So the last Saturday in what had been a very mild March, saw me head down to Folkestone to see the Isthmian Premier League fixture between two giants of Kent non-league football, in Folkestone Invicta, who recently parted company with manager, Andy Drury and Kevin Hake’s Chatham Town.

The Alcaline Stadium, sited on Cheriton Road in Folkestone, has a long history, having been the home of Folkestone FC who folded as a club in 1990. The ground has a capacity of 4000 with seating for 336 and also boasts one of the best non-league programme, book and memorabilia shops of any club. The record attendance was a huge 7881 who packed in to watch a Kent Senior Cup match in 1958 against local rivals, Margate FC.

This season has seen Folkestone really miss out after some heavy squad investment, and they sat twelfth in the table at kick off but without a real chance of making the play offs. Interim manager, Tim Dixon, would have however, wanted his side to bloody the nose of a resurgent Chatham Town side. Goals for the Seasiders this season have come from Daniel Smith (18 goals), Abouhadje Evans Kouassi (9 goals), Tom Derry, Ian Gayle, Amadou Kassarate and Adam Yusuff (all 5 goals).

Chatham Town have also seen inconsistency hit their challenge to make the play offs for the second year in succession. At kick off the Chats sat eight points off Dover in the last play off place, but without the knowledge that a solid run at this late stage in the season, could be decisive in the promotion race. Goals for Chatham Town this season have come largely from ex-Palace and West Ham striker, Freddie Sears (22 goals), Jack Evans and John Ufoah (8 goals).

The game opened with Folkestone Invicta making the most of the opening quarter. The home side were passing well and looking most likely to break the deadlock.

On 25 minutes Jordi Robins fired the ball past Jonny Henley in the Folkestone goal, with the aid of a deflection, to put Chatham 0-1 ahead.

On the stroke of half time it was 0-2. Reece Butler firing home with confidence from a cleverly struck Jack Evans’ free kick. The goal sent the Medway side into the break with a two goal advantage.

After the break Folkestone Invicta clawed themselves back into the game when, in the 56th minute, Amadou Kassarate’s headed finish saw them make it 1-2, from a free kick.

Folkestone Invicta pushed hard to gain the equaliser but as time ticked past they took more and more risks, in their search for a goal.

With three minutes left in the match, Chatham Town’s Jamie Yilla broke free and rounded Folkestone Invicta’s keeper to score confidently, in front of the 1102 crowd, to make it 1-3 to the visitors, triggering a goal celebration which led to him receiving a yellow card!

At the final whistle it was Chatham Town’s players who left with three valuable points, to extend their faint hopes of making the play off places in their search for promotion. Folkestone Invicta really have very little to play for now, but will want to secure a run of form as the season ends, under new manager Tim Dixon.