Third-placed Invicta played their full part in a cracking game of football with league leaders Dulwich and can be proud of their performance in a match that was as good an advertisement as the Bostik League is ever likely to find.

We could trot out the trite, even sentimental suggestion that neither side deserved to lose in a match like this, but, beautiful game that it is, football is much like life and in both you don’t always get what your efforts deserve.

For the second time in as many seasons Folkestone went ahead at Champion Hill but trailed at the break.

Dulwich had the ball in the net on nine minutes, but had that effort ruled out, and then, as at Margate on New Years’ Day, Folkestone took the game to them and went ahead when Ade Yusuff fired low through a crowded area to beat keeper Preston Edwards just before the half hour mark.

The again impressive Scott Heard forced a good save from Edwards and the visitors were enjoying themselves in front of this massive crowd of 2,004.

But the home side found some attacking momentum of their own to score twice in closing moments of the opening half, first through big number six Mark Weatherstone with the equaliser on 39 minutes.

There had been little time for referee Steven Hughes to add on before, in the dying seconds of the first period, a flare up between Invicta’s Kieron McCann and big wideman Sanchez Ming saw both players booked, but crucially it prove, the free-kick awarded Dulwich’s way.

And from a searching long delivery into the box, the highly rated Nathan Green netted to take his side in 2-1 ahead at the break.

Dulwich went for the kill and pacy Nyran Clunis increased their lead after a break down the right on 63 minutes.

In the corresponding fixture last season, from this kind of position last season Neil Cugley’s side had folded almost without trace, eventually losing 6-1.

But this squad has a bit more about them and are playing well. And the inspirational Yusuff forced home his second goal of the game to reduce the arrears to 3-2 seventeen minutes from time.

Folkestone had thrown on Ryan Cooper, Ronnie Dolan and Joe Taylor a few minutes earlier but it was home substitute and crowd favourite Nana Boakye-Yadom who beat keeper Tim Roberts to Dulwich’s two goal cushion.

Still Invicta fought back with Ian Draycott producing most definitely the goal of the game to cut the arrears to one goal as his brilliant strike flew into the net two minutes into normal time.

But the league leaders wound down the clock and their fans could breathe again while Folkestone had given everything they could and were unable to find much more in the five added minutes at the end.

Yes, some of these goals came through defensive lapses – but surely no game that produces seven goals wouldn’t come into that category?

It was one to remember with home fans congratulating their opposite numbers after arguably their hardest game of the season and one to remember for the supporters of both clubs.

Invicta: Roberts; Vincent (Cooper 66), Blanks, Everitt (Dolan 66), Davies, O’Mara, Hasler, Heard, Draycott, Yusuff, McCann (Taylor 66).

Subs not used: Wright, Shaw

Attendance: 2004

Referee: Steven Hughes

Picture supplied by Dave Shackle.