Invicta returned from the long trip to Kings Langley empty handed on Tuesday evening after a 5-goal thriller was settled by a controversial second half penalty.

The few Invicta fans that boosted the crowd of just 111 in the freezing cold, with Potters Bar using The Orbital Fasteners Stadium as their temporary home, will have been hoping to cleanse the memories of our only previous visit, a 4-0 FA Cup defeat in 2019. It looked like that may happen at the break after Andy Drury’s side had come from a goal down to lead, but a wonder strike and a penalty either side of the hour mark saw the hosts take the points

Drury was likely to have been happy with the 10 day break since our trip to Whitehawk with his squad suffering from a number of absentees, but the manager was still forced into naming himself as a substitute. Jamie Mascoll was handed his first start in over a month with Frankie Morgan injured, while new addition Tyler Anderson was given his debut in the attack.

The evening could not have begun much worst for Invicta as Potters Bar struck inside the first 7 minutes, David Hicks cutting in from the right and curling his first of the evening inside the far post from the edge of the penalty area.

As Invicta began to find their feet Dan Smith saw an effort blocked and Ian Gayle had a header saved before Smith then failed to make a clean connection with a chance at close range from a Sam Blackman knockdown. Invicta’s equaliser came shortly after the quarter of an hour mark after a mistake in the Potters Bar defence. Dean Rance hooked a long clearance over the top the Joe Re headed back towards his goalkeeper under pressure from Anderson, the ball misdirected beyond Laurie Shala for the Invicta debutant to race onto and finish into an empty net.

It didn’t take long for Invicta to complete the turnaround, the second coming from the other flank as Joe Turner broke to the byline before cutting back to find Smith who swept his effort into the far bottom corner for his 15th goal of the season.

The hosts were left angry with the linesman a few minutes later as they were denied an equaliser by the offside flag. A ball from right to left found Bailey Stevenson via a slight touch from Ian Gayle that wasn’t deemed enough to start a new phase of play in the eyes of the officials. At the other end, a Joe Turner effort from the edge of the box was the closest Invicta came to extending their lead, but Drury’s side looked comfortable for their lead at the break.

Smith came close to giving Invicta a lighting start to the second half after Anderson showed the extend of his pace to race beyond his fullback onto a ball in behind. The winger squared to Smith who fired his effort under the goalkeeper but was denied by one of two defenders who had dropped onto the goal-line.

Invicta were punished by a goal of the season contender shortly before the hour mark after a poor clearance fell to Hicks who struck an effort from 25 yards that dipped and swerved into the far top corner, giving Henly no chance.

The evening’s deciding moment came just a few minutes after the hour mark, the linesman flagging for a foul on Stevenson by Marvel Ekpiteta several yards outside the box but after hesitation from the referee he pointed to the penalty spot. Nana Kyei stepped up to beat Henly to give Potters Bar the lead.

As Invicta searched for another equaliser, Blackman went close with a backrest headed from a corner, Anderson saw a dangerous cross parried by the goalkeeper at the near post, Rance dragged an effort narrowly wide from the edge of the penalty area and Mascoll struck the side netting from distance.

Invicta were hit with a blow as they ramped up the pressure on Potters Bar, captain Ian Gayle forced off with an injury, Joel-Michael Odeniran on to replace him.

Blackman went closest to earning Invicta a point as he rose again at the back post from a Jamie Mascoll cross to power a header goal bound, the goalkeeper making a superb save to tip it over the crossbar. Blackman was then on hand to turn the resulting corner back into the danger area, Kassaraté turning to hit an effort wide from 15 yards.

Gavin Hoyte fired over from distance, before delivering a ball a few minutes later that caused confusion in the Potters Bar penalty area before Fanimo saw his shot blocked. Henly came up for the corner, the hosts cleared and broke away but failed to get a shot away on the empty Invicta goal.

Unable to find a final breakthrough, Invicta departed Kings Langley empty handed, missing out on the chance to return to the playoff positions.