Folkestone Invicta slumped to a disappointing 2-0 home defeat as bottom-of-the-table Crowborough Athletic recorded their first ever away win in the Ryman League Division One South at a wet Buzzlines Stadium .

Striker Gavin Gordon scored both goals for the East Sussex club to stun Invicta’s new-look side which has now gone four matches without a win since news of the club’s cash crisis led to changes in the playing staff.

Local lads Josh Burchell, Liam Dickson and Kieran Byrne all made their first starting appearances in a senior home fixture after coming into the side during a run of three consecutive away matches.

And James Everitt (right) was back from a three-match suspension to start at right back, with Tayler Thomas starting on the substitutes’ bench.

Byrne shot into the side netting in the opening minutes and Crowborough’s Matt Foreman got back to block from Micheal Everitt in the tenth minute after a good move involving James Corbett, James Dryden and Byrne.

Top goalscorer Dryden was then guilty of a glaring 17th minute miss when he shot over after a flowing move which saw Jimmy Jackson combine with Corbett down the left hand side to send the advancing Josh Burchell into the penalty area to pull the ball back.

A goal then might have made it a different afternoon for the Folkestone side.

But they were soon behind as GORDON followed up to score from close range in the 19th minute when Foreman made room for himself inside the penalty area and forced a one-handed save from home goalkeeper Charlie Mitten.

Luke Gedling then played a dangerous 24th minute ball across the Invicta penalty area as the visitors went forward again.

At the other end, captain Dryden hit a 26th minute free kick just over the crossbar from 20 yards after a foul on Burchell.

Dryden did have the ball in the net in the 37th minute but the referee had already blown for a foul on goalkeeper Oldroyd following a Jackson free kick on the right.

Byrne then headed at Oldroyd during first half stoppage time from a Jackson corner on the right, but Invicta went in at half time behind.

The home side went 4-4-2 for the second half as Thomas came on for defender Dickson.

But Crowborough increased their lead in the 56th minute when GORDON struck again at the far post after Foreman found Kieran Wilson down the left hand side and the latter’s cross flashed in front of Luke Fontana in the middle before eventually reaching Gordon.

Gordon missed out on the chance of a hat-trick in the 63rd minute when he was given on-side and put through the middle, but Mitten saved at the expense of a corner.

It was proving to be an uncomfortable afternoon for Invicta and defender Liam Friend (above, left) headed over from close range in the 71st minute when Byrne sent over a deep cross from the left after Dryden had played the ball out wide.

James Everitt was pushed forward into attack when Josh Vincent came on at right back to replace Jackson for the final ten minutes.

But it was Crowborough who had the better of the late chances as substitute Brendan Sebuliba shot wide following a dangerous 85th minute move involving Gedling and Wilson and Gordon shot wide a minute later after shrugging off Burchell when Wilson dispossessed Taylor at the other end and played the ball forward.

And Foreman shot wastefully over the crossbar when put clean through down the middle during stoppage time as Crowborough threatened to score again.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Mitten, J. Everitt, Burchell, Friend, Chappell, Dickson (Thomas 45 mins), M. Everitt, Corbett, Dryden, Byrne, Jackson (Vincent 80 mins). Unused subs: Bourne, Lindsey, Dix.

CROWBOROUGH ATHLETIC: Oldroyd, Boddy, Soutar (Pallett 86 mins), Harris, Sinclair, Foreman, Wilson, Gedling, Gordon, Fontana (Sebuliba 76 mins, Campbell 90 mins), Ducille.

Attendance: 220.