Folkestone Invicta began November with a defeat at Carshalton Athletic, Andy Drury’s side unable to end a winless run a The War Memorial Sports Ground that stretches all the way back to 2008.

Invicta landed up without captain Ian Gayle, suffering from a slight knock, and midfielder Dean Rance, who was unavailable. Further bad fortune befell Drury in the warm up at winger Matthias Fanimo pulled up with a niggle that would force a change before kick off, Tom Derry coming into the attack.

Despite the disruption to preparations, Invicta started the afternoon strong and it didn’t take long for Dan Smith to score his 10th goal of the season. After Smith was caught by a defender in the 8th minute, Jack Jebb delivered the free kick from a wide right position to find Invicta’s top scorer, his header low, powerful and too much for debutant keeper Sam Roberts to keep out.

It took some time for Carshalton to eventually begin to get on top in the came, a first chance coming for them in the 29th minute as the dangerous Sharon Ifeanyi found Abdul Sankoh inside the penalty area who struck his first time effort against the post. The hosts had very much grown into the game and were undoubtedly on top before half time but Invicta had defended well to otherwise limit them to a few effort from distance that would have cleared the car park behind the stand had it not been for the netting there to catch them.

Carshalton created a first opening for debutant scorer David Smith within 5 minutes of the restart, the former Invicta bagsman having signed from Cray Wanderers earlier in the week. Smith got himself onto a ball into the front post but was unable to turn it on target.

The key moment of the afternoon came in the 56th minute as Sam Blackman had a goal ruled out for offside. Jebb delivered another dangerous free kick into the box, this time from deep much deeper, Blackman heading back across the goalkeeper and inside the post only for the linesman’s flag to deny Invicta a 2-0 lead despite replays showing Blackman clearly onside. He was shortly afterwards replaced by Joe Turner, making his debut for Invicta having joined from Horsham.

Invicta were punished in the 64th minute, Mason Saunders Henry meeting a low corner at the front post to turn it home and level the scores.

Invicta limited the hosts to 1 long range effort on 70 minutes that headed just past the post but resistance was finally broken inside the last 10 minutes, a cross from the right taking a touch off an attacker at the front post that diverted it into the path of David Smith for a tap in to give Carshalton the lead.

Despite being second best in the second half, Invicta were able to apply late pressure and very nearly snatched a point with virtually the final kick of the afternoon. Gavin Hoyte delivered a cross from the right that found Dan Smith 15 yards from goal, Smith firing a vicious volley towards goal only to see it rattle back off the crossbar. Carshalton would survive the final seconds to make it 12 games between the sides without a win for Invicta.