Flashback! When Ari met Gary

We head back to September 2017, when Folkestone Invicta hosted Greenwich Borough in a thrilling five goal FA Cup tie.


When Ari met Gary

‘The World’s Greatest Cup Competition.’ Post after post on social media was singing the praises of the FA Cup, but this wasn’t the usual media-led hyperbole. This was almost entirely supporter driven.

Leaving the electronic world and back in the actual one- yes, there is a difference, although rather like the pitch markings when Ashford United visited Redhill in the last round, the lines are sometimes blurred- this sentiment was clearly echoed on the Kent Coast as we approached 3PM. The sun was shining, the fine Folkestone Fullicks folk were in good voice, the Borough drummer was, well, drumming, and Ari the Great Dane, bedecked in all his replica finery, appeared to be smiling benevolently at all concerned. The air was filled with a heady mixture of ozone and optimism.

Folkestone Invicta FC

Folkestone Invicta FC

It would be wrong to feel that the competition was only important to the supporters, however. Both managers had been vocal about the importance of a run in the cup; although, for them, the romance was coupled with a clear understanding of harsh financial realities. A cup run pays. Speaking to isthmian.co.uk before their fixture against Three Bridges in the last round, Borough manager Gary Alexander had been quite clear. ‘It’s important, we need the money! The situation here isn’t as some people away from the club make out, perhaps if they knew what our finances actually looked like they wouldn’t talk as they do. A cup run would be great, it’s a special occasion and a chance to progress, a chance to earn the club some money. It would be great to get a bit of luck and make the First Round proper- who knows where it can take you from there. The FA Cup is always special.’ In the run up to today’s match the Invicta preview had focused both on the football and the prize money; £3000 is not to be sniffed at.

Talking of money, in a fish and chip shop before the match a home supporter- recognisable by the fact he was wearing last years striped shirt- was watching the BBC’s live stream of the tie between Billericay Town and Didcot Town on his mobile phone; he must have very good eyesight, perhaps the fish marketing board should be told. It was easy to understand why the national broadcaster picked this match- the Billericay story is undoubtedly a national one- but it seemed something of a shame. The cash paid for broadcast rights will mean very little to Billericay, although they will undoubtedly be glad of the exposure. But for many other teams in our league it would have been like manna from heaven. The Salford City effect is obviously alive and well.

Had the BBC instead chosen to visit the Fullicks Stadium they’d not have got the big name players. Nor the mural. What they would have got, however, was a pulsating cup tie, a noisy, passionate crowd, some of the best people the non league game has to offer and a plethora of good natured non league dogs. They’d have got the same five goals that Billericay offered them, but a match that could have gone either way and was won by a header in the fifth minute of added time. They’d have got everything that a good cup tie is meant to offer, rather than a collection of star names and a walkover.

The Fullicks Stadium is a proper old fashioned football ground. Steep covered terrace at one end, steep uncovered terrace at the other, stand down one side, a third uncovered terrace opposite, where there used to be a stand but it blew away on Christmas Eve 2013. But it is not a collection of metal and concrete that makes a place special, it is the people who inhabit it- and goodness, the Invicta faithful are a noisy, passionate lot. Indeed, even those who aren’t noisy are passionate. From boardroom to bar to terrace- to kennel- there was a whole lot of love around the place. And a large amount of micky taking- but more of that later.

Folkestone sign

Folkestone sign

There was also a sizeable Greenwich choir, led by Chairman Perry and accompanied on drums by Lewis Dando. You’ll have heard many stories about football fans abandoning their big name clubs for the semi-professional game, and three years ago Lewis did the same, when he decided to follow then-SCEFL Borough instead of…Dartford. The two sides were sharing a ground at the time, so he just changed his shirt, and flags.

He has a large collection of flags, by the way, and a new drum. He wore out the old one; not surprisingly given he spends around one hundred and eighty minutes a week thumping it. He had something of a suntan, perhaps due to spending last weekend in Guernsey where Borough beat the home side 2-1, and commendably was still thumping his instrument in the 95th minute. Mind you, by that point it could have been solely due to frustration. Still, he explained that he was confident of promotion so long as the team stayed fit, and he’s undoubtedly got an extremely good chance of being right. Borough, in the first half at least, looked very good indeed.

At the heart of that first half performance was Charlie MacDonald. At the age of 36, and- if you count loans- playing for his seventeenth club, the striker was everywhere and without some good goalkeeping and some stalwart defending from the near post could conceivably have had a hat trick before half an hour had passed. He did have one goal, well taken after the ball was gifted to him in the eighth minute, but he still had to hold off the defenders, charge into the box and keep his head to finish. Borough were good for that lead. ‘Thump. Thump. Thump thump thump,’ went Lewis behind the goal.

The Invicta faithful were not downhearted. At the other end they began to bang an instrument of their own, whilst singing “our drum is better than yours.” It may have been, but it was also smaller. Still, size isn’t important, it’s what you do with it. They continued to sing even as their side struggled; it was around half an hour before Invicta really began to get to grips with the game.

