Folkestone Invicta went out of the F. A. Trophy as their goal drought continued with a 1-0 defeat at home to Hitchin Town at the Buzzlines Stadium in Saturday's Preliminary Round tie.

Striker Jamie Arlick scored the only goal of the game in the 88 th minute as the tie seemed to be heading towards a replay.

20-year-old ARLICK struck when he latched onto a touch from substitute Brett Donnelly and drilled a good low shot into the far corner of the net.

For Invicta it was a fourth consecutive game without a goal after another tight encounter and nine of the Folkestone side's 11 matches so far this season have now produced just one goal or less.

Hitchin, to be fair, had enjoyed the better of the exchanges, and go on to meet Canvey Island in the next round on Saturday October 17 th , having already gone out of the F. A. Cup against the same opposition after a replay earlier this season.

Invicta welcomed Jimmy Jackson (foot) and James Dryden (knee) back into the starting line up, with Liam Dickson reverting back to the substitutes' bench, new signing Simon Austin unavailable and David Cory having been released and set to join Whitstable Town.

The vastly-experienced Jackson was soon in the action with a trademark third minute special from the edge of the penalty area which struck the top of the crossbar. It was to be Invicta's only real effort on goal.

Early treatment to Dryden suggested that the club's record goalscorer was not likely to be firing on all cylinders.

But Hitchin began to settle on a windy afternoon and an 18 th minute shot from top goalscorer Arlick deflected off centre half Frankie Chappell for a corner.

Jeff Hammond then broke down the right hand side in the 22nd minute but home goalkeeper Jack Delo came out to intercept the ball in before it reached Arlick.

Delo then came out to save from Arlick when Ieuan Lewis played the ball through and right back Josh Vincent was there to clear the danger.

Invicta goalkeeper Delo got down to make another save on the half hour mark when Hammond played the ball through to Arlick.

Arlick shot across goal in the 34 th minute and Hammond got nothing for his penalty appeals when he went down under challenge from Vincent.

Hammond then missed a clear chance to open the scoring for Hitchin in the 45 th minute when he shot wastefully over the crossbar after being given on-side to an Arlick ball.

The second half was to see the visitors in the ascendancy, with Invicta doggedly holding on until right near the end.

Jackson cleared from the Invicta line in the 48 th minute when Lewis broke dangerously and played the ball in from the right hand side and Zak Burke blasted over after showing trickery down the left six minutes later.

A good 57 th minute strike from Luke Donnelly had Delo scrambling but the ball went wide and Lewis shot harmlessly over from the right hand side of the penalty area a minute later.

Burke caused more danger in the 68 th minute but Delo saved and Chappell cleared for a corner.

Arlick shot high and wide in the 75 th minute when Lewis put the ball through.

The unsighted Delo kept out substitute Richard Howell's 81 st minute free kick after a foul on Carl Williams and the Invicta goalkeeper then touched Luke Donnelly's shot onto the crossbar and out for a corner.

An 87 th minute Arlick shot flashed wide across goal from the left hand side of the penalty area.

But Arlick was to break the deadlock and decide the outcome a minute later.

There were bookings for Invicta's captain Micheal Everitt, centre half Liam Friend and substitute Jon Driscoll.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA : Delo, Vincent, Burchell, Friend, Chappell, M. Everitt, Smith (Somerville 82 mins), Grant, Dryden, Yianni (Driscoll 84 mins), Jackson. Unused sub : Dickson, Swallow, Egan.

HITCHIN TOWN : Bennett, Reece, Grinham (Gentle-King 45 mins), Williams, Smith, Gilbert, Lewis, Hammond (Howell 73 mins), Arlick, L. Donnelly, Burke (B. Donnelly 84 mins). Unused subs : Velandia, Lee.

Attendance : 255.