Defender Gregory tackled James Everitt as the ball was stuck between the Invicta midfielder's legs and, with only three minutes left, striker Andy Pugh drilled away the spot-kick that gave the relegated Premier Division club the points on the opening day of the new season.

That spoilt Ben Andrews' 150th appearance after the Worthing captain, again highly effectively, had been moved up front in the second half and scored the equaliser in the 70th minute. By that point, a Rebels goal was no surprise because the tactical switch at half-time had changed their shape, and their weight up front.

Invicta boss Neil Cugley admitted: "That Andrews is a real handful. Like the physical forwards we had to cope with back in the old Southern League Premier Division days."

Andrews had wiped out the advantage of Invicta's first penalty, in the 31st minute after Gregory, from behind, had spread himself all over James Dryden as the club record goalscorer, who led champions Dover's marksmen last season, was about to shoot from six yards. James Corbett, another of Folkestone's class acts, later to be substituted, despatched the penalty with the authority that Pugh later replicated.

Gregory goes

Gregory is back at Worthing after a career in the Conference, and as such is their most experienced player. This first league appearance on his return proved a memorable one for wrong reasons and could have ended there and then. It was a clear scoring chance he illegally prevented, also challenging from behind, and he probably ought to have been sent off right there.

As it was, he saw red after the second penalty, which the referee had to treat as a kick on James Everitt and a second yellow. It was suspension that kept Gregory out of Havant & Waterlooville's historic FA Cup tie at Liverpool last season.

Andrews also marked his 150th with a booking but showed afterwards he had been the victim of a new referees ruling.

At the first penalty decision he was cautioned, after Gregory, when he appeared to protest, but explained: "I didn't swear at the referee. As the captain I am entitled to ask him about decisions but players are now not allowed to run towards the ref to do that, and that's what I did.

"Also, we are not allowed to raise our arms, or move within a certain distance of him, and no, I don't know what that distance is, so, yes, I am going to have to find out - or I am going to be spending half the season sitting on the bench."

New players on both sides

Folkestone, with eight starting players newly signed, faced a Worthing team with five - keeper Alan Mansfield, Gregory, Paul Kennett, Chris O'Flaherty and Paul Elliott.

With central defenders Stuart Axten and Andy Alexander unavailable and suspended respectively, Worthing used Andrews at centre-half. Up front were Jamie Brotherton and Elliott, neither received any service in comfortable circumstances, Invicta were quicker to the ball, and only at the end of the first half did the Worthing attack make anything happen in the last third.

Then it was the strikers themselves who achieved it, when Brotherton teased his way to the bye line and screwed back a cross that glanced off Elliott's head and only away from goal.

Mansfield's league debut began memorably with a one-on-one save, with his legs from Corbett, who had dribbled through the offside trap, in the minute before the first penalty.

Mansfield then saved with his left hand from Corbett after Invicta carved Rebels open from the second-half whistle. That kept Rebels alive and their resurgence occupied the next 20 minutes. But Mansfield seemed about to have blown it all in the 68th minute with an ill-judged kick clear that Invicta swept back towards him in a slick move that augurs well for their season ahead, and badly for opposiing defences.

Yet with Pugh released into the box with sliderule accuracy by Dryden, Mansfield made an identical save to that in the first half. And similarly, a goal followed. Play transferred back upfield and Brotherton picked out Andrews whose far-post header was tipped onto the bar near his left post by keeper Charlie Mitten. The rebound fell perfectly for Andrews to sidefoot the equaliser into the empty net, with majestic aplomb.

Rebels chances

The goal was justified. Karly Akehurst had made way at half-time for major reshape (see below) and the target of Andrews and his physical presence once again left Rebels with the conclusion that they can only prosper when they can do without him in defence.

Only Liam Friend's tackle stopped Scott Kirkwood equalising earlier, in the 48th minute and from the resultant corner, a wicked inswinger from Chris O'Flaherty, Brotherton came dramatically between two defenders for a disappointing header that span wide.

Only a minute later, Mitten, somewhat astonishingly, claimed the ball when it seemed certain that either Elliott or Kirkwood must score at the far post when Andrews's head powered the ball back across goal from Dominic Douglas' fine free kick.

Then a brave defensive Invicta header intervened when Kirkwood took a corner short for O'Flaherty to show his left-foot crossing ability and found the head of Paul Kennett.

Shortly Skinner sent a cross skimming across the area and Andrews hesitated and realised too late he could have reached it to turn it home.

Could have been 2-1 to Rebels

Rebels were giving one of the pre-race title favourites a real match and when Mansfield made good his sin and Andrews levelled, Brotherton was denied a 2-1 by a vital challenge. But a minute later, equally, Folkestone could have grabbed the win before Gregory's help, when the instinctive Dryden was unlucky to flick the ball the wrong side of the near post in a dropping-ball 50-50 contest with Mansfield.

Co-boss Danny Bloor commented afterwards: "After what we'd done in the first 20 minutes of the second half, I felt we deserved something from the game, though giving away two stonewall penalties was embarrassing. But we've a lot of new faces and it will take time to gel."

Cugley's view was almost mirror-image: "Ten players left us after last season and 10 have joined. With eight new men starting, I thought that, away from home, we did enough to deserve the win."

WORTHING first half: Mansfield; Pook, Douglas, Andrews, Gregory; Kirkwood, Akehurst, Kennett, Gregory, O'Flaherty; Brotherton, Elliott.

WORTHING second half: Mansfield; Pook, Douglas, Gregory, Southwell; Brotherton, Kirkwood, Kennett, O'Flaherty; Andrews, Elliott.

Subs: Southwell (Akehurst HT), Skinner (Elliott eye inj 57), Pulling, Treleaven (unfit).

Corners: Worthing 5, Folkestone 4.

Of other newcomers, striker Ross Treleaven failed a fitness test on an ankle; Jorge Lopez, his international clearance complete, was playing for Andorra Under-21s; Enzo Benn and Mickey Demetriou were unavailable.

See this site for pictures on Monday

Ryman League Div 1S:
Ashford 1 Walton Casuals 1
Burgess Hill 0 Leatherhead 2 (Worthing at Leatherhead on Tuesday)
Chipstead 2, Whitstable 1
Cray Wands 3, Godalming 2
Croydon Ath 0, Met Police 1
Dulwich Hamlet 2, Eastbourne Tn 1
Fleet 2, Corinthian-Casuals 2
Sittingbourne 0 Kingstonian 4
Walton & Hersham 2, Crowborough 1
Whyteleafe 0, Merstham 1
Worthing 1 Folkestone Inv 2




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