Folkestone Invicta 1, Welling United 6

FOLKESTONE Invicta's desperate season hit a new low last night when they were thrashed by Welling United in the quarter-final of the BOSE Kent Senior Cup.

On a bitterly cold night at Cheriton Road, a small crowd of 156 saw Welling run away with the game after scoring four goals in a 10-minute spell during the second half.

And the visitors had striker Gary Abbot in goal for the entire 90 minutes after regular number one Glen Knight failed a fitness test before the game following an accident involving a kettle, which left him with burns on his back.

Legendary marksman Abbot had only returned to Welling last week, and this match will only add to his status in the club's folklore.

Performances, if not results, had been good for Invicta up until Christmas. But the club now seems to be in free fall after losing seven matches on the trot, and now having conceded 23 goals in their five matches during 2003.

Welling are unbeaten at Cheriton Road for more than 20 years, and opened the scoring after just 80 seconds, when Invicta defender John Guest conceded a cheap free kick on the left. And Paul Booth fired home after goalkeeper Maurice Munden had made an initial save.

Invicta tried to get back into the game, and Abbott saved from James Dryden after eight minutes when Tim O'Shea gave the ball away to Allan Tait.

John Ayling ran at the Welling defence and shot wide after 14 minutes, but at the other end Russell Edwards shot low at Munden when Steve Sodje played the ball in from the left after 17 minutes.

Ray Aboagye (correct) forced a corner for the visitors from a Booth ball after 21 minutes, and it was 2-0 a minute later when Dave Powell headed in Anthony Riviere's left wing cross.

Ayling replied with a good finish after 26 minutes, when a poor clearance from a big Munden kick let in Tait to raise home hopes.

Ayling then chipped tamely at Abbot after a brilliant combination with Tait in the 37th minute, and Abbot denied the Invicta goalscorer after 42 minutes, when his pace got him through down the left.

Tait picked up an injury as half time approached, and did not come out for what was to be a tortuous second half for Invicta.

Dryden had a shot charged down within 60 seconds of the re-start, but it was then all Welling.

A free kick from the right was missed by everybody, and came back off the Invicta crossbar after 48 minutes, and Anthony Hogg shot wide when Powell put him through after 53 minutes.

It was 3-1 after 58 minutes when Sodje's low shot from outside the penalty area took Munden by surprise, and went in at the far post when the danger from Riviere's cross appeared to have gone.

Booth made it 4-1 after 62 minutes when his header squeezed in from Hogg's right-wing cross.

Invicta centre-half Scott Daniels was injured in the process of that goal and limped off to be replaced by Anthony Henry.

But no sooner had Henry appeared then Welling had scored again, as Booth completed his hat-trick from a Hogg corner after 66 minutes.

Riviere made it 6-1 with a special 35-yard strike which sailed over Munden after 68 minutes to pile on the misery for Invicta.

Abbott saved from Ayling after 71 minutes to deny the home side any further cheer, but there were to be no more goals.

Invicta's Martin Chandler was booked after 45 minutes.

It was to be a miserable night for Scott Lindsey, as he returned from injury to captain the Invicta side for the first time against his former club.

Folkestone Invicta: Munden, Morris (Peters 75 mins), Larkin, Lindsey, Daniels (Henry 66 mins), Guest, Chandler, Towse, Dryden, Tait (Azzopardi 45 mins), Ayling. Unused subs: Blackman and Egan.