Folkestone Invicta defender Josh Vincent speaks about the wonder goal that's been viewed online more than 30,000 times

By: Craig Tucker ctucker@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 06:00, 11 November 2020

Josh Vincent says he’s watched the video of his Folkestone wonder goal a thousand times.

Vincent steered a brilliant 25-yard volley into the far top corner to set Invicta on their way to a 2-1 win over AFC Hornchurch last week.

Folkestone Invicta right-back Josh Vincent Picture: Alan Langley

Footage of his strike has been a big hit online - and the long-serving defender has watched it back a fair few times himself.

“I think it’s had 30,000 views and I’m probably responsible for a thousand of those!” joked Vincent, 30.

“When I watch it I keep thinking eventually I’ll miss and the ball will go over into the tennis courts.

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“I’ve scored 40-odd goals, which isn’t bad for a right-back, but that’s the best I’ve ever scored. They’re usually back-post headers.

“As the defender headed it, I backed off thinking if it came to me I would take a touch and shoot but he headed it quite high so I thought, ‘Oh God, I’m just going to have to go for it’.

“I was happy to make any sort of connection at first and then as it started dropping I thought, ‘That’s going in’.

“Strikers say you know if it’s in the moment you hit it but I was honestly just happy I got any sort of connection.

“I was captain for the night as well, as Callum Davies was suspended, which made me even more chuffed.”

If Vincent could go back and change anything it would be his low-key celebration.

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Neil Cugley looked more excited on the touchline, although Vincent says the Invicta boss probably thought it was someone else’s goal.

“The only disappointing bit is the celebration,” said Vincent.

“I should have been going mental but I went for the easy one-arm Alan Shearer-type celebration.

“There’s definitely no way Cugs would have known that was me.

“He probably thought it was Ronnie Dolan or someone like that.

“We’ve not had the best start to the season and I think that’s why I was quite reserved.

“Even though it was a worldie goal, if you start celebrating too much it can bite you on the bum.

“I probably celebrated more when Ian Draycott scored the winner in the last minute.

“That’s when I let it all out because I knew we were going to win the game.

“The three points puts us mid-table and makes the table look a lot better going into the break.”

Vincent chalked up 500 appearances for Folkestone last year having made his debut in the 2008/9 campaign.

Last season’s Isthmian Premier play-off push was curtailed by the Covid-19 pandemic and in trying to get in top shape for 2020/21, Vincent suffered a heel injury that he’s been nursing ever since.

He said: “I felt so good last year, I was fit and scoring goals, and I really wanted to build on that.

“I was going for 5, 10, 20k runs but did so much road-running I ended up with the injury. I feel like I’m walking on a pebble the whole time.

“I have steroid cortisone jabs every six weeks to manage the pain, so I can play.

"I probably shouldn’t be playing but you don’t know how many years you have left and I just want to keep going.

“The level we play you’ve sometimes got to play through injury because we’ve never had a massive squad.

"We’re not playing at the moment and the only way to stay fit is to keep running, so I’m constantly upsetting it, but I think it’s a lot better than it was.

"The softer ground will suit me - I’ve always preferred that.”