An 80th minute goal from Josh Vincent eventually gave Folkestone Invicta victory over Canterbury City in Saturday’s pre-season friendly at the Buzzlines Stadium after the home side had twice let the lead slip.

VINCENT scored what proved to be the winning goal when he drove the ball into the net after a move down the right hand side of the penalty area involving Stuart King and Luke Blewden.

Frankie Chappell had opened the scoring, only for Sam Baker to equalise as the game came to life with two goals in as many minutes just before half time.

Jason Sowle restored Invicta’s lead in the 57th minute, but substitute Bobby Hitchcock brought Canterbury level again in the 71st minute.

The visitors had earlier missed a 37th minute penalty when captain Michael ‘Buster’ Smissen hit his spot kick against the crossbar.

Invicta went into the game with Roddy Hayward in goal against his former club, James Everitt occupying a central defensive role and captaining the side, and newcomer Ryan Moreby starting in midfield.

Moreby was involved in a 14th minute move that finished with King lifting his shot wide after a Darren Smith through ball.

Josh Burchell shot wide in the 23rd minute when Paul Jones squared the ball to him after the striker had latched onto a Matt Hollyoak ball forward and got in behind the defence.

At the other end, Smissen cut in and forced a corner from Hayward after getting in behind Everitt down the left hand side of the penalty area.

Burchell then received the ball from Jones and lifted a 33rd minute shot at goalkeeper Connor Quinn from the right hand side of the penalty area.

And Moreby shot wide across goal three minutes later when he dispossessed McCauley Murray to race clean through down the left hand side of the penalty area.

Canterbury were awarded their penalty when Renford Tenyue was brought down by goalkeeper Hayward after a Murray ball over the defence. But Smissen’s miss was to give the home side a reprieve.

Central defender CHAPPELL opened the scoring in the 43rd minute when he smashed the ball into the net across goal from the right hand side of the box after King had touched the ball into his path from a Smith ball forward.

Canterbury made an instant response as right back BAKER dribbled through the Invicta defence before poking his shot under Hayward.

Invicta made four half time substitutions as James Dryden, Micheal Everitt, Blewden and Sowle came on and soon had to make another change as Vincent came back on when Burchell had to limp off.

SOWLE put Invicta 2-1 ahead when he followed up to find the net after goalkeeper Quinn had saved a Moreby shot when the midfielder was put through.

Invicta then had several chances to increase their lead as Quinn saved from King when a poor pass from Blewden hindered the striker down the left hands side of the penalty area and King threatened again when his shot was stopped close to the line after he had dribbled round Quinn.

King thought that he had scored in the 62nd minute when his shot crashed against the underside of the crossbar.

It was then Blewden’s turn to go close when his 63rd minute shot was saved by Quinn.

Invicta defender Liam Dickson then blocked from Smissen when Tenyue pulled the ball back from the left hand side.

And substitute HITCHCOCK made it 2-2 when his shot from the left hand side got past Hayward and went into the far corner of the net after fellow goalscorer Baker’s crossfield ball from the right went behind Vincent.

Tenyue broke again after a quickly taken free kick and his 79th minute shot was deflected for a corner.

But Invicta got what turned out to be the winning goal a minute later.

Blewden fired high and wide from the right hand side of the penalty area in the 82nd minute after a move involving Vincent and King.

But Canterbury then pressed for a late equaliser as Invicta had James Everitt to thank for three defensive contributions.

Tenyue got past Hollyoak down the right in the 83rd minute but Everitt got across to tackle at the expense of a corner and Everitt then recovered to block when Tenyue broke again a minute later.

Smissen then put Steve O’Brien through in the 86th minute but Everitt was allowed time to clear.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Hayward, Hollyoak, Dickson, J. Everitt, Chappell (Blewden 45 mins), Moreby, Smith (M. Everitt 45 mins), Burchell (Vincent 48 mins), Jones (Dryden 45 mins), King, Vincent (Sowle 45 mins).

CANTERBURY CITY: Quinn, Baker, O’Brien, Kennett, Gamble, Tenyue, Murray, Gess, Smissen, Callender, Marsh. Subs (all used): Tanner, Hitchcock, Bains, Woodward.