Folkestone Invicta gained a morale-boosting point away to league leaders Kingstonian on Saturday afternoon in front of a 323 crowd.

Captain James Dryden had given Invicta the lead just before half time, but the Ks equalised early in the second half.

This was arguably Invicta’s biggest away fixture of the season against the former Conference club and F. A. Trophy holders who groundshare the Kingsmeadow Stadium with AFC Wimbledon.

And the young Folkestone side passed the test with admirable colours on what could have been a torrid afternoon for them against the division’s highest goalscorers who had scored six in midweek and four the previous Saturday.

James Everitt (right), at 21, was the oldest of Invicta’s back five as the visitors showed character to bounce back from the previous weekend’s 2-0 home defeat against lowly Crowborough Athletic.

In a day of big scores in the Ryman League Division One South, Crowborough were themselves beaten 7-0 at home to third-placed Dulwich Hamlet and fourth-placed Cray Wanderers won 8-2 at Corinthian-Casuals.

Invicta made one change as Josh Vincent came into the starting line up in place of Kieran Byrne.

Kingstonian made the early running as Liam Collins took the ball off Micheal Everitt and ran on as early as the second minute and shot over the crossbar.

Jamie Beer then shot over the crossbar inside the penalty area in the 12th minute after a move involving Carl Wilson-Denis and Dean Lodge.

But Invicta had a good chance on the quarter of an hour mark when Dryden headed wide from an inviting Liam Friend cross on the left.

One of the game’s big talking points came in the 26th minute when referee Alex Neil appeared to have given the home side what would have been a harsh penalty decision for a challenge on Beer. But the referee then appeared to have changed his mind on the advice of one of his assistants and instead gave Invicta a free kick.

That was much to the fury of the home bench which included coach Martin Tyler, of television fame.

And Invicta might have rubbed salts in Kingstonian’s wounds a minute later when James Corbett shot over when a Vincent nod on threatened to put Dryden through.

Left back Josh Burchell then forced the first corner of the game when home goalkeeper and captain Luke Garrard touched his cross-shot over the crossbar after Corbett played the ball out wide.

Centre half Frankie Chappell headed wide Jimmy Jackson’s subsequent free kick from the right hand side.

At the other end, James Everitt charged down a 39th minute shot from Lodge as Kingstonian won their first corner of the game.

Invicta were to go ahead in the 45th minute when DRYDEN’s mis-kicked effort deflected off defender Nick Rundell after a deep cross from Burchell on the left.

Dryden had scored four goals in Invicta’s previous away fixture at Kingstonian in a 5-1 win on the final day of the 2004-05 season the season which Kingstonian were relegated from the Ryman Premier League.

Kingstonian started the second half strongly as Rundell’s 50th minute free kick on the right was headed at visiting goalkeeper Charlie Mitten by Simon Huckle.

And it was 1-1 in the 52nd minute when LODGE shot into the roof of the net when Wilson-Denis nodded the ball on and striking partner Bobby Traynor played the ball through.

A 57th minute header from the division’s leading goalscorer Traynor then lacked power when Lodge played a good ball in from the right after Collins played the ball out wide.

Dryden shot over on the turn from the right hand side of the penalty for Invicta a minute later.

But Invicta were under pressure midway through the second half as the home side sought a second goal.

Invicta defender Liam Dickson got across to head the ball out for a corner when the ball was dropping to Wilson-Denis close to goal.

The home side then had two clear chances in as many minutes.

First Chappell made an amazing goal line clearance when Traynor went round goalkeeper Mitten in the 67th minute and seemed set to score after getting to substitute Tommy Williams’ bal in before Friend.

And then the dangerous Lodge shot over when a Wilson-Denis ball put him racing in on goal down the left hand side.

But Invicta weathered the storm and had a chance of their own as Vincent was pushed further forward and his 77th minute shot was palmed out by goalkeeper Garrard, with right back Jon Coke getting in before Corbett to clear the rebound for a corner.

Corbett then shot over in the 80th minute when the ball dropped to him inside the penalty area as Invicta edged nearer to a positive result.

The talismanic Dryden even helped out as an emergency centre half for a couple of minutes when Dickson had to leave the field for treatment following a clash with Wilson-Denis.

Kingstonian’s Huckle was the game’s only booking for a 75th minute challenge on James Everitt.

This was Invicta’s third successive away draw and as with the previous trip to Godalming felt very much like a point gained.

KINGSTONIAN: Garrard, Coke (Finnie 80 mins), Rundell, Thompson, Hustwick, Huckle, Beer (Williams 65 mins), Collins, Traynor, Wilson-Denis (Neal 82 mins), Lodge. Unused subs: Lampton, Naughton.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Mitten, J. Everitt, Burchell, Friend, Chappell, Dickson, M. Everitt, Corbett (Byrne 89 mins), Dryden, Vincent, Jackson. Unused subs: Thomas, Towse, Lindsey, Dix.

Attendance: 323.