Folkestone Invicta were beaten 1-0 away to Faversham Town in Tuesday night's pre-season friendly at Salters Lane when much-travelled centre half Lee Shearer headed in the only goal of the game after 58 minutes.

One-time Invicta player SHEARER rose to meet a corner from the right hand side to settle the game in the Kent League club's favour. The 30-year-old defender joined Faversham during the summer after being a part of the Maidstone side which sent Invicta down from the Ryman Premier League on the final day of last season.

Invicta were desperately close to an equaliser during stoppage time when substitute Shane Spearpoint and striker James Dryden both hit the post within seconds of the final whistle.

Spearpoint headed against the upright when Craig Wilkins played the ball across from the right hand side and Dryden followed up to whack the ball against the same post in a move started by Lee Gledhill.

Invicta's travelling supporters were given a first look at new signings Wilkins (right) and right back Nick Humphrey and substitute goalkeeper Nav Jevrons.

Wilkins started the game at centre half before moving up front alongside former Dover team mate Dryden when defender Matt Bourne (left) replaced James Corbett during the first half.

Faversham themselves included well-known Folkestone-based players Roy Guiver and Damian Abel in their starting line up.

On a sunny evening, it was Abel who whipped in a cross from the right as early as the third minute which was put wide of the post by an acrobatic overhead kick from Dane Luchford.

Luchford then hit a good 25-yard strike over the crossbar in the 15th minute.

For Invicta, a well-struck Corbett chip had Rob Hudson back-peddling in the 21st minute, but the home goalkeeper was able to keep the ball out.

A great 26th minute ball from Wilkins sent young Josh Burchell clear down the left hand side, but Faversham centre half Guiver was able to get across and clear the danger at the expense of a corner.

Micheal Everitt shot well wide in the 29th minute when the ball cannoned into his path off the unfortunate Dave Souton after Burchell's ball across from he left came back out in a move started by Gledhill on the right.

At the other end, James Everitt cleared from close to the line in the 30th minute when Abel headed the ball down back across goal at the far post after a deep cross from the left.

Invicta substitute Kieron Byrne nearly made an instant impact when he shot against the outside of the post from a tight angle down the left hand side of the six-yard box after 35 minutes.

Wilkins could not get the ball under control from Gledhill's inviting 39th minute ball in and Gledhill himself curled the ball at Hudson a minute later after Wilkins took down a James Everitt ball very well.

James Everitt (right) then did well to create a chance for himself in the 50th minute but Shearer blocked his subsequent shot.

Bourne's headed clearance was allowed to put Dryden (left) through four minutes later, but a combination of a touch from goalkeeper Hudson and a clearance from right back Chris Eather kept the striker's chip ball out of the goal.

A 56th minute Abel shot from just outside the penalty area forced a corner from Invicta goalkeeper Luke Stonebridge following a Guiver ball.

There were then chances at both ends as Luchford could not get the ball under control when he found himself in space inside the Inivcta penalty area and Hudson held a Wilkins shot.

Shearer's goal was to break the deadlock and prove decisive for a Faversham side enjoying a high profile start to their summer after home defeats against Dover athletic (0-1) and Gillingham (0-8).

Invicta responded as Burchell's cross from the left hand side just eluded Wilkins in the middle.

Hudson made a point blank 63rd minute save to deny Wilkins when the Faversham goalkeeper had initially spilled a Gledhill cross whilst under pressure from James Everitt.

Wilkins could not quite lift the ball over Hudson when James Everitt broke from midfield in the 78th minute and a Dryden header bounced down and over the crossbar from substitute Danny Smith's corner three minutes later.

Gledhill's 84th minute ball in was touched over the crossbar by goalkeeper Hudson following a short corner with Byrne on the right hand side. At the other end, Luchford cut in from the left hand side and shot at substitute goalkeeper Jevrons a minute later.

Invicta were close to saving the day during stoppage time when Dryden whipped in a free kick just in front of Bourne in the middle.

And the visitors could not have come closer when both Spearpoint and Dryden hit the post at the end.

FAVERSHAM TOWN: Hudson, Eather (Sparks 72 mins), Yorath (Summers 72 mins), O'Leary (Brown 10 mins), Guiver, Shearer, Abel, Souton, Strouts, Rowland (Ives 52 mins), Luchford.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Stonebridge (Jevrons 67 mins), Gledhill, Burchell (Smith 67 mins), Friend, Wilkins, M. Everitt (Byrne 34 mins), Spiller (Spearpoint 79 mins), J. Everitt, Dryden, Humphrey, Corbett (Bourne 24mins).

Attendance: Not known.