Goals in the final quarter of an hour from Josh Vincent and James Dryden gave Folkestone Invicta victory as Neil Cugley’s side returned to winning ways on their first visit to Moatside at Merstham.

Vincent got the important opening breakthrough with his first senior goal and the club’s record goalscorer Dryden made the points safe.

Right back VINCENT broke the deadlock in the 78th minute when he got forward and was put clear when Dryden touched on a free kick from deep inside the Invicta half.

And captain DRYDEN increased the lead in the 83rd minute when he capitalised on a backheader from defender Chris Boulter and dinked the ball over goalkeeper Ian Chatfield and into the net.

Invicta had enjoyed the better of the play for much of the game on a sunny but windy afternoon.

Play-off challenging Merstham gave now lost three consecutive games after a previous 13-match unbeaten run.

Invicta kept the same starting line up which had gone down 1-0 down the road at Chipstead in midweek.

And despite playing against the wind, Invicta created the vast majority of the first half chances.

A second minute Jimmy Jackson free kick from the right hand side of the Merstham penalty area flew past the far post after a handball decision.

Invicta left back Josh Burchell shot over when the ball was played back to him in the 18th minute and a Jacob Arnold-Smith cross-shot then came off the Merstham crossbar from the right hand side a minute later.

A 20th minute Dryden header was then saved by home goalkeeper Chatfield from a Burchell cross on the left.

Merstham had threatened little during the first half, though a deep 35th minute Michael Morgan cross from the left just eluded striker Kwabena Agyei at the far post.

Vincent forced Invicta’s first corner of the game in the 43rd minute when his shot from the right was saved by Chatfield after an Arnold-Smith ball.

The stalemate continued during the second half as a well-struck Darren Smith shot flew past the post from 20 yards in the 66th minute.

Invicta goalkeeper Jack Delo was called into action in the 71st minute when he touched a Ronnie Green shot over the crossbar.

A Kevin Lock ball then sent Green racing away a minute later but Invicta centre half Liam Friend got back to clear at the expense of a corner.

Dean Gunner played a 77th minute ball into the Invicta penalty area but defender Liam Dickson was thereto clear.

As the game headed towards a goalless draw, it was Invicta’s turn to win the three points after they had gone down to fairly late goal at Chipstead.

Micheal Everitt was the game’s only booking on his 300th starting appearance for Invicta when he tugged Green on the edge of the penalty area in the 82nd minute. Mark Simmons’ subsequent free kick went just wide of the post.

MERSTHAM: Chatfield, Hancock, Gunner, Boulter, Vernon, Read (Dean 45 mins), Morgan (Francis 45 mins), Simmons, Agyei, Lock (Gordon 75 mins), Green. Unused subs: Walters, Oxley, Coleman.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Delo, Vincent, Burchell, Friend, Chappell, Dickson, M. Everitt, Arnold-Smith, Dryden, Smith, Jackson. Unused subs: Driscoll, Swallow, Dix, Conyers.

Attendance: 168.

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Photos courtesy of www.simonroephotography.co.uk, with thanks.