Folkestone Invicta’s last pre-season friendly of the summer resulted in a resounding 6-0 defeat away to a rampant Ashford United at The Homelands on Monday night.

Invicta made ten changes to the starting eleven that had beaten Billericay Town on Friday night and endured a harrowing second half that saw them concede five goals after Ashford had also been the better side during the opening 45 minutes.

Dan Scorer (2), Sam Conlon (2), Gary Lockyer and Liam Whiting scored the goals for the recently formed new Ashford club managed by Invicta legend Paul Chambers.

Veteran goalkeeper Maurice Munden played for Ashford during the second half and Jeff Ross, who also played under Invicta manager Neil Cugley at both Ashford and Folkestone, is also on the home club’s coaching staff.

Invicta had an early indication that this would be an uncomfortable night as Darren Smith headed against his own post in the first minute.

Central defender Tom King then blocked from Ashford striker Lockyer two minutes later after a poor clearance from goalkeeper Roddy Hayward.

King blocked again from Lockyer in the tenth minute and Kieran Sanger sent in a dangerous cross from the right four minutes later.

Hayward saved when Lockyer shot on the turn, while at the other end Jason Sowle hit a well-struck shot at Ashford goalkeeper Jack Howard.

It was LOCKYER – who had a short spell with Invicta at the end of last season – who opened the scoring in the 23rd minute with a low shot on the turn past Hayward and into the net.

Ashford continued to create chances as a Conlon shot from the left hand side of the penalty area flashed past the far post and Invicta centre half Roy Guiver cleared a Dan Scorer cross for a corner when Lockyer played the ball out to the right.

Lockyer had another shot blocked by Niall Jackson on the half hour mark after Hayward’s attempted clearance.

Hayward saved well to keep out a 37th minute Lockyer shot at the expense of a corner when Dan Scorer touched the ball into the striker’s path after a ball across from the left.

Conlon played a dangerous 42nd minute ball in from the right and Hayward palmed away a long range Dan Scorer shot two minutes later.

Invicta made four substitutions at half time with Phil Hendy, Dan Shearing and Andrew Miller all getting a first outing and Smith partnering Guiver at the heart of the defence.

The visitors had a chance to equalise in the 58th minute but James Dryden scuffed his shot wide after a combination with Richard Atkins.

Ashford then increased their lead a minute later when Dan SCORER converted at the far post after Conlon had broke down the left hand side and played a low ball across goal.

Lockyer was close with a header on the hour mark after a Dan Scorer corner from the left.

And it was 3-0 in the 67th minute courtesy of a good finish by WHITING after he had capitalised on an error from Sowle down the left hand side and shot across goal into the far corner of the net.

SCORER struck again to make it 4-0 in the 70th minute when he applied a deft finish across goal after the ball had fallen to him down the left hand side of the penalty area following a bad challenge by Hendy on Conlon in a move also involving Whiting.

CONLON made it 5-0 when he put the ball into the net in the 76th minute when the ball broke to him after Smith had made a saving tackle to deny Lockyer who had been put through.

Dan Scorer shot just wide from the right hand side and Hayward saved from Lockyer as Ashford threatened again.

Lockyer shot wide with an 85th minute free kick right on the edge of the penalty area after he himself had been fouled by Shearing.

And CONLON made it 6-0 a minute later when he crashed the ball into the net after being supplied by Lockyer.

Conlon was hurt in the process of scoring after being caught by Josh McCue, with Scott McRobert coming on for a late guest appearance or Ashford.

Miller headed wide for Invicta in the 88th minute after a Shearing cross from the right.

But this was not a night that Invicta will remember with any relish or will wish to dwell on.

ASHFORD UNITED: Howard (Munden 45 mins), Sanger, O’Brien, Jordan, Finch, Shearer, D. Scorer, Bower, Lockyer, Conlon, Whiting. Subs (used): T. Scorer, Smith, Quigley, Walsh, S. McRobert.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Hayward, Jackson (Shearing 45 mins), Webb (Jake Burchell 77 mins), King (McCue 45 mins), Guiver, Josh Burchell (Miller 45 mins), Smith, Sowle, Jones (Hendy 45 mins), Atkins, Dryden.

Attendance: 211.