Folkestone Invicta moved seven points clear at the top of the Ryman League Division One South thanks to a first half header from Frankie Chappell in Boxing Day afternoon's East Kent derby against Ashford Town at a wet Buzzlines Stadium.

Centre half CHAPPELL scored the only goal of the game with a looping 37 th minute header on a heavy pitch in front of a bumper 522 crowd, the highest in the division so far this season.

The goal crowned 21-year-old Chappell's 100 th starting appearance for the club he re-joined from Welling United during October 2008 when the Folkestone club's financial plight initially came to the fore.

Chappell struck with his fifth goal of the season to become Invicta's joint leading goalscorer when a Jimmy Jackson free kick was headed back into the penalty area by a visiting defender after initially having being partially cleared.

The set piece had been awarded following a foul on Josh Burchell by Ashford full back Steve Springett.

It was the second successive year that this Christmas derby had been settled by a header following a set piece after Danny Lye had headed in directly from a second half Ryan Briggs corner to give Ashford victory at The Homelands in 2008.

That festive encounter had been played on a bitterly cold afternoon, whilst this year's match will be remembered for its pre-match rain.

Chappell had also scored the only goal of the game when Invicta won 1-0 at home to Hastings United during his first spell with the club in the Ryman Premier League on Boxing Day 2007.

Second-placed Worthing's 3-1 defeat at Burgess Hill stretched Invicta's lead at the top of the table to seven points.

The Folkestone side are now unbeaten in 13 league matches since their solitary defeat so far this season at home to third-placed Godalming Town.

A second successive 1-0 home victory gives Invicta eight wins by that single goal margin so far this season.

Neil Cugley's side have now recorded 12 clean sheets in their 25 games in all competitions and 11 in their 21 league matches as they reach the half way stage of what has been a remarkable first half to the campaign.

Invicta's starting eleven remained unchanged for an 11 th successive game in this top versus bottom encounter.

And the Folkestone side will feel that they could and perhaps should have won by more than the single goal as Ashford threatened to save the day during the closing stages.

The home side had earlier threatened to increase their lead when visiting goalkeeper Darren Ibrahim denied Darren Smith following an advantage following a foul by Lee Hockey and the Invicta midfielder was close again on two other occasions.

There was also a late chance for substitute James Dryden who could only shoot back across goal when Josh Vincent played a good ball in from the right hand side.

Ashford's best chances had fallen to striker Mark Swaiseland during the second half who shot over home goalkeeper Jack Delo but wide of the far post from the left hand side and was then denied by a Delo save.

There were bookings for Ashford's Springett and Hockey.

The 522 attendance was the highest in the Ryman League Division One South so far this season, the third time that Invicta have set a new high following their 338 and 365 gates at home to Whitstable Town and Worthing respectively.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA : Delo, Vincent, Burchell, Friend, Chappell, M. Everitt, Smith, Dickson, J. Everitt (Dryden 81 mins), Austin (Williams 87 mins), Jackson. Unused subs : Henson, Bartram.

ASHFORD TOWN : Ibrahim, Harrold, Springett, Hockey, Harvey, Briggs (Rolan 65 mins), Newman (Murphy 65 mins), Lye, Lovell, Swaiseland (Smith 82 mins), Sherwood. Unused subs : Scorer, Mason.

Attendance : 522.