Two goals from Andy Howell gave ten-men Aveley victory in Saturday's relegation battle in what turned out to be an acrimonious encounter at the Buzzlines Stadium.

Howell struck twice either side of the visitors having striker Josh Llewllyn sent off at the start of the second half for a headbutt on Liam Friend and James Everitt equalising for the home side.

This was Invicta's first home game of 2011 and their first home Saturday Ryman Premier League game since October 2nd and defeat leaves the Folkestone club deep in trouble at the wrong end of the table.

Invicta went into the game with Liam Dickson, Robbie Kember and Simon Austin coming back into the starting eleven in place of Josh Burchell, Micheal Everitt and Allan Tait (who scored the only goal of the game on his debut for Kingstonian at Billericay). New signings Sam Gore and Antonio Gonnella also made their home debuts.

Chances were few and far between in the early part of the game before Invicta's James Everitt became the game's first booking in the 27th minute.

Aveley goalkeeper Dave McCartney then touched the ball round the post for a corner when Austin met a Gonnella cross from the right with a volley on his 50th starting appearance for the club.

But it was the visitors who opened the scoring in the 30th minute when HOWELL smashed the ball in off the underside of the crossbar after a free kick had been touched on.

Invicta responded but neither Everitt nor captain Frankie Chappell could get sufficient contact on the ball in a goalmouth scramble after a corner from the right.

Like Invicta, Aveley have been languishing near the bottom of the table since the start of the season but recently appointed manager Carl Griffiths has signed several new players to try and turn things around.

Two of those players combined in the 42nd minute as Junior Dadson raced past Dickson down the right after receiving the ball from Lawrence Yiga but Invicta goalkeeper Jack Delo came out to save at the expense of a corner.

And Orlando Smith shot at Delo from the edge of the penalty area two minutes later after a run by Llewllyn down the left.

Invicta made a positive change for the second half as Everitt moved up from right back to join James Dryden and Austin in attack.

Austin accelerated down the left hand side just after the interval and played a low ball across goal.

And Aveley were reduced to ten men in the 50th minute when Llewllyn was given a straight red card for thrusting his head at Friend after the two had locked horns following a foul by the Invicta central defender.

The strong Yiga then had to lead the line unilaterally for Aveley and the former Margate striker hit a good 51st minute shot on the turn that Delo touched round the post for a corner.

There were further fireworks in the 58th minute when Friend escaped punishment as he appeared to pull Dadson back as he raced through and Yiga was then booked for a late challenge on Dickson as home supporters bayed for a second red card.

A 62nd minute shot from Yiga then warmed Delo's hands after a move involving Dadson, Danny Slatter and Smith.

But Invicta were desperately unlucky two minutes later when an inviting Kember free kick was met by a Dryden volley that came back off the inside of the post.

Invicta were then level in the 67th minute when EVERITT headed the ball in after the ball deflected off an Aveley defender and onto the crossbar following a shot from a Burchell corner on the right.

The momentum was now with Invicta and a stretching Dryden could only get slight contact on a ball into the penalty area two minutes after the goal.

But Aveley regained their lead in the 71st minute when HOWELL put the ball over Delo and into the net after the goalkeeper had come out following a ball down the left hand side but found himself in 'no-man's-land'.

There was a further scare for Invicta in the 78th minute when Yiga played the ball out to Dadson on the right and Delo saved the initial shot and then scooped the ball away from the line.

Play quickly switched to the other end as Austin cut in from the left hand side but blasted his shot high and wide.

An 80th minute Dryden shot in a crowded goalmouth was deflected for a Burchell corner from which Friend headed across goal with Austin just unable to turn it in at the far post.

Aveley goalkeeper Dave McCartney was booked for time wasting ten minutes from time in a highly charged finale.

But Invicta could not turn their numerical advantage into further goals and Delo denied Howell a hat-trick with an 87th minute one-handed save when Yiga slid the ball through.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Delo, J. Everitt, Gore (Burchell 52 mins), Friend, Chappell, Edge, Kember, Dickson, Dryden, Austin, Gonnella (Webb 84 mins). Unused subs: M. Evberitt, Guiver, Tyson.

AVELEY: McCartney, Andrews, Read, Russell, Udoji, Slatter, Smith, Howell, Llewllyn, Yiga, Dadson. Unused subs: Thompson, Stanley, Stuart-Evans, Layiwola.

Attendance: 252.