The Fleet shook off FA Cup defeat to protect the unbeaten League record with a second derby win of the season whilst also securing a first home victory of the campaign. It was Lennon Peake whose strike proved the difference and so bagged the three points against Folkestone Invicta.
Josh Wright made multiple changes following the FA Cup exit to Sholing – Daniel Ogunleye, Josh Passley, Gene Kennedy and Ben Chapman were the only ones to keep their place.
Fleet began well and it took just six minutes for a breakthrough. A tidy ball by Daniel Ogunleye for Peake allowed him to slip the ball past the Folkestone back line and power a curling effort into the top left corner of the goal to secure his second of the season.
The Fleet dominated the early share of possession with James Vennings and Gene Kennedy comfortably controlling the midfield, linking well with Toby Edser to keep former Fleet defender Jamie Fielding and his defensive partner Kevin Lokko busy.
Like Peake, Kennedy loosed off a shot that wasn’t far off doubling the lead for the Fleet but that flew just off target, much the same as Aaron Cosgrave’s one chance at the other end for Folkestone.
Ogunleye tried to make it three in three for himself but he couldn’t quite connect with Josh Passley’s delivery before Folkestone’s Harvey Kedwell hit a promising free-kick up and wide of the upright in the final moments of the half.
The hosts resumed in the second-half on the front foot as goalkeeper Ted Collins was forced to gather a shot from Edser and he then watched as Passley’s effort from 20 yards drifted off target.
Folkestone posed little direct threat but saw plenty of the ball and when they did attack, Fleet’s defence – who had lost Will Tizzard to an injury in the first half – coped well.
Kwesi Appiah was after his second goal of the season when he looped one towards goal but that was just off the target.
The Fleet forced a few late set pieces as they kept Folkestone at bay and Camron Gbadebo saw his effort from a corner turned behind by Collins.
Just two minutes of added time didn’t give Folkestone enough time to earn the equaliser and the points lifted the Fleet way up to mid-table, leapfrogging Folkestone in the process.
EUFC: Buse, Passley, Tizzard (Gbadebo 40), Nelson, Vennings, Kennedy, Edser (Manktelow 86), Chapman, Peake, Ogunleye, Appiah. Subs not used: Vokins, Oteh, Box, Barnes, Walker
FIFC: Collins, Mason (P.Kedwell 80), Smith, Fielding, Lokko, Thomas, Cosgrave, Lovett (West 86), Young, Woodyard (Machado 73), H.Kedwell (Kelman 65). Sub not used: Ajuchi
Attendance: 1,177
Photos: ©EUFC / Ed Miller, Tom Harris
