A header from captain James Dryden and a first senior goal from left back Josh Burchell gave Folkestone Invicta a 2-0 win away to Walton & Hersham at Stompond Lane on Tuesday night.

Record goalscorer DRYDEN opened the scoring in the 43rd minute when he headed in a Jimmy Jackson corner from the right. It was Dryden’s sixth goal in his last seven Ryman League Division One South matches and his 133rd in total for the club.

And BURCHELL made it 2-0 in the 77th minute when he followed up to tuck the rebound away and open his senior account just days after his 19th birthday. The teenager had initially hit the post with a lob over goalkeeper Antony Hall when a great ball from James Everitt on the left flank sent him away through the middle.

It could have got even better for the Folkestone side during stoppage time as a stunning 25-yard Dryden strike came back off the underside of the crossbar.

And Dryden then let fly from the left hand side of the penalty area, but goalkeeper Hall did well to touch the ball round the post for a corner right on the final whistle.

Invicta kept the same starting line up which had been beaten 2-1 at home to Leatherhead at the weekend and went on to record their first away win since a Tayler Thomas goal gave them victory down the road at Walton Casuals at the end of November.

Indeed, Invicta’s last four victories have now come against clubs beginning with W!

A 17th minute Darren Smith shot rolled wide of the far post from the left hand side of the penalty area after goalkeeper Jack Delo’s clearance was allowed to creep through.

Josh Vincent hooked the ball back across goal in the 30th minute when goalkeeper Hall spilt a Jackson free kick and the ball was cleared for a corner, with centre half Frankie Chappell in the middle trying to force it in.

A 25-yard Smith free kick then flew over the crossbar two minutes later following a harsh handball decision against Stevie Gilbert.

The home side had threatened little, but Vincent had to head clear a 36th minute Scott Hassell cross into the penalty area.

And at the other end, it was a Vincent ball in from the right that led to Invicta’s opening goal following a move also involving Burchell, James Everitt and Jackson.

The Swans responded and Delo made a good 45h minute save from Hassell at the expense of a corner.

Home centre half Andy Wylde got across to thwart Dryden in the 55th minute when Smith charged down Gilbert’s attempted clearance, went past Louis Clark and squared the ball across.

And Burchell’s reward for his foraging forward gave the visitors breathing space. It was only the third in their past 20 matches that Invicta have scored at least twice and the lack of a second goal had previously cost them dear in recent weeks.

Matt Elverson fired a low 86th minute shot wide for the home side when substitute Byron Brown pulled the ball back from the left.

But Invicta finished the game on top as Gilbert dispossessed James Everitt when a touch from Dryden threatened to put his hard-working striking partner through.

And Dryden himself then had his two late chances after 18-year-old substitute Jon Driscoll got his first brief taste of Ryman League football.

There were bookings for Walton & Hersham’s Julian Owusu-Bekoe (shooting after being given offside in the seventh minute), captain Dan Nwanze (51st minute challenge on Jackson), Clark (dissent in the 58th minute) and Wylde (bringing down Dryden in the 83rd minute) and for Invicta’s Vincent (kicking the ball forward after it had gone out for a throw in after 73 minutes).

WALTON & HERSHAM: Hall, Gilbert, Hassell, Clark, Wylde, Elverson (Smith 61 mins), Ferguson, Dunne (Wilkinson 71 mins), Owusu-Bekoe (Brown 61 mins), Doherty, Nwanze. Unused subs: Boswell, Cheadle.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Delo, J. Everitt (Driscoll 90 mins), Burchell, Friend, Chappell, Dickson, M. Everitt, Vincent, Dryden, Smith, Jackson. Unused sub: Dix.

Attendance: 101.