No reasons to be cheerful for K's.
Match report by Rupert Cane.
Kingstonian suffered a third consecutive league defeat on Saturday, plunging them down the table to ninth position ahead of Saturday’s critical home fixture against Worthing.
It has taken a few short weeks for the optimism of December - remember K’s were second at Christmas - to be extinguished. What was most painful about this loss at Folkestone was how inevitable it felt: one scan of the teamsheets before kick-off was all it took.
Jerry Amoo and Dan Darbyshire lined up where Daly and Doughty once stood. Andrew Musungu returned from the wilderness (Farnborough); another debutant this season, striker Nathan Minhas, barely touched the ball.
It was a poor match. Folkestone now haven’t conceded in five at home, but you have to wonder how. Any sort of coherent attacking play must surely have seriously threatened their goal in that time. Sadly, K’s couldn’t muster anything significant in the final third, barely registering an attempt of any note.
The first goal, on 11 minutes, rather summed it up. From a terribly-delivered K’s corner, perhaps the most lamentable theme of a miserable afternoon, Folkestone broke. Musungu missed a tackle on halfway. Lamont missed the ball in the box. Penalty, duly despatched by Ian Draycott.
Johan Ter Horst doubled the lead from close range, as red-and-white shirted arms hung in the air and heads turned longingly towards the assistant to their left. No flag. 2-0 on 36 minutes.
The cold intensified; the rain worsened. News arrived of teams above and below winning. K’s were fifth. Sixth. Eighth. Eventually ninth. Nothing more of note happened on the pitch, both teams content with their fate, and K’s left to wonder if they will arrest this slump before it’s too late.
Folkestone Invicta: Tim Roberts, Philip Starkey, Nathaniel Blanks, Finn O'Mara, Callum Davies, Alfie Paxman, Scott Heard, Michael Everitt, Johan ter Horst, Adam Yusuff, Ian Draycott.
Subs: Ira Jackson, Matthew Newman, Samuel Hasler, Kieron McCann (for Johan ter Horst, 84m), Nicholas Shaw.
Kingstonian: Rob Tolfrey, Sean Clohessy, Andrew Musungu, Aaron Lamont, Tommy Brewer, Jay Gasson, Jerry Amoo, Shaun McAuley, Louie Theophanous, Nathan Minhas, Dan Darbyshire.
Subs: Elliott Buchanan (for Jerry Amoo, 75m), Terrique Hall-Anderson (for Louie Theophanous, 81m), Manolis Gogonas, Scott Day (for Nathan Minhas, 63m).
Goal scorers: Ian Draycott (11m pen, 1-0), Johan ter Horst (36m, 2-0)
Attendance: 524
