Invicta fell to their first defeat of the summer on a sweltering Saturday afternoon away to Steve Lovell’s Herne Bay side, a Dan Smith goal 8 minutes from time not enough following a first half effort from distance and a second half error that had given our hosts a 2-goal advantage.

Andy Drury’s side arrived having won 4 from 4 so far, but fielded a much rotated side with the manager indicating before the match that it would be the final fixture in which he was looking to give players minutes, three trialists in the starting XI.

Jonny Henly pulled on the gloves from the start, with captain Ian Gayle, Chris Sessegnon and you Joel Odeniran in front of him. Sam Blackman started from the second consecutive fixture after returning from honeymoon along with Matt Young and Cameron Brodie, while Tom Derry lead the attack.

Herne Bay threatened first, a corner that nobody could connect with at the back post, before Invicta created a series of early chances: Trialist 7 dazzling his defender following a counter attack but shooting wide, Brodie forcing a tame save from the edge of the box and Tom Derry then forcing a more strenuous stop from inside the area.

It was the hosts who opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, a shot from distance striking former Invicta forward Kane Rowland, before the loose ball found its way from the original striker, via Rowland to Haysman who unleashed from nearly 25 yards into the top corner, giving Henly no chance.

Young defender Joel Odeniran had to be replaced 10 minutes before the interval having picked up a slight knock.

A long range effort from Brodie and a header from a trialist were as close as Invicta came to equalising before half time, Herne Bay almost doubling their lead with a header right before the whistle.

Invicta started the second half lively, Brodie robbed a defender of the ball and squared to Derry who was denied a tap in by a superb challenge from Liam Friend.

Half time substitute Dan Smith was on the end of a deflected cut-back from a trialist but it proved to be too far behind him for the forward to be able to make a decent connection, his effort blocked and cleared.

Invicta made a host of substitutions shortly after the hour mark, bringing on academy players Dan Kennedy, Brad Walledge and Harrison Wade. Within seconds Walledge linked with Rance (another half time sub) and Smith who fed under 18 forward Ashton Mitford in behind, the youngster evading a tackle from Friend and getting wide of the onrushing goalkeeper but firing wide.

Mitford caused more problems with a cross from the left that found the head of Brodie, Dan Smith cutting the ball back across the face of goal and Brodie unlucky not to turn the ball over the line, denied by some last-ditch defending.

Herne Bay doubled their lead with less that 20 minutes remaining, substitute Reid knocking a ball in behind for himself to chase, Kennedy beating him to it but his clearance rebounding off the forward who raced onto the loose ball to put it into an empty net.

Invicta were not deterred and continued to press for their goal, Walledge setting up Smith who turned on the edge of the area and fired just over.

Walledge put his name on a free kick inside the last 15 minutes but struck his effort from 25 yards wide of the post.

The breakthrough finally came with less than 10 minutes remaining. A long ball from Hoyte was left by Friend, allowing Smith to collect and isolate Friend’s defensive partner. Smith danced as he drove at him before shifting the ball and firing home off the underside of the bar from a tight angle, his 5th goal of the summer.

📺 A 5th goal of the summer for Dan Smith on Saturday at Herne Bay

More of the same tomorrow? 👀#fifc | 🔴⚪️ pic.twitter.com/nzc0Fex2zG

— Folkestone Invicta (@FIFC) July 22, 2024

It felt like a second may come and Smith came closest to it, Walledge holding the ball up well on the edge of the box before laying off to the forward who forced a fingertip save from the goalkeeper from distance. The resulting corner taken short with Smith heading the cross goal bound but safely into the keeper’s hands.

Manager Andy Drury was happy to take both positives and negatives from the afternoon after the match, looking ahead to 3 consecutive home fixtures as we welcome Deal Town, Margate and Maidstone United to the Alcaline Stadium over the next week, building up our preparations for the big kick off at home to Carshalton Athletic on 10th August.