Folkestone Invicta 1-1 Billericay Town

Relegation threatened Folkestone Invicta had to settle for a point against play-off chasing Billericay Town at the Buzzlines Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Invicta opened the scoring through James Everitt in the 30th minute, but the visitors equalised in the 43rd minute through Tony Boot.

Results elsewhere - notably Maidstone's 4-3 win at Tooting – leave luckless Invicta bottom of the Ryman Premier League table with six matches to play.

Home supporters were again left talking about what might have been as Invicta had another first half goal disallowed for offside and two second half penalty appeals waved away.

James Lawson hit a free kick wide for Billericay in the opening minute and Boot shot wide across goal from the right hand side of the penalty area in the eighth minute when captain Micah Hyde played the ball across from the left.

But Invicta were also making in-roads of their own as striker Everitt volleyed over when the ball came out to the right hand edge of the penalty area and Darren Smith shot at big goalkeeper Nick Morgan but not over him down the right hand side of the penalty area as Invicta broke.

Josh Burchell then shot wide across goal with a good 19th minute chance when he beat Greg Oates to a Smith ball from the right.

Defender Frankie Chappell then moved forward and got up well to meet a Smith free kick from the right but Morgan saved again.

But Invicta broke the deadlock when EVERITT slotted the ball into the net after being put through down the middle by elder brother Micheal.

Invicta have now scored in their last ten consecutive Ryman Premier League matches.

Chappell then headed just wide from a 36th minute Smith free kick on the right.

Oates shot over the crossbar from distance for Billericay.

But Invicta had the ball in the net again in the 42nd minute when Josh Vincent followed up after Morgan had spilled another Everitt shot, only for the 'goal' to be ruled out by an assistant referee's flag.

And to rub salt in Invicta's wounds, BOOT equalised a minute later when he headed in from close range after an initial shot had bounced into the ground and the striker was placed on-side by Invicta's last man.

There was an out-of-the-blue flare up in the Billericay penalty area during first half stoppage time when Lawson prevented Invicta captain Everitt from getting up and the two players tangled and were booked by referee David Spain.

Billericay made a double substitution at half time as Harrison Chatting and Marlon Patterson replaced big Cedric Ngakam and former Invicta captain Adam Flanagan.

The skilful Chatting was to prove a constant threat down the left hand side.

The ball was played back to goalscorer Boot in the 50th minute but his shot deflected off defender Chappell for a corner.

Invicta defender Liam Friend was then booked for a challenge on the tricky Chatting.

Invicta enjoyed a good spell as Ian Cousins cleared from the line in the 56th minute when Morgan partially saved from James Dryden when the ball fell to the striker down the left hand side of the penalty area.

Morgan then saved from point blank range to deny goalscorer Everitt as all Invicta got for their efforts was a corner after Vincent had broke forward into the penalty area.

Invicta's big penalty appeal came in the 66th minute after a challenge by centre half Chris Wild on Everitt.

At the other end, a 78th minute Chatting shot flashed wide across goal from the left hand side of the Invicta penalty area.

Invicta then made a double substitution as Luke Webb and new signing Ramon Whorms, an ex youngster at Woking, replaced Burchell and Dryden.

Webb shot wide in the 81st minute when a Vincent cross from the right deflected off Wild in the Billericay penalty area.

But Friend had to make a saving 83rd minute tackle on Charlie Allen after a Boot ball.

There were late bookings for Invicta's Smith (dissent) and Billericay's Allen (challenge on Micheal Everitt).

The result maintains a run that has seen the home side undefeated in every Ryman Premier League match between the two clubs.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Delo, Vincent, Burchell (Webb 78 mins), Friend, Chappell, Edge, M. Everitt, Dickson, J. Everitt, Dryden (Whroms 78 mns), Smith. Unused subs: Guiver, Jackson, Hulme.

BILLERICAY TOWN: Morgan, Oates, Cousins, Allen, Wild, Flanagan (Patterson 45 mins), Luke (Hibbert 68 mins), Hyde, Ngakam (Chatting 45 mins), Lawson, Boot. Unused subs: Kpaka, Jones.

Attendance: 274.