Friday 25 March 2016. Ryman League, Division One South.
Folkestone Invicta 6 Walton & Hersham 0.
After holding the runaway Division One South leaders to just a single goal at the break, any thoughts Swans had of spoiling the Kent club’s Championship celebrations were soon dashed in the second-half. Not for the first time this season, having competed well, they then collapsed completely as any realistic chances of getting a result had gone. The home side, in front of a bumper Good Friday crowd of 1,545, really showed their credentials in the second-half as they stormed to the title. They were far too good for a Swans’ defence that has now shipped almost a century of goals in the league this season.
Three more players made their starting debuts, including the Lithuanian pair Rokas Janilionis and Edvardas Gaurilovas, the former in central defence and the latter in midfield. The other new starter was Ola Akinwande, the former Metropolitan Police player adopting a wide midfield role.
Folkestone soon won a corner on the left, and from Ronnie Dolan’s inswinging kick Ian Draycott got a touch at the near-post and goalkeeper Liam Beach did well to keep the ball out at the second attempt.
Michael Salako cut in from the left to have a shot blocked, and he soon led another attack for Swans, making a good run down the left before crossing low and just failing to find Akinwande in the six-yard box. Prince M’Bengui then got the ball over from the left, and this time the cross was just too high for Akinwande, who had again got into the six-yard box.
Folkestone were awarded a free-kick for handball, and when the ball was played to Scott Heard his low shot beat Beach, but was cleared off the line by Dylan Casey. Swans were then slow to react to another free-kick, and when Ian Draycott was found on the right his shot was turned round the near-post by Beach.
The home side took the lead after eighteen minutes when they broke through and were denied by a good tackle that won them a corner on the left. Dolan again drove the kick in to the near-post, and this time Frankie Chappell scored with a strong header from close-in.
Minutes later Phil Starkey struck a good, low shot from outside the box on the right and Beach did well to dive to his left and get the ball round the post.
Swans soon won their first corner when Salako got down the left, and another quickly followed when Akinwande’s cross from the left was blocked.
A cross-field pass from Heard sent Ashley Miller down the left for Folkestone, and his run inside was ended by a trip on the edge of the box. Draycott’s low free-kick was well struck and Beach had to make a smart save on his line. Swans then had to put the ball behind at the near-post when it was driven in low from the left.
As the half entered the final five minutes Gaurilovas did well on the left for Swans before laying the ball back to Akinwande by the corner of the box, and he sent a shot dipping over. Then, in added-on time, Akinwande cut across from the left, but his shot again went over the bar.
Just seconds into the second-half Swans had a great opportunity to equalise when Gary MacDonald’s ball forward was headed behind for a corner on the right. From M’Bengui’s kick Gareth Chendlik nodded the ball down at the far-post, but MacDonald put a clear chance over.
But instead of being level, just three minutes into the second-half Swans were 2-0 down. Draycott had already struck a good shot from the right corner of the box that brought a fine save from Beach, diving to push the ball round the right post. But Starkey then sent the ball over a static Swans’ defence, and Carl Rook had time and space in the right of the box to drive low into the far corner.
A strong shot from Draycott was kept out of the top corner by Beach, and when Draycott played Heard in on the right he shot over. But just over ten minutes into the second-half Janilionis failed to react to the presence of Draycott as the ball was knocked forward, and Folkestone’s top scorer was allowed to get through and neatly clip the ball into the top, right corner.
Veejay Miller got forward for Swans to strike a good shot just wide from 20 yards, and a free-kick was soon won on the edge of the box, but the opportunity was wasted when Casey’s attempted through ball was cut out.
Draycott again went close for the home side when he got forward, but lobbed just wide of the right, top corner. But it was 4-0 just past the hour when Starkey put Miller clear on the left to cross to the far-post, where Rook tapped in from a yard out.
Swans made a double substitution with Kambo Smith and new signing Seb Castello coming on for MacDonald and Chendlik.
Home keeper Tim Roberts was tested for the first time when Salako cut into the left of the box to get in a shot that brought a good save at the near-post. With a quarter of the game left Akinwande won a corner on the right, and Castello’s kick was cleared at the near-post.
At the other end Beach got well behind a shot from outside the box on the left from Miller.
Swans forced another corner on the left, but again nothing came from it.
With eight minutes remaining it was 5-0 to Folkestone when Beach made another fine save from Miller’s low shot from outside the box, but he could only push the ball onto the left post, and when it ran across goal Draycott tapped into an empty net for his 34th goal of the season.
Three minutes later the ball was played down the middle and Janilionis again failed to clear, allowing substitute Harry Smith to superbly lob the ball over the advancing Beach and into the goal.
Draycott had a chance to complete his hat-trick when Miller failed to clear on the right, but he drove his shot against the crossbar. Deep into stoppage-time it was left to Beach to deny Draycott his third goal, the Swans’ keeper making a terrific save from a shot from the right of the box.
It only remained for Swans to lick their wounds and contemplate their next challenge in their relegation fight as the Kent side and their supporters were left to celebrate their promotion.
Swans’ Team: Liam Beach, Theo Newton, Veejay Miller, Gary MacDonald (Sebastien Castello 63’), Rokas Janilionis, Dylan Casey, Olakunle Akinwande, Edvardas Gaurilovas, Gareth Chendlik (Kambo Smith 63’), Prince M’Bengui (Lea Van Sullivan 74’), Michael Salako. Subs. not used: Borja Loeches Teixeira, Mark Corbett.
Folkestone Invicta Team: Roberts, Vincent, Blanks, Friend, Chappell, Dolan, Starkey (Everitt 71’), Heard (Wright 71’), Draycott, Rook (Smith 65’), Miller. Subs. not used: Pilbeam, Newman. Scorers: Chappell (18’), Rook (48’ & 62’), Draycott (56’ & 82’), Smith (85’).
