A spectacular 72nd minute strike from James Everitt gave Folkestone Invicta all three points against Burgess Hill Town at a very hot Buzzlines Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

EVERITT received the ball after a quick throw in from Josh Vincent on the right hand side and unleashed a sweet 25-yard strike into the roof of the net.

It turned out to be the only goal of the game as the autumn heat wave continued.

After three straight defeats, Invicta had Liam Dickson and Ryan Moreby back in the starting eleven in place of captain Micheal Everitt (ankle) and James Rogers, who was man of the match back at parent club Dartford.

In the early exchanges, a fifth minute Tyrone Berry shot was blocked by Moreby when Jones Awuah pulled the ball back.

For Invicta, Josh Burchell volleyed tamely wide in the 12th minute when the ball dropped to him inside the penalty area.

Awuah then curled a shot wide after a Melia cross from the left on the quarter of an hour mark.

Burgess Hill’s best chance of the first half came in the 19th minute when Invicta central defender Liam Friend came to the home side’s rescue to block from Melia who had gone round goalkeeper Jack Delo down the left hand side of the penalty area and cut into the middle.

Invicta’s Frankie Chappell rose to meet a deep Darren Smith free kick from the left in the 22nd minute but visiting goalkeeper and captain Joel Harding saved.

Harding then rose to save again two minutes later when Moreby let fly from 25 yards.

Moreby then headed wide in the 39th minute when Smith played the ball in from the left.

But Invicta goalkeeper Delo had to touch over a 44th minute shot from Awuah as the visitors won their first corner of the game.

Invicta stepped up a gear in the second half and the visitors lost centre half Oliver Poole to injury.

Striker Simon Austin was making his first home appearance back in Invicta colours and was close in the 56th minute when he charged down goalkeeper Harding’s attempted clearance.

Burgess Hill’s Neil Watts was booked for catching Burchell a minute later and Everitt drilled a low free kick at Harding.

Burchell then curled a 63rd minute right-footed shot at Harding from the edge of the penalty area as the stalemate continued in the heat.

A George Hayward free kick was cleared for a throw in by Chappell after a foul by Burchell on Melia on the right flank.

Invicta gave a first senior outing to youngster Cade Mortimer as a substitute for Dickson, with stand-in captain Roland Edge switching to left back.

And the home side’s efforts were rewarded with Everitt’s moment of glory.

Burgess Hill threatened an equaliser in the 74th minute but Delo saved at the far post when substitute Lloyd Cotton and Bradley Murray tried to force the ball in at the far post following a corner on the right.

Invicta continued to go forward themselves as Everitt and Vincent combined to put the advancing Smith through in the 78th minute but Harding came out to save.

An Everitt shot was blocked two minutes later after a low Burchell free kick from the right and Chappell was over with a strong header.

Burchell fired high and wide during stoppage time after collecting the ball from Moreby.

There were more than six minutes of time added on due to Poole’s injury as Invicta brought on Roy Guiver and Andrew Miller as late replacements for Austin and Moreby.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Delo, Vincent, Burchell, Friend, Chappell, Edge, Smith, J. Everitt, Austin (Guiver 90 mins), Moreby (Miller 90 mins), Dickson (Mortimer 70 mins). Unused subs: Jackson, Hayward.

BURGESS HILL TOWN: Harding, Hall, Edusei, Murray, Poole (Cotton 53 mins), Watts, Berry, Tregear (Lockyer 83 mins), Awuah, Hayward, Melia (Conteh 70 mins). Unused subs: Rhodes, Koffi.

Attendance: 188.