Folkestone Invicta went out of the F. A. Cup (with Budweiser) as they went down 3-0 at home to Whitehawk in Saturday’s First Qualifying Round tie at the Buzzlines Stadium.

The visitors were comfortable winners as they opened the scoring early and Invicta could not respond with any of the impetus displayed in their exciting midweek home win over Worthing.

Still missing strikers Stuart King (operation on arm) and Paul Jones (ankle), Invicta made one change to their starting eleven as defender Liam Dickson came in for James Rogers, back with parent club Dartford.

Dickson formed part of what started as a five-man defence as Invicta looked to contain a Whitehawk side that is favourites for the Ryman League Division One title this season.

But it was the visitors who got off to a flying start as top goalscorer Sam GARGAN cracked a fierce strike into the net as early as the fifth minute after a ball from Jerahl Hughes on the left hand side of the penalty area.

A ninth minute Darren Smith was blocked by defender Craig Richards, but the result was never really in doubt after the early goal as Invicta failed to score in a game for the first time this season.

A 24th minute Paul Armstrong free kick flashed past the Invicta post when home captain Micheal Everitt was adjudged to have fouled Gargan right on the edge of the penalty area.

Former Dover Athletic player Hughes had the ball in the net for Whitehawk after 28 minutes but was given offside after striker Ben Godfrey played the ball forward to him after himself having been given on-side to go clean through.

But Whitehawk soon went 2-0 ahead as big striker GARGAN was there to strike again from close range at the far post in the 30th minute when Invicta goalkeeper Jack Delo saved a Hughes shot from the left hand side of the penalty area.

Invicta re-adjusted for the second half as Dickson moved across to left back and both Josh Burchell and Josh Vincent pushed further forward.

Dickson himself got forward to hit a 48th minute shot that deflected off Callum Saunders for a corner.

But Whitehawk increased their lead in the 55th minute when captain ARMSTRONG took the ball on and drilled a sweet low strike into the net from a central position on the edge of the penalty area.

Invicta made a triple substitution on the hour mark as Andrew Miller, Roland Edge and Matt Hollyoak replaced Ryan Moreby, Everitt and Dicskon, with Smith taking over the captain’s armband.

Hughes headed wide at the far post in the 74th minute when Saunders crossed from the right hand side after Gargan had nodded the ball out wide to him.

And Hughes was denied a goal in the 85th minute when his goalbound shot hit team mate Pat Harding after a move also involving Saunders, Karley Akehurst and Matthew Daniels down the right hand side.

Invicta central defender Liam Friend was the game’s only booking for a 34th minute foul on Godfrey.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Delo, Vincent, Burchell, Friend, Chappell, Dickson (Hollyoak 60 mins), Smith, J. Everitt, Blewden, Moreby (Miller 60 mins), M. Everitt (Edge 60 mins). Unused subs: Guiver, Hayward.

WHITEHAWK: Winterton, Richards, Knee, Armstrong, Pullen, El-Abd, Hughes, Saunders, Godfrey (Harding 64 mins), Gargan (Daniels 80 mins), Jones (Akehurst 64 mins). Unused subs: Tomson, Logan, Freeman.

Attendance: 237.