Top goalscorer James Everitt scored all four goals as Folkestone Invicta won 4-2 at home to Daventry Town in Saturday’s F. A. Carlsberg Trophy Second Qualifying Round tie at a wet and windy Buzzlines Stadium.

Everitt took his tally to ten goals in the last nine matches as Invicta stretched their unbeaten run to nine matches.

It was EVERITT who was credited with the opening goal in the 14th minute under controversial circumstances as he bundled the ball and goalkeeper Joe Mellings over the line when Josh Burchell played the ball in from the left after he had exchanged passes with Richard Atkins.

The goal took Everitt’s tally to 50 for the club although it was a surprise that it was given as goalkeepers have grown accustomed to being more protected in modern-day football.

But Daventry were level in the 20th minute when Stuart HENDRIE headed in after Luke Edwards had met an Adam Confue cross from the left.

Hendrie is the younger brother of one-time England International Lee who himself was not in the Daventry squad on the day after all.

EVERITT restored Invicta’s lead in the 43rd minute when he turned the ball in at the far post after Roland Edge had found Burchell down the left hand side and the latter sent another cross into the penalty area.

Burchell was involved again as EVERITT completed his first hat-trick for the club in the 59th minute when he eventually scored from close range after initial shot had been saved when Josh Vincent played a good ball from the right to Invicta’s other Josh on the left.

Daventry reduced the arrears to make it 3-2 in the 74th minute when a Josh O’GRADY shot deflected in off Invicta central defender Frankie Chappell following a run by substitute Chris Hannah in a move also involving striker Mark Bellingham.

The visitors then went in search of a dramatic late equaliser.

But the game was put beyond their reach during stoppage time when Callum Burgess was sent off for a foul on Everitt inside the penalty area and EVERITT himself stepped up to complete the scoring from the subsequent spot kick.

It was the first time that an Invicta had scored four goals in a match since Leigh Bremner in a dramatic 5-4 win at Margate in April 2008 and it had been the first Invicta hat-trick since Darren Smith at home to Horsham YMCA in September 2009.

The unwell Smith missed Saturday’s tie which mean that captain Micheal Everitt came back into the starting eleven after missing the midweek home win over Whitehawk with an ankle injury.

Burchell shot well over in the sixth minute when Ryan Moreby played the ball back from the right and O’Grady cleared for the game’s first corner five minutes later when Atkins raced past Craig Milligan down the left and crossed the ball in towards Moreby.

Everitt’s opener soon followed and the striker hand another chance on the quarter of an hour mark when he was put through but goalkeeper Mellings came out to save.

Bellingham shot wide from just outside the penalty area and Invicta goalkeeper Jack Delo pushed the ball out for the visitors’ first corner of the game in the 19th minute when O’Grady made room for himself on the edge of the penalty area.

Daventry enjoyed a good spell after their equaliser as Bellingham hit the crossbar after going round Delo after a Confue pass down the left hand side of the penalty area and had his initial shot blocked by Chappell close to the line.

Atkins shot over at the other end when a 28th minute Burchell cross was headed back out.

Chappell then had to slide and intercept the ball out for a corner in the 34th minute when Milligan threaded the ball through towards Bellingham.

Everitt restored Invicta’s lead just before half. But there was still time for Chappell to block a Hendrie shot after a Bellingham free kick was deflected and Vincent shot over during first half stoppage time when Everitt was denied by a combination of centre half Edwards and goalkeeper Mellings after another Burchell ball in.

Nathan Hicks blasted high and wide with Invicta 3-1 up when Chappell blocked following a Milligan cross in towards Bellingham.

The visitors then gave it a real go after making it 3-2 as Bellingham got behind goalkeeper Delo in the 77th minute but central defender Liam Friend cleared from close to the line.

Chappell then had to block again when Scott Cross shot three minutes later after Hendrie had played the ball to Bellingham.

Moreby then fired over for Invicta from just outside the penalty area.

Substitute Cross fired high and wide from the left hand side of the penalty area in the 97th minute as time was running out for the visitors.

And when Burgess pulled Eveirtt down the result was put beyond doubt.

As well as Burgess’ dismissal, there were bookings for Invicta’s Vincent and Burchell and for Daventry’s Confue, Hicks and Milligan.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Delo, Vincent, Burchell, Friend, Chappell, Edge, M. Everitt, Atkins (Austin 83 mins), J. Everitt (Mortimer 90 mins), Moreby, Dickson. Unused subs: Holden, Jackson, Hayward.

DAVENTRY TOWN: Mellings, Burgess, Milligan, Hicks, Edwards, Lee, O’Grady, Confue (Cross 75 mins), Bellingham, Hendrie, Hoban (Hannah 66 mins). Unused subs: Bishop, Bevan.

Attendance: 266.