Folkestone Invicta Women struck seven at The Lindsey Field on Sunday in a 7-1 win that sent them top of the SECWFL Kent Division 2 East after 2 games.

After a 4-1 win on the opening day of the season at home to Mersham Sports Club, Invicta were knocked out of the Kent Women’s Plate on penalties after a 3-3 draw with neighbours Hawkinge Town Ladies, so headed south to Lydd looking to bounce back and make it 2 wins from 2 in the league and Mark Janser’s side did so in emphatic fashion.

Invicta signalled their intent from the off with the front two of Turrell and Lloyd causing Lydd’s defence a number of problems in the first 10 minutes, Turrell seeing shots blocked, saved and head wide, while Katie Philpott and Crystal Hoveman also took aim at goal.

The opening goal came after quarter of an hour, a free kick wide on the right won and taken by Katelyn Luckett found Rebekah Goodhand who volleyed the ball over the head of the defender on the line to score her first goal for the club.

It has become a habit that Invicta score goals in bunches and Luckett was provider again less than a minute later as she threaded the ball through for Lloyd who saw the keeper get a hand to her effort before it snuck inside the post for her first of the afternoon.

Hayley Turrell was soon in on the act 6 minutes later, she collected a throw on the left flank and beat her defender before firing an audacious effort over the goalkeeper and inside the far post from a tight angle.

It could have been more as Turrell forced multiple saves from the Lydd goalkeeper before the hosts struck with a goal just before half time as Katy Hyde capitalised on an error at the back to race through and finish into the bottom corner.

Invicta weren’t about to let Lydd back into the game after the break, Gianna Moscato going close as she hit the crossbar a few minutes after the restart with Lloyd having her shot saved on the rebound. Invicta won the ball back quickly from the goalkeepers kick and Philpott found Lloyd with a long pass in behind to allow the number 9 to race away and finish off her second of the afternoon.

With Lloyd now on 2 Turrell was soon matching her as she intercepted a loose pass from the Lydd goalkeeper and fired home again from a tight angle.

It was Turrell who would complete her hat-trick first, a cross from the left falling to her to control and fire through the legs of the goalkeeper.

things went from bad to worse for the hosts with 15 minutes remaining, Lloyd raced through on goal and was brought down by the goalkeeper who was dismissed for the denial of a goalscoring opportunity, leaving them to complete the match with 10 players and an outfield player in goal. Nyah Commons sent the free kick just wide as she searched for her first goal for the club, before almost scoring with a dangerous ball across the face of goal that Turrell very nearly got a head to.

Lloyd completed her hat-trick and the scoring for the afternoon with just a few minutes to go, collecting a pass from left back Molly Surridge before turning and firing low into the bottom corner from just outside the penalty area.

Commons, wearing the number 13, would have left the ground bemoaning her luck as she fired over from a tight angle and then saw the stand in goalkeeper save an effort from point blank range in the dying minutes.

The 7-1 victory was enough to send Invicta top of the table on goal difference ahead of Betteshanger Welfare and next week’s opponents Sellinge Ladies.

Defender Katie Philpott was awarded Player of the Match by Manager Mark Janser while Hayley Turrell was selected by our opponents as their Player of the Match.

The girls now look ahead to a return to the Alcaline Stadium on Sunday when they host Sellinge Ladies, with both teams having won their opening 2 games of the season.