Folkestone Invicta were left frustrated by missed chances and a clinical opponent on Saturday, having failed to put the game to bed they were punished in the final 18 minutes to leave Sussex empty handed.

Manager Andy Drury went with an unchanged side from that which beat Hendon 2-0 at the Alcaline Stadium a week earlier, with Sam Blackman and new signing Matthias Fanimo taking up places on the bench.

Invicta started on the front foot, Eze Ebuzoeme and Evans Kouassi both forcing blocks from defenders to send attempts on goal behind for corners, Ebuzoeme also firing a shot from the edge of the box over the bar in the opening 10 minutes. Chichester responded with their first chance of the afternoon in the 12th minute as top scorer Jimmy Wild turned a nod down over the crossbar.

The hosts’ best chance to open the scoring came in the 19th minute as Mo Jammeh fed Billie Clark in behind the Invicta defence, but Jonny Henly was out quickly to make the save. Jammeh quickly followed up by forcing a comfortable save with a curling effort a minute later.

A week earlier Invicta had broken the deadlock with Amadou Kassaraté heading home a cross from Kouassi and it was nearly a carbon copy after 29 minutes as the winger delivered from the left to find Kassaraté 6 yards out, Chichester goalkeeper Kieran Magee managing to get a strong right hand up and in the way of the effort to keep the game goalless.

Invicta’s leading goalscorer Dan Smith fired narrowly over after 34 minutes but he was on the scoresheet soon after, working well with Kassaraté and Khale Da Costa. Kassaraté’s pressure forced an Invicta throw on the right that Da Costa took quickly, Smith controlled the ball and flicked it in behind the defence to Kassaraté who won a battle with his defender and managed to keep the ball in play, driving inside and rolling the ball back into the path of Smith who finished from close range for his 6th goal of the season.

Invicta continued to press for a second before half time, Smith controlling a long ball before firing off an effort that was blocked before himself blocking an effort from Ebuzoeme although it appeared to be heading wide.

Ahead of the break, Invicta were given a warning shortly after the restart as a cross into the box took a deflection that send it into the path of Wild who failed to adjust quickly enough to turn it on target and test Henly.

As we approached the hour Henly was forced into another simple save from outside the penalty area before Invicta responded through Kouassi who beat his man to force a good save at the near post from Magee. The goalkeeper was forced into a similar save with 20 minutes remaining after substitute Matthias Fanimo won the ball high up the pitch and found Smith who was robbed by a perfectly timed challenge as he went to strike the ball, but the defender sent it goal-bound, Magee needing to react quickly to prevent Invicta taking a 2-goal advantage.

Fanimo forced a simple save with an effort of his own in the 73rd minute, Chichester then punishing Invicta seconds later. Emmett Dunn delivered a long ball in behind the Invicta defence from the right touchline, Wild allowing it to bounce before smashing an effort into the top corner, leaving Henly with no chance.

With Invicta now looking to regain the lead, Smith was gifted the ball on the edge of the penalty area by a stay pass but saw his effort blocked. A first corner came to nothing before Smith headed down the second at the back post but failed to test the keeper.

With the game seemingly heading towards a draw, Invicta had the point snatched away in the first minute of added time. Chichester won the ball in the middle of the Invicta half, Wild receiving it and rolling in behind for Isaac Bello to poke beyond Henly into the bottom corner.

Invicta pressed for an equaliser in the minutes that remained but Jack Jebb fired over from distance with the final kick of the afternoon.

With Horsham being held to a draw at Margate in the FA Cup on the same afternoon Invicta are spared a second trip to Sussex in 4 days, the fixture postponed until Tuesday 29th October, Andy Drury now looking ahead to our FA Trophy tie with Ascot United on Saturday 5th October.