenn Driver had stated that the Blues could rue the host of missed chances from Saturday’s original tie and that looked evident in the early stages as Folkestone Invicta started strongly. The Kent side were on top for the majority of the opening forty five minutes but found Marcus Garnham in inspired form, the Blues stopper time and again thwarting Invicta raids with the hosts leading scorer Yusuff finding Marcus Garnham a very tough hurdle to overcome. The side were working tirelessly to repel home attacks and their response was limited but as the half grew so did the confidence and Matt Blake and Regan Pelling both tested Roberts in the home goal. This was the third meeting between the sides in ten days and like the previous matches Folkestone bossed the opening half.

But the second halves have been more even and so was the case and while Folkestone had the clearer chances, Leiston continued to be a threat. Such was the intensity of the tie we seemed to breeze through the regulation period and straight to extra time where, in the first period of extra time, the deadlock was finally broken in the 101st minute. Marcus Garnham was powerless to keep out Heard’s sweet strike as it found the top corner from outside the box. Folkestone’s McCann then saw an effort hit the woodwork as the hosts tried to put the game to bed. The battling Blues refused to cave in and Manager Glenn Driver threw Jack Ainsley and Joe Jefford into attack seeking a way back into the match. The change worked with five minutes of extra time remaining as Joe Jefford plundered the equaliser. Seb Dunbar's centre finding Jack Ainsley whose header across the box picked out Joe Jefford to nod home the equaliser. Chances then followed but the sides could not be separated after three and a half hours of football so we entered the lottery of a penalty shoot-out.

Folkestone were up first and converted all their opening three penalties as did the Blues (Patrick Brothers, Jack Ainsley & Joe Marsden). Marcus Garnham then saved Folkestone’s fourth penalty and Byron Lawrence saw his kick saved. Folkestone netted their fifth and sixth kicks as did Leiston (Matt Blake & Kevin Inglis) and it was now sudden death. Marcus Garnham saved the thirteenth penalty from Vincent allowing Seb Dunbar to convert the Blues seventh kick to claim a 6-5 win on penalties.

FT (AET) – Folkestone Invicta 1 Blues 1 (Blues win 6-5 on penalties)

Folkestone Invicta – Roberts, Vincent, Cooper, Everitt, Taylor (Sahadow), Newman, Wright, Heard, Draycott, Yusuff, McCann. Subs not used – Madden, Walmsley, Edge and Shaw.

Blues – Garnham, Marsden, Dunbar, Ainsley, Knights (Bell), Jefford, Lawrence, Brothers, Blake, Pelling, Inglis. Subs not used – Garrard, Norman and Beckwith.

Man of the Match – Marcus Garnham

Attendance - 301