Folkestone Invicta suffered a third consecutive defeat as they went down 2-1 away to Godalming Town at a misty Wey Court on Tuesday night.

Striker Scott Harris opened the scoring for the home side during first half stoppage time and Dan Read added a second before Josh Vincent pulled a goal back.

This was the first meeting between the two clubs since Invicta won the 2010 Play Off Final and it was a keenly fought contest.

Godalming won six and drew one of their seven matches during September and the win keeps them fourth in the Ryman League Division One South table.

Invicta had James Rogers available again from parent club Dartford in place of Matt Hollyoak (released along with Luke Blewden) and showed a lot more purpose than they had in their recent defeats against Whitehawk and Sittingbourne.

The visitors adopted a 3-5-2 formation on a good playing surface as they looked to put Saturday’s disappointment at Sittingbourne behind them.

A 15th minute Rogers cross from the left hand side of the penalty area was cleared at the far post by Ryan Lake for a corner after a Roland Edge ball and Simon Austin headed just wide at the far post.

At the other end, a Lake cross was cleared by Frankie Chappell off fellow centre half Liam Friend for a corner after the home left back had raced past Vincent in a move also involving Read and Darren Wheeler.

Chappell then headed over a 22nd minute Darren Smith free kick from the left after a foul on James Everitt.

Invicta goalkeeper Jack Delo had to backtrack to hold a quickly taken long range free kick after a foul by Chappell on Harris.

The visitors’ best chance of the first half came in the 32nd minute when Austin did well to put striking partner Everitt through and he shot wide of the far post after shrugging off a defender.

Godalming then had a chance in the 37th minute when Jon Palmer shot into the side netting from the left hand side of the penalty area after Read and Harris combined to put him through.

And the home side went ahead just before half time when top goalscorer HARRIS drilled a well-struck shot into the net after a ball over the defence from home centre half Antonio Simeone.

Delo then had to save from Ben Edwards when Wheeler sent over a cross from the left within the opening half minute of the second half.

Invicta’s Vincent and striker Everitt were then just unable to get on the end of an inviting Smith free kick on the left in the 48th minute after a foul on Josh Burchell.

Godalming’s Read hit a low 57th minute shot at Delo from the left hand side after Harris laid the ball out to him and a Wheeler corner from the left deflected out for another corner two minutes later.

Wheeler then shot over from the edge of the penalty area in the 62nd minute after Harris put him through in a move started by Brett Cooper.

Austin shot over on the turn for Invicta in the 69th minute when Smith could not make full contact with a volley when Rogers played the ball in from the left hand byeline.

A 73rd minute shot from Edwards was then deflected at Delo following a Palmer ball.

And the home side made it 2-0 when a deep 79th minute cross from Wheeler on the left was headed in by READ at the far post.

But Invicta soon hit back as VINCENT bundled the ball in at the far post in the 81st minute following a move involving substitute Ryan Moreby and Smith.

Moreby drilled a low 88th minute shot wide as Invicta chased a late equaliser but it was not to be.

There were bookings for Godalming’s Wheeler, Read and Guy Hollis and for Invicta’s Chappell.

GODALMING TOWN: Ross, Hollis, Lake, Simeone, Foulser, Cooper, Read (Smith 90 mins), Palmer, Harris, Wheeler, Edwards. Unused subs: Short, Brown, Newby, Baker.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Delo, Vincent, Burchell (Miller 83 mins), Friend, Chappell, Edge, Smith, J. Everitt, Austin (Guiver 90 mins), M. Everitt (Moreby 78 mins), Rogers. Unused sub: Hayward.

Attendance: 134.