Folkestone Invicta exited the FA Cup on Saturday, as Andy Drury’s 10-man side were beaten by the Isthmian South East title favourites.

With midfielders Dean Rance and Amadou Kassaraté suspended following their dismissals against Cray Valley PM the previous Saturday the manager was forced into 2 changes, with Ellis Brown and Matt Young coming into the XI. The defence remained unchanged with Marvel Ekpiteta named on the bench having missed Monday’s win at Hastings United, while Drury named himself on the bench with FA Cup rules allowing for 7 named substitutes.

With the game even early on, both sides probing for the first opening of the afternoon, the 9 minute mark brought the game’s decisive moment. Ramsgate won the ball in the middle of the field, breaking quickly with Eze Ebuzoeme left chasing Tijan Jadama as he ran clear, a tug of the shirt bringing the Ramsgate forward down leaving the referee with little choice but to reduce Invicta to 10 men.

Ramsgate’s Josh Ajayi sent the resulting free kick from 25 yards wide of Jonny Henly’s post, Invicta winning a similar free kick a few minutes later but Dan Smith’s blocked effort fell to Matt Young who dragged an effort wide.

Alfie Paxman produced the first save of the afternoon in the 17th minute as he collected the ball just outside the box, turning and shooting straight at Henly.

As with 10 and 9 men the week before, Invicta remained resolute in defence, holding Ramsgate at bay, but just as it looked as if Drury would get his side in to regroup at the break with the game still level, the hosts found the breakthrough. Tom Clifford was afforded too much space to shoot from long range, unleashing a dipping effort from well over 30 yards that forced a save from Henly but Lewis Gard was the first to the loose ball to fire home the opening goal.

Ramsgate came out quickly after the interval to create a couple of chance to extend their lead, Invicta needing to find something on the break and just before the hour mark a sloppy pass in midfield allowed Tom Derry to run at the last defender before getting off an effort that shaved the post to strike the wheel on the side of the goal frame as it went behind.

With 20 minutes left Ramsgate finally found the goal to give themselves breathing space, and it came from an almost inevitable source as the ball found Joe Taylor in the box, the prolific forward unable to find the space to shoot himself but he rolled the ball into the path of Alfie Paxman who drilled into the top corner.

It would take a monumental effort from there for Invicta to force a Tuesday night replay and Dan Smith was the one to provide a moment of home. after forcing a good save from former Invicta goalkeeper Tom Hadler with an effort from distance inside the last 10 minutes, our leading goalscorer would be on the end of a well worked move that resulted in a cross to the front post from substitute Chris Sesseegnon, Smith finishing first time from close range to cut the deficit in half with just over 3 minutes to play.

Any hope was short lived however, within a minute of the restart Alfie Paxman was on the end of a ball through the Invicta defence, racing free to round Henly and finish his second to kill off the tie.

The referee brought a close to the afternoon with fans still huddling under scarce shelter at Southwood, Invicta left to focus on league action with Billericay Town the visitors on Saturday 7th September for a clash between 2 sides that will be looking to bounce back from FA Cups exits.