Tony Rickson reports:

Tuesday 30th October 2018

Velocity Trophy, 2nd Round

Folkestone Invicta (1) 3 (Crimmen og 27, Yusuff 47, 48) Sittingbourne (1) 1 (Dawodu 20) Attendance: 121

Folkestone Invicta: Tim Roberts, Finn O’Mara, Alfie Paxman, Phil Starkey (Nat Blanks, 89 min), Callum Davies, Ronnie Dolan (Yellow card), Sam Hasler, Kieron McCann (Josh Vincent, 89 min), Kane Rowland, Ade Yusuff, Johan Ter Horst (Ian Draycott, 27 min). Subs not used: Michael Everitt, Nick Shaw.

Sittingbourne: Patrick Lee, Chris Webber, Reiss Crimmen, Dan Parkinson (Harrison Hatfull, 80 min), Ben Fitchett (Josh Dowling, 63 min), Joe Denny, Tommie Fagg (Yellow card) (Johan Caney-Bryan, 63 min), Lewis Chambers, Ira Jackson, Bola Dawodu, Tom Loynes. Subs not used: Nathan Elder, Shea Pritchard.

Referee:  Mr Jack Fagg. Assistants: Mr Joseph Dann-Pye, Mr Joseph McKay.

Photographs by Ken Medwyn

A mad two minutes was all that divided these two teams as Sittingbourne went out of their fourth and final cup competition of the season.

It was an even game with Sittingbourne more than matching opponents from a division higher – apart from when the teams came out for the second half.

Straightaway, Folkestone twice carved through the centre of the Sittingbourne defence and with Ade Yussuf stylishly finishing off both chances that was the home team through to the third round of the League Cup competition for the Velocity Trophy.

Sittingbourne made three changes from the team beaten in the FA Trophy on Saturday, Patrick Lee returning in goal, Tommie Fagg coming back from suspension and Reiss Crimmen back in the side at left-back.

For the first time, Ira Jackson started out as the main striker and he immediately added much-needed dash and pace, and no little skill, to the attack. As Folkestone have signed Sittingbourne’s last four top goalscorers – Joe Taylor, Harry Smith, Miles Cornwell and Kane Rowland – they must have made a note to keep an eye on Jackson’s undoubted abilities.

Sittingbourne made a flying start with Tommy Loynes only defied by a fingertip save from his tremendous shot, and Fagg hitting the bar. All this, and two corners forced, in the first two minutes.

They continued to attack impressively and thoroughly deserved their 19th minute lead. Dan Parkinson hit a lovely pass down the line to Jackson, who cleverly left his marker for dead before playing a low ball into the six-yard box for Bola Dawodu to finish it off. A splendid goal.

Folkestone hadn’t shown much at all and even when they equalised eight minutes later there was a huge stroke of luck about it. Ex-Sittingbourne favourite Rowland crossed from the left as his team counter-attacked swiftly and Crimmen, racing back towards his own goal, volleyed the ball straight into the corner. It would have been a classic strike had it been at the right end.

Sittingbourne stayed well in contention but it was Folkestone who went closest, in first half added time, when Crimmen cleared off his own line and Rowland hit the post from close in.

The game was won and lost within minutes of the restart when Yusuff twice split the defence and finished off good moves well, the second from Rowland’s headed pass.

Sittingbourne battled to get back into it with a terrific long shot from Parkinson just saved by keeper Roberts, and Dawodu tricking his way past three defenders only for the keeper to come out and block his attempt to finish it off.

There were plenty of positives for Sittingbourne with Joe Denny again doing well in defence, Fagg looking good on his return before going off with a knee injury, Dawodu and Jackson lively in attack, and Lee making a special save near the end.

But once again in a fourth cup-tie against opposition who play their football at one league higher they were undone by some quality finishing without ever being outplayed in the match itself.