Late goals from Jason Sowle and Luke Blewden gave Folkestone Invicta some consolation in Tuesday night’s pre-season friendly at home to Margate after the visitors had led 4-0.

Goals from Adam Burchell (2), Craig Cloke and Matt Bodkin had put Margate firmly in control.

BURCHELL opened the scoring in the 19th minute when he crashed the ball into the net at the far post when Bodkin crossed from the left after a ball from Richard Avery.

And it was BURCHELL who struck again to make it 2-0 in the 34th minute when he found the net with a rebound after Invicta goalkeeper Jack Delo had done well to save his initial shot after a Bodkin cross from the right to the far post.

Substitute CLOKE made it 3-0 in the 62nd minute when he drilled the ball into the net after a corner from the right.

BODKIN increased Margate’s lead further in the 68th minute when he followed up after Delo had saved a penalty from substitute Wayne Wilson.

Substitute SOWLE pulled a goal back for Invicta with a spectacular 86th minute shot from a tight angle on the right hand side of the penalty area that looped over goalkeeper Matt Lamprell and into the far corner of the net. The goal came after Ryan Moreby had been desperately unlucky to see his shot from the edge of the penalty area come back off the inside of the post with a strike that deserved a goal.

BLEWDEN then made it 4-2 in the 90th minute when he chipped the ball into the net after a Josh Vincent ball had come back out to him.

Moreby then shot against the post from the left hand side of the penalty box after a Stuart King ball as Invicta threatened to reduce the arrears further.

The home side had gone into the game with Chris Cardon making his debut at left back, Brett Fairman making his first home appearance as centre half and James Everitt partnering King in attack.

Bodkin hit a 13th minute free kick narrowly wide from just outside the penalty area for Margate and Dan Stubbs then shot wide when he let fly from outside the penalty area a minute later.

Invicta defender Matt Hollyoak had to block at the expense of a corner in the 15th minute as Margate kept up the pressure after Bodkin had found Burchell.

And the visitors duly broke the deadlock through Burchell. Invicta were then denied a penalty for a blatant handball as referee Phil Rowley took the spirit of it only being a friendly slightly too far.

Bodkin shot into the side netting from the right hand side of the penalty area in the 26th minute and Burchell shot wide and into the stands on the half hour mark after he had gone round goalkeeper Delo when striker Tom Bradbrook put him through.

Burchell increased Margate’s lead and the goalscorer then hit a low 44th minute shot at Delo when Stubbs played the ball up to Liam Coleman.

Invicta brought striker Richard Atkins and Sowle on for defenders Cardon and Fairman at half time.

Hollyoak switched from right to left back, Vincent dropped to right back and James Everitt reverted back to central defence alongside Frankie Chappell.

Bodkin broke dangerously down the right hand side for Margate but it was to be a much more even second half. King headed over on the hour after a Sowle cross from the right, while Avery had a shot deflected just wide.

And Cloke increased the lead from the subsequent corner.

Avery then put Bradbrook through and Margate struck again following the subsequent penalty after a challenge by Vincent.

But Invicta’s late rally gave the game an exciting finish.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Delo, Hollyoak, Cardon (Sowle 45 mins), Fairman (Atkins 45 mins), Chappell, M. Everitt (Jackson 72 mins), Vincent, Blewden, King, J. Everitt, Moreby.

MARGATE: Lamprell, Groombridge (Corneille 55 mins), Brown (Cloke 55 mins), Avery, Pooley, Ball, Bodkin, Stubbs (Wilson 45 mins), Bradbrook (Hendy 70 mins), Coleman, Burchall (Whyte 59 mins). Unused sub: Robinson.