Folkestone Invicta were left wondering just how they had been beaten as they went down to an 88th minute winner from Godalming substitute Andy Ottley at a sunny but cold Buzzlines Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Invicta had opened the scoring after just 12 seconds through captain James Dryden and went on to create numerous chances, hitting the post twice and the crossbar once.

But the home side were unable to extend their lead and were rocked as Glen Stanley equalised in the 73rd minute and the visitors grabbed all three points with a classic counter attacking goal.

The home side could not have asked for a better start as from the kick off Jimmy Jackson played the ball out to right back James Everitt, who found Darren Smith before it fell to Kieran Byrne who ran at the visiting defence and provide the chance for DRYDEN to rifle home.

It was club record goalscorer Dryden’s third goal in consecutive matches after a previous drought of seven matches.

That Invicta did not score again for the remainder of the game now seems hard to believe.

Invicta goalkeeper Jack Delo recorded to save from Todor Buzov after initially clearing the ball to the Godalming player in the sixth minute.

But there was a certain feelgood factor about Invicta during the first half as Byrne shot over in the ninth minute and Smith hit it wide two minutes later.

Luke Pigden hit a 23rd minute free kick at Delo from distance and Delo saved from Stanley four minutes later when striker Shawn Beveney played the ball in from the left to Brahim Eloumani.

But Invicta were soon to enjoy another good spell as centre half Liam Dickson headed over Smith’s 32nd minute free kick on the left after a foul on Josh Burchell.

The home side then hit the post twice in the 34th minute, firstly via a dipping Dryden shot and then from Micheal Everitt’s rebound following a Byrne pass at the start of the move.

Godalming defender Steve Wales then cleared off the line a minute later when Byrne’s shot rolled towards goal after a Micheal Everitt ball.

Smith then shot just wide of the far post in the 36th minute after a Jackson ball put him through as Invicta created chance after chance.

A Jackson corner from the right hand side at the start of the second half then just eluded Dryden at the far post.

Jackson let fly from just outside the penalty area in the 65th minute, but visiting goalkeeper Rodney Chiweshe touched it over for a corner after Dryden had laid the ball back.

But Godalming were coming back into the game during the second half and STANLEY equalised when he planted the ball into the net to leave Delo rooted to the spot after Beveney had threaded the ball through.

Burchell fired well wide when the ball fell to him on the edge of the penalty area in the 76th minute, while at the other end Delo kept out a point blank header from Buzov after a corner on the left five minutes later.

Invicta were close again in the 82nd minute when Byrne poked the ball at goalkeeper Chiweshe after Dryden had sent him away and seconds later Dryden thumped the ball against the crossbar from the edge of the penalty area after a Byrne ball.

A deep James Everitt ball from the right hand side reached Burchell at the far post, but the left back played the ball back across goal and the chance went begging.

And Godalming snatched victory when Stanley made an incisive run forward and squared the ball across to OTTLEY whose shot across goal went in off the far post.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Delo, J. Everitt, Burchell, Friend, Chappell, Dickson, M. Everitt, Byrne (Neilson 83 mins), Dryden, Smith, Jackson. Unused subs: Vincent, Driscoll Swallow, Egan.

GODALMING TOWN: Chiweshe, Pestle, Kiri, Wales, Matthews, Mariner (Elliott 62 mins), Pigden, Buzov (Ottley 55 mins), Beveney, Eloumani, Stanley. Unused subs: Metwali, Martini.

Attendance: 174.