Folkestone Invicta returned to winning was in the FA Trophy on Saturday, with Andy Drury’s side securing a record win in the competition for Invicta as Ascot United were beaten 8-1 at the Alcaline Stadium.

Coming off the back of an injury time defeat at Chichester City the previous week, Invicta were determined to return to winning ways and avoid a repeat of last season’s 3rd Qualifying Round exit to Haringey Borough on penalties. Manager Andy Drury made 3 changes to his team, with Jamie Mascoll returning at left back in place of Frankie Morgan, Jack Jebb starting in midfield in place of Eze Ebuzoeme and Mathias Fanimo coming into the attack with Evans Kouassi dropping to the bench.

Invicta started quickly, earning a couple of corners in the opening minutes although neither came to a meaningful chance. Winger Fanimo showed an early attacking intent and got of the afternoon first meaningful effort on 12 minutes, cutting inside from the right and hitting an effort from the edge of the box to forced a save from goalkeeper Mark Scott.

Invicta had 2 penalty appeals waived away in quick succession shortly after the quarter of an hour mark. First, Dan Smith went down with Ascot defender Joe Gater wrapped around his arm, before a much stronger appeal a few minutes later after a well-worked Invicta move ended with Khale Da Costa taking a clattering in the back from the same opponent.

Da Costa’s frustrations lasted little more than a minute as he struck the first goal of the afternoon. Invicta worked a move that saw Amadou Kassaraté have a shot blocked in the box, but he retained possession before Jack Jebb found Da Costa inside the penalty area to produce a first time finish through the legs of Gater and into the bottom corner.

Quickly after the restart Invicta had the ball back and Da Costa forced a save from the goalkeeper with a cross from the left towards Dan Smith at the front post, then Fanimo set up Smith with a mazy run as he continued to terrorise his fullback but Smith got under his effort and sent it over the crossbar.

Smith was soon testing the goalkeeper as a long ball from Ian Gayle was poorly cleared into his path on the edge of the box, the Invicta front man striking his volley down the centre of the goal but Scott recovered enough to get a strong left hang to the effort and push it away.

Blushes may have been spared but that wasn’t for long as Invicta doubled the lead in strange circumstances. Ascot gave the ball away on their right side to left back Jamie Mascoll who surged forward, as he looked to feed a ball in behind for Dan Smith a defensive leg fired the ball high into the air and over the goalkeeper who could only get a touch as it dropped into the net.

Fanimo drew the first booking of the afternoon as he continued to trouble left back George Butler who hauled him down by his shirt just outside the penalty area. Jebb’s free kick struck an arm in the wall but protests for a penalty were waived away again as the ball was cleared for a corner. Mascot’s delivery was headed behind again from under the crossbar by an Ascot defender but as every player in the penalty area awaited another corner the referee signalled for a goal kick.

With half time fast approaching, Invicta finally added a deserved third. Amadou Kassaraté closed down Gater in possession, nicking the ball on the edge of the box before rolling the ball beyond Scott to score his third goal in 6 appearances for Invicta.

Kassaraté’s strike began a period of 5 minutes that would see the tie ripped away from Ascot before half time. Just 12 second after kicking off, Ascot were collecting the ball out of their net for a 4th time, Dan Smith rifling an effort home from distance to score his first of the afternoon right on the 45 minutes mark.

Invicta weren’t finished there and continued to press for more in injury time. Smith fed in Fanimo who was prevented from going around Scott by a good touch from the goalkeeper, his eventual effort blocked on the line. Scott was out quickly again moments later, this time to Dan Smith who ran onto a pass from Da Costa, this time Scott going with his feet and getting nowhere near the ball, bringing down Smith in the penalty area. Smith stepped up to smash his penalty down the middle of the goal and send Invicta in 5-0 up at half time.

Matthias Fanimo was on the end of Invicta’s first chance of the 2nd half as he searched for a deserved first goal in black & amber, fed in by Da Costa after Invicta won the ball high up the pitch but Scott did well to come and smother the chance. Jebb’s corner was cleared by Invicta maintained pressure and worked the ball back to Jebb who fired wide from an angle.

Dan Smith completed his hat-trick 7 minutes into the second half, a poor defensive header falling to Da Costa who found Smith’s run in behind, Invicta’s number 9 finished under the goalkeeper from 18 yards to net his 9th goal in 10 games at the start of the season.

Within seconds of the restart half time substitute Chris Sessegnon took a tumble, landing awkwardly and dislocating his shoulder, forcing a defensive reshuffle with Mascoll moving to right back as Frankie Morgan replaced Sessegnon. The defensive reshuffle may well have unsettled Invicta enough to allow the visitors their first effort of the afternoon as substitute Aiden Payne-James wriggled inside from Invicta’s right flank and forced a good save from Henly, Sean McCormack quickest to the rebound to give the visitors a consolation.

Invicta were immediately back on the attack with Fanimo going on an audacious run that would have resulted in a goal of the season contender had he not lost his footing and been left stretching to get off a shot, saved by Scott.

Smith was inches away from a 4th with just over 20 minutes remaining, Da Costa crossing from the left onto his head but his glancing header came off the inside of the post into the arms of Scott.

Evans Kouassi replaced Fanimo on 73 minutes and showed his dancing feet before delivering a cross that was cleared off the line at the back post. With roughly 10 minutes remaining Amadou Kassaraté was caught by an elbow from Ascot substitute Connor Holland. Although the referee saw fit only to issue a yellow card, Kassaraté had to be replaced by Eze Ebuzoeme for the final 7 minutes.

With time ticking away Kouassi made his mark on the afternoon, scoring his first on 88 minutes with a ball from Da Costa playing him through on goal, played onside by Butler. The Invicta substitute raced away and skipped over Scott’s challenge outside the penalty area before rounding Butler and finishing into an empty net.

Kouassi wasn’t finished there, an injury time ball over the top of the Ascot defence brought down by the winger who managed to poke to ball beyond Scott as he went down under a challenge.

The referee brought the afternoon to a close shortly after, sealing Invicta’s biggest win since beating Crawley Down Gatwick 8-0 in December 2013 at Cheriton Road.

Dan Smith was selected as Man of the Match for his hat-trick, taking home both the match ball and a bottle of Prosecco for his afternoon’s work.

Invicta now look ahead to returning to Isthmian Premier Division action as Hashtag United visit the Alcaline Stadium on Saturday 12th October.