An 81 st minute goal from striker Simon Austin kept Folkestone Invicta top of the Ryman League Division One South with a slender 1-0 victory over Whyteleafe at Church Road on Saturday afternoon.

Recent signing AUSTIN planted the ball into the corner of the net to open his account for the club when Darren Smith made a run into the penalty area to pull the ball back after a ball forward from defender Liam Friend.

A second late winner on successive Saturdays sparkled Invicta celebrations as Austin became the 11 th different player to score for the club this season as they maintained their unbeaten away record so far this season.

The Folkestone side had Jack Delo back in a goal after a two-match absence, but the club's record goalscorer was out with an ankle injury which gave a full starting debut to last Saturday's match winner Peter Williams.

A 12 th minute shot from Danny Oakins was deflected off an Invicta defender to give the home side the game's first corner.

At the other end, a 25-yardshot from Smith carried harmlessly through to goalkeeper Robert O'Hara when captain Micheal Everitt won the ball in midfield after 17 th minutes.

And O'Hara did well in the 19 th minute to keep out Smith's far post header when Austin played an inviting ball in from the left hand side of the penalty area after Everitt had gained possession once more.

Whyteleafe responded as a good ball from Darryl Coleman sent Sam Butler away down the left hand side but Invicta right back Josh Vincent got enough on the shot for it not to trouble goalkeeper Delo.

Delo was called into action again a minute later when another good ball picked out Butler again down the left and his fiercely struck shot was palmed away by Delo.

Invicta defender Friend took the ball forward in the 22 nd minute and his 25-yard shot flew just wide of the post.

Smith then played Invicta's first corner of the game from the left back to Josh Burchell four minutes later and the defender's subsequent spectacular strike went wide of the post from the edge of the penalty area.

Whyteleafe's Coleman then headed over Butler's 29 th minute corner from the right hand side into the middle of the penalty area.

Invicta had another chance just before half time when left back Burchell played the ball in just ahead of Austin in the middle.

The visitors went 4-4-2 for the second half as Dean Grant replaced defender Liam Dickson.

But it looked for long periods as though the game would finish goalless.

Home striker Leon McDowall cut in from the right hand side and shot at Delo after receiving the ball from Coleman in the 65 th minute and centre half Frankie Chappell blocked from Coleman at the expense of a corner seven minutes later when Mark Hammond picked Butler out on the left and Delo palmed his cross-shot back out.

Invicta themselves were chasing a winner as Jackson's 75 th minute ball in from the right flew just in front of Williams in the middle and Jackson then shot at goalkeeper O'Hara from the edge of the penalty area four minutes later when Vincent did well to win the ball on the right.

And Austin's goal gave Invicta their fifth1-0 win of the season as they held out for an eighth clean sheet in 14 matches so far this season after conceding in their previous four games.

James Everitt returned from injury as a late substitute and new signing Craig Thompson was also given another late run out.

WHYTELEAFE : O'Hara, Aldhous, Coleman (Sidwell 79 mins), Oakins, Coleman, Royston, Goodchild, Hammond (Conroy 86 mins), McDowall. Wilson, Butler. Unused subs : Fleming, Duff, Dilley.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA : Delo, Vincent, Burchell, Friend, Chappell, M. Everitt, Smith, Dickson (Grant 45 mins), Williams (J. Everitt 81 mins), Austin (Thompson 86 mins), Jackson. Unused sub : Dix.

Attendance : 115.