As David Smith found the net in the 1st half of Tuesday night’s 2-2 draw with Cray Wanderers he joined a select group of footballers to have reached the 50 goal mark for Folkestone Invicta.

Just 14 names make the list of players to have notched a half century for the club, or at least that we are able to document.

After joining the club in the summer of 2020 following the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, Dave scored his 1st goal for the club in a 2-1 defeat to Worthing at Cheriton Road. He would go on to score times before the league was shut down again in November 2020.

It was the following season that Dave then bagged 35 goals in 60 games as he formed a formidable partnership with Ade Yusuff, who himself sits 3rd on the list. Dave again opened his season scoring at Cheriton Road against Worthing, this time in a 3-1 victory.

Dave’s 1st and only hat trick for the club came in a 4-4 draw at Haringey Borough on the final day of the Isthmian League season.

The season came to a conclusion with Dave scoring his 35th goal in the Kent Senior Cup Final against Dartford at Chatham Town, his final goal before departing for National League side Bromley.

Upon his return to the club in the summer of 2023, Dave again proved to be an opening day specialist, grabbing the final goal in a 4-0 win away at Wingate & Finchley.

Another 8 goals so far sees Dave become our top scorer so far this season as he reaches the half century.

Goals by Competition:

Breaking Dave’s goals down by competition shows he is a true Isthmian Premier Division Bagsman:

43 of Dave’s 50 goals have come in the league, just 7 in cup competitions.

Both of Dave’s FA Cup goals have come in convincing away wins: 4-1 at Wingate & Finchley and 7-2 at Ashford Town (Middlesex).

All 3 goals in the Kent Senior Cup came en route to the final in 2022 as Dave scored in the quarterfinal against Ebbsfleet, the semifinal away to Hythe Town and in the final against Dartford.

Home or Away

It might shock people to know that Dave’s goalscoring record is very much stacked in favour of him scoring away from Cheriton Road.

Just 18 of Dave’s 50 goals have come on home soil, that’s only just over a third of them.

62% have come on the road, Dave netting 31 times at 19 different venues across the south east of England.

Dave’s goal in the Kent Senior Cup final coming at a neutral venue to make up the 50 and take the total number of ground he has found the net at for Invicta to 21.

The 50

Here is a full list of the 50 goals. Any that could be found on YouTube are clickable, for those who wish to reminisce.

Congratulations to Dave on reaching the milestone and we look forward to reporting back soon once he reaches 100!