The FA and their darned rules!

The FA and their darned rules!

It seemed that, from the songs, there was a topical joke going on that would have passed many a neutral by. The Greenwich keeper ran up to a goal kick. “You’re…bad…ahhh.” A defender skews his clearance out for a throw in. “You’re…rubbish, and you know you are.” And then, as if to make things clear, “We’re not allowed to swear, we’re not allowed to swear.” It transpired that a supporter on the Invicta forum had complained about foul language from the away support during Bank Holiday Monday’s victory at Tonbridge Angels. We can exclusively reveal that no f-bombs were dropped during the making of this report. Mind you, if their repertoire is to be believed, we can also reveal that winger Kieron McCann doesn’t eat kebabs and has great abs, and that manager Neil Cugley is not only a legend but is “fat and ugly.” It is worth pointing out, for reasons of balance, that McCann was not seen with any fast food item about his person, and that Neil certainly isn’t ugly. The rest you can decide for yourselves.
Invicta hauled themselves back into the tie on the stroke of half time. A free kick was whipped into the box by Sam Hassler, and it seemed to evade everyone- including the keeper- before ending up in the bottom corner of the Borough net. Hassler attempted to award it to Ade Yussuff, who didn’t seem to want to accept it, and it was later confirmed that Yussuff was right. The Invicta faithful took themselves off to the bar to try and find Chairman Paul Morgan, who apparently was often known to generously buy them all a drink, whilst in the front row of the stand Lola, Ari and Monty had different refreshment needs. Sadly nobody had brought biscuits, not even Chairman Paul.

You may have seen Ari at a football ground near you, and despite the assertion of a passing Yorkshireman that the most famous Non League dog is “Digby from Emley,” there can be little doubt that the title undoubtedly belongs to Ari of Invicta. Apart from at Dover Athletic, as apparently he’s been banned from the ground for the terrible crime of “being a dog.” Someone call Paul O’Grady to launch a protest.

The second half kicked off with the Invicta drummer not in place, perhaps being held to ransom by the chairman’s open wallet. Lewis was, however, twirling his sticks for Borough, and perhaps it was due to his encouragement that the away side once again took the lead, the ball running through to Travis Gregory at the back post where he tapped it home. He looked suspiciously offside, and the referee ran to his assistant to check, but the flag stayed down much to the disgust of the home support. Invicta could have been level three minutes later, when a cross found Josh Vincent unmarked at the back post but he headed agonisingly wide. And then the game turned, as often they do, on a sending off. Borough full back Kaka Demebele earned a second yellow, and as he headed back to the dressing room the atmosphere changed perceptively.

Invicta had been more than matched by their lower division opponents up until now, but suddenly they were in the ascendancy.
It took them ten minutes to score against the ten men, and it was a beauty, thumped home from the edge of the area by Michael Everitt after an intelligent knock back. The celebrations were short; with fifteen minutes to go it was obvious that Invicta fancied their chances- and indeed they had them, with substitutes Jordan Wright and Joe Taylor, just returned after injury, coming close. But Borough held out and it looked like the match would be heading for a replay when, a full five minutes into added time, McCann shook off the weight of his abs and rose to head the ball home. Delight for most of the three hundred and fifty one (and each of the five dogs) in attendance, misery for Lewis and his Borough brethren.

The teams arrive

The teams arrive

The last time Invicta had a good cup run was back in 2005/06, when they lost in the First Round to Chester City. You might say they were overdue another, and without doubt manager Cugley has imbued his side with a strong work ethic, a never-say-die spirit and a commitment to playing attractive football. Not once, even when they were pressing for an equaliser and then later for a winner with the referee looking at his watch, did Invicta go route one- they simply passed, pressed and probed, which was rather a joy to watch. Much credit should also go to Borough, who had a different style but were quick out of defence and well organised throughout.

As the crowd drifted away the sun still shone, but the optimism was rather one sided. Dreams of cup glory remained only for the boys in yellow. A Borough fan, on his way back to the station, was heard to comment that the cup was “only a distraction because we weren’t going to win it anyway.” His voice suggested that he wasn’t even convincing himself, but he may have had a point. For Borough, promotion is key.

That said, you’d struggle to find anyone in Folkestone sharing that sentiment tonight.

Borough fans, a drum, a flag, and some hills

Borough fans, a drum, a flag, and some hills

A surprisingly muted celebration as Borough take the lead

The half time burger queue

Lola, Ari and Monty

Gary tries not to get too excited

Neil strikes a familiar pose

Somebody is rather interested in the ball!

Sing when we're...losing!

Where next?

BetVictor sponsorship to end Isthmian, Southern and Northern Premier searching for new sponsors
The Isthmian Years- 1956-57 We’re heading back to the fifties once more, to see whether Wycombe Wanderers could win a League and Cup double, or whether Woking or Bishop Auckland could put a stop to those ambitions

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