5 hours Ago By [email protected] (Thomas Reeves)
Skipper Ian Gayle has praised fellow Folkestone defender Joel Odeniran after his fine debut display. Odeniran replaced the suspended Marvel Ekpiteta to steer Invicta to a 1-0 Isthmian Premier victory at Canvey Island as he put in a man-of-the-match performance alongside Gayle last weekend. He has been recalled from Isthmian South East side Herne Bay where he had been playing on a dual-registration basis.
Gayle reflected: “It was a good, professional win on Saturday. We could have won by more. “We had Joel come in and he did really well.
He got into the KentOnline team-of-the-week so I’m really proud of him. “He did really well in pre-season but he was just a little bit unfit and lacked a bit of experience. But he’s gone out, now come back and he did really well.
“He made some crucial tackles, which kept our clean sheet, and, in essence, that made us win the game.” The shut-out was only a second this season for Folkestone’s new-look squad. “Don’t say that out loud!” joked the former Dagenham and Welling defender.
“We seem to have been giving away goals cheaply recently. “But hopefully, we can spark something now and go on a nice run. “Hopefully, we can keep a few more clean sheets but, most importantly, let’s hope we can start getting three points more regularly and start climbing the table.
” Teenager Odeniran’s inclusion at Canvey added youth to a vastly-experienced squad. Gayle, 31, said: “He really looks like he means well and he just wants to win everything. We do get good energy from him.
“It gives us a chance to let him do our running for us - and we can take a little break!” For now, Odeniran will have to put any hopes of a regular run of first-team games for Invicta to one side as they return to FA Trophy action. “This Saturday, he’s unavailable for the cup game so he won’t be involved in the squad,” Gayle explained. “Marv will be coming straight back in after his suspension.
“But it’ll be interesting to see what happens after that.” The only goal at Canvey came from a free-kick by Jack Jebb, which fellow midfielder Amadou Kassarate has tried to claim. But it has since gone down as a Bradley Sach own goal and Gayle said: “It didn’t come off him at all! “If you actually watch the video, he doesn’t even celebrate because he didn’t know it had been given.
“But, I’ll be honest, I’d try to claim it, too, if I was him!” Folkestone will visit Southern League Central Barton Rovers in the first round of the Trophy this weekend. “I don’t really know much about them,” revealed Gayle. “What I have noticed in my career, especially in non-league, is whoever wants it the most on the day, they’re the ones that’s going to get the points or the win.
It doesn’t matter who you are playing. “Whoever is on it the most on that day, that’s who is going to get the win. So, I never underestimate anyone.
“We go in there with the same mindset that we’re there to do a job and, hopefully, come out with a result.” Some clubs, particularly at Step 1 and Step 2 of the non-league football pyramid in England, are seemingly not taking the FA Trophy quite as seriously as they once did. But Gayle admitted: “I’m quite surprised at that.
“Not that many people have played at Wembley and that’s where the final is played. You would like to think everyone would take it seriously when the end result is playing at Wembley in front of a lot of people. “Having that on your career is always a good look - and it’s a good experience, which will make your family proud.
“Whether it’s the FA Cup, FA Trophy or whatever competition, personally, I take them all seriously. “As a player, winning things is what you want to do.” Saturday’s victors will earn £1,500.
Folkestone’s much-rearranged league trip to Horsham is now scheduled to be held on Tuesday, December 17..
