Folkestone Invicta came away from Whyteleafe with just a point as a controversial second half penalty denied them victory at Church Road on Tuesday night.

Invicta had led 1-0 at half time thanks to a James Everitt header after Andy Pugh had a penalty saved.

But the home side equalised with a 55th minute penalty from Steve MacNAMARA after a barely believable decision from referee P Harris after Sean Rivers had gone down following a cross from left back MacNamara.

Visiting manager Neil Cugley left the field incensed by a late offside decision which had cost his side the chance of a late winner as victory slipped away from the visitors in Surrey.

The major talking point of the first half was the penalty after 17 minutes when goalkeeper Robert Tolfrey brought down Pugh as the striker attempted to go round him after racing onto a Micheal Everitt header.

As debate raged as to whether Tolfrey was fortunate to escape with just a yellow card, the home goalkeeper proceeded to save Pugh’s spot kick and then made it an outstanding double save by also keeping out the subsequent close range rebound.

But EVERITT (right) opened the scoring with a strong 43rd minute header from a Jimmy Jackson free kick with his fourth goal of the season.

In truth, Invicta did not play as well during the second half as the game became scrappy.

In the early exchanges, Jason Goodchild drilled a low second minute shot wide for Whyteleafe, while at the other end a James Everitt shot was blocked by MacNamara after a good move involving strikers James Dryden and Pugh.

Dryden then headed wide a Jackson free kick on the quarter of an hour mark just prior to Pugh’s penalty.

Invicta centre half Liam Friend got forward and unleashed a 22nd minute shot just over the crossbar and a Jackson shot flashed just past the post after 32 minutes.

Dryden also forced a 40th minute corner from goalkeeper Tolfrey with a shot on the turn following a Friend ball.

Whyteleafe started the second half brightly as both Ronnie Green and Denva McKenzie had shots.

And the home side were back on level terms when referee Harris surprised everybody by pointing to the penalty spot.

Invicta centre half Matt Bourne missed a good headed chance on the hour when he did not connect fully to a James Everitt corner.

Whyteleafe’s Green made room for himself a minute later at the other end and hit a low shot just wide of the post from the right hand side of the penalty area.

Pugh shot at Tolfrey from the edge of the penalty area in the 65th minute when Friend played the ball up to Dryden.

As Invicta chased a winner, Dryden thumped a free kick from the edge of the box over the crossbar after a foul on Pugh and the ball was cleared when Pugh and Jackson combined to feed Dryden on the right hand side of the penalty area.

Dryden then headed wide when Pugh played the ball in after 72 minutes.

There were late bookings for Whyteleafe’s Rivers and Invicta’s Bourne and captain Lee Gledhill.

WHYTELEAFE: Tolfrey, Hudson, MacNamara, Reeve (Jabbie 73 mins), Broomhead, Goodchild, Green (Kempster 75 mins), Smith, McKenzie (Harris 77 mins), Scott, Rivers. Unused subs: King, Riley.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Mitten, Gledhill, Green (Walker 82 mins), Friend, Bourne, J. Everitt, M. Everitt, Pugh, Dryden, Humphrey, Jackson. Unused subs: Lindsey, Burchell, Byrne, Jevons.

Attendance: 162