Folkestone Invicta found Croydon Athletic to be too strong as the visitors won 2-0 at the Buzzlines Stadium on the opening day of the Ryman Premier League season.

The fixture paired the two clubs promoted from the Ryman League Division One South last season and the Rams signalled their intent by taking an early grip on the game.

First half goals from Ben Godfrey and Sam Long put the south London side in the driving seat before Invicta rallied somewhat during the second half to stem the tide.

GODFREY opened the scoring as early as the seventh minute when he put the ball in after Invicta defender Liam Friend had cleared a right wing Long cross from close to the line.

And LONG himself made it 2-0 in the 34th minute when he waltzed through the Invicta defence and slotted the ball into the net.

Invicta's squad was always going to be stretched for this opening game as Micheal Eveirt and Robbie Kember (suspended), James Everitt (back injury) and Josh Burchell (unavailable, pictured) were missing.

And the Folkestone side had to make another change as record goalscorer James Dryden, who was due to captain the side, broke down in training on Thursday night.

Roland Edge was thus skipper on his return to the club, just as he was when Invicta were last in the Premier League in the 2007-08 season.

And 19-year-old Adam Slegg, recently released by Sunderland, being an unexpected new face in the Invicta starting line up, with Peter Williams operating in an unfamiliar left wing back role during the first half.

But it was the visitors who dominated the opening exchanges as Rory Hill shot wide across goal from the left hand side after a through ball from Charlie Taylor and Invicta goalkeeper Jack Delo got across to keep out a Long shot.

And Godfey's early goal gave Tim O'Shea's side just the start that they wanted.

Delo then made a great 12th minute save to keep out a shot from Jermaine Wright, a summer signing from Blackpool.

Long was finding space down the right hand side and got clear again in the 22nd minute when Frankie Chappell got ahead of Godfrey to put the ball out for a corner.

Joe Howe cleared when Paul Jones played the ball into the penalty area as Invicta briefly made in-roads in the 33rd minute.

But Long soon increased the visitors' lead.

Invicta brought on Luke Webb for his senior debut at half time as the former New Romney player slotted in at left back, with Williams pushing forward.

Another Long shot was deflected for a corner early in the second half.

But Invicta then won their first corner of the game in the 52nd minute when a Webb cross was headed out. And Chris Piper cleared off the line from Williams after Webb's subsequent ball in from the right hand side.

Webb then did well at the other end two minutes later when he got across to clear when Hill found Godfrey in the penalty area and the striker made space again.

Club captain Piper was pulling the strings for the Rams in midfield and showed skill inside the Invicta penalty area in the 73rd minute after receiving the ball from substitute Gary Noel.

A Howe shot was then deflected by Chappell after a move involving Piper and Wright.

Invicta gave a first senior outing to Dan Morrison, who had scored pre-season at Ramsgate, as they kept plugging away.

But this was Croydon Athletic's day and last season's Division One South's top goalscorer Noel blasted high and wide from the left hand side of the penalty area in the 86th minute.

There were bookings for Invicta defender Liam Dickson and for Croydon Athletic strikers Taylor and Godfrey.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Delo, Vincent, Williams, Friend, Chappell, Edge, Smith, Dickson (Morrison 81 mins), Jones, Slegg (Webb 45 mins), Austin. Unused subs: Bartrum, Jackson, Tyson.

CROYDON ATHLETIC: Little, Howe, Green, Wright, Hutchinson, Judge, Long (Bolarinwa 75 mins), Piper, Godfrey, Taylor (Noel 74 mins), Hill (Waldren 85 mins). Unused subs: G. Williams, Dolan.

Attendance: 326.