A stoppage time header from centre half Frankie Chappell gave Folkestone Invicta another three points as they edged out Metropolitan Police at the Buzzlines Stadium on Tuesday night.

A tight game had seemed to be heading towards a goalless draw until CHAPPELL headed in a Jimmy Jackson corner from the right to give Invicta a fifth successive Ryman League Division One South win.

It was an early present for Chappell, who turns 21 on Friday, a birthday he shares with manager Neil Cugley.

The young defender is now joint top goalscorer for the Folkestone side so far this season with three goals along with Darren Smith and James Everitt and Chappell is the only Invicta player to have scored in three separate matches.

Goals from several different players to win closely-fought games and a lack of goals conceded have been the characteristics of Invicta's great run which has taken them to second place in the table behind Worthing who visit the Buzzlines Stadium on Saturday.

It was a night of milestones for Invicta players as captain Micheal Everitt set a new club record of 325 starting appearances for his hometown club and left back Josh Burchell made his 50 th starting appearance.

Metropolitan Police fielded Lee Gledhill, Nick Humphrey and Craig Wilkins, who had all started last season with Invicta before having to leave during October 2008 when the extent of the Folkestone club's financial woes was first revealed. Wilkins had to limp off before half time, to be replaced by Laurent Hamici.

Invicta again kept the same starting line up and clear chances were few and far between during the first half.

Gledhill got in before striker Simon Austin to clear Smith's 21 st minute ball in from the right and James Everitt blasted his shot over the crossbar from the right hand side of the penalty area when Smith nodded the ball on three minutes later.

Chappell could not get enough power on his header at goalkeeper James Courtnage when Jackson played a 30 th minute ball in and Smith hit a low shot at the visitors' goalkeeper when Jackson played Invicta's first corner of the game back to the edge of the penalty area in the 42 nd minute.

Burchell was wide with a good 50 th minute chance for Invicta when James Everitt played a low ball across from the right when Josh Vincent hit a good pass to send him away.

Smith then curled a 57 th minute shot just over the crossbar from 25 yards when Burchell played the ball in to Austin.

At the other end, Metropolitan Police had enjoyed some good possession without really troubling home goalkeeper Jack Delo.

Delo, though, was called into action when he saved from Hamici after a hanging cross from Gledhill was headed on by Humphrey.

The visitors began to carry more of an attacking threat as Craig Brown cut in from the left after receiving a 66 th minute ball from Nathan Simpson and his shot was deflected across the Invicta goal and past the far post for a corner.

Humphrey then headed wide when Gledhill played another ball into the middle of the penalty area from the right hand side following a short corner.

And Brown broke down the right hand side and struck the top of the Invicta crossbar in the 78 th minute with a cross-shot.

James Everitt latched onto a big 80 th minute clearance from Delo, but Metropolitan Police goalkeeper Courtnage came out to make a brave save at his feet.

Visiting captain Steve Sutherland then got back to dispossess Austin when Chappell and James Everitt both headed the ball on in the 82 nd minute. An Invicta free kick inside the penalty area for a back pass came to nothing as the stalemate continued.

Lee Blackburn was close for Metropolitan Police and won a stoppage time corner when the ball came in from the right hand side.

But it was Invicta who once again prevailed thanks to Chappell's last ditch header.

Metropolitan Police left back Simpson was the game's only booking for a first half foul.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA : Delo, Vincent, Burchell, Friend, Chappell, M. Everitt, Smith, Dickson, J. Everitt, Austin (Driscoll 89 mins), Jackson. Unused subs : Somerville, Williams, Stonebridge.

METROPOLITAN POLICE : Courtnage, Gledhill, Simpson, Sutherland, Humphrey, Blackburn, Brown, Lampton (Greenway 73 mins), Wilkins (Hamici 38 mins), Jermy (Edwards 87 mins), Drewett. Unused subs : Kiganda, Packham.

Attendance : 209.