Ten men Folkestone Invicta preserved their unbeaten home record in the Ryman League Division One South this season as they came back from 2-0 down at half time to draw with Godalming Town at the Buzzlines Stadium.

Captain Darren Smith hit an 86th minute equaliser in a match that saw four goals, a sending off, two penalties and the referee going off injured.

Invicta had come away from Burgess Hill disappointed to draw 2-2 the previous Saturday when they had led 2-0 and the home side had two players sent off.

But this time it was Invicta who produced a stirring second half comeback after Liam Friend was sent off as early as the quarter of an hour mark and two goals from Scott Harris put the visitors 2-0 up at half time.

Central defender Friend was given a straight red card for handball when he kept out a Harris shot on the line after Darren Wheeler had played the ball across from the left hand side after Darren Marsden had lost possession to visiting captain Ben Edwards.

Friend’s only other sending off for Invicta also came against Godalming in an away match back in November 2008.

But goalkeeper Jack Delo saved Ryan Lake’s 16th minute penalty.

Invicta had made the early running before the penalty and remained positive as they initially went three at the back following Friend’s dismissal before Josh Burchell had to drop back.

Striker Stuart King fired against the post in the 29th minute when a Liam Dickson ball sent him clear down the left hand side and he attempted to pick his spot.

King then curled another shot wide from the left hand side two minutes later.

At the other end, Josh Pearson curled a shot at Delo from the left hand side of the penalty area and Harris shot at the Invicta goalkeeper from the edge of the box in the 34th minute after a Guy Hollis cross from the right came back out to him in a central position.

Godalming goalkeeper Jake Somerville then touched a King shot on the turn round the post for the only corner of the first half in the 35th minute.

Dan Read hit a side footed shot at Delo after a Jamie McClurg ball from the right hand side to Harris and an attempted 39th minute Dickson clearance ricocheted at Delo off McClurg.

HARRIS opened the scoring in the 40th minute when he rifled in a low shot that left Delo rooted to the spot, with Invicta appealing in vain for handball in the build up.

Invicta were close during first half stoppage time when James Everitt shot past goalkeeper Somerville but Godalming defender Antonio Simeone cleared from close to the line after Smith had been put through by Marsden.

And HARRIS made it 2-0 deep into first half stoppage time when he found the net again with another good finish after being put through.

Invicta were left with a lot to do in the second half but continued to go forward and create chances.

Everitt shot past Somerville again in the 48th minute but defender Hollis cleared after Pearson had made a mess of getting the ball back to his goalkeeper when King sent a crossfield ball over from the right in a move also involving Marsden and Roland Edge.

King then pulled the ball back just behind striking partner Everitt when Marsden played the ball to the left hand side of the penalty area a minute later.

Somerville touched a 53rd minute Edge ball in from the left out for a corner after Josh Vincent shrugged off Harris and played the ball out wide.

Invicta were going forward in search of a way back into the game and a King header struck a defender after an Edge ball in from the right.

Delo had to make a great save in the 58th minute to deny Wheeler as he raced past Edge down the left hand side.

Somerville then plucked a 66th minute King shot out of the air after both Smith and Marsden had shots charged down inside the penalty area and a 25-yard Marsden shot was pushed away by Somerville four minutes later.

Visiting goalkeeper Somerville then push over a Micheal Everitt header after a Burchell corner on the right.

But Invicta got their lifeline when KING converted a 72nd minute penalty, awarded for a challenge by Hollis on striker Everitt down the left hand side of the penalty area.

It was the prolific King’s 18th goal in just 16 starts for Invicta and his ninth goal in the last four home matches.

Invicta went three at the back again as they replaced defender Dickson with attacker Simon Austin and went in search of the equaliser.

Wheeler fired wide from the left hand side of the penalty area as the visitors broke in the 76th minute but the second half belonged almost entirely to Invicta.

Referee Matt Goldsmith had to go off due to an injury in the 84th minute and was replaced in the middle by one of his assistants Frank Meilack, with Invicta’s assistant-manager Micky Dix taking over running the line.

And Invicta saved the day when SMITH hit a low shot into the net after Vincent had drilled the ball down the middle.

The versatile James Everitt dropped back to centre half alongside Frankie Chappell as Invicta reverted to a four-man defence but it was now the home side that looked the more likely winners.

As well as Friend’s dismissal there were bookings for Invicta’s Micheal Everitt and for Godalming’s McClurg and Harris.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Delo, Vincent, Burchell, Friend, Chappell, Dickson (Austin 73 mins), Smith, King, J. Everitt, Marsden, Edge (M. Everitt 59 mins). Unused subs: Atkins, Mortimer, Hayward.

GODALMING TOWN: Somerville, Hollis, Lake, Edwards, Simeone, Cooper, Read, McClurg, Harris, Wheeler (Smith 76 mins), Pearson (Harrison 59 mins). Unused subs: Baker, Palmer.

Attendance: 324.