Folkestone and Ebbsfleet continued their preparations for the new season with a hard fought game at the Cheriton Road Sports Ground.

With just over one week until the beginning of the non-league season, both sides looked to finalise their tactics and squads. Whilst Sam Beale was Folkestone’s only new signing to make an appearance, their north Kent visitors played a vastly changed defensive line up whilst Darren McQueen, who signed for Ebbsfleet earlier in the day, started up front alongside Aaron Mclean.

The Conference South side started slowly and in the opening moments of the game Hugo Atkinson gave away possession to Jordan Wright, who did well to find Ashley Miller, only for his shot to get blocked.

Darren McQueen soon took control of the game though, and soon after the former Spurs attacker did well to beat the offside trap, before cutting inside and out and hitting a shot which flew over the bar.

The hosts, who are preparing for their return to the Ryman Premier for the 2016-17 season, soon returned the pressure as Ian Draycott’s short range effort was put inches wide before Ashley Miller was able to latch onto the loose ball and cut inside onto his left foot, only to put his attempt wide.

Ebbsfleet broke the deadlock on 17 minutes when Folkestone Failed to clear Anthony Cook’s cross from the left, allowing Sean Shields to volley a shot into the bottom corner of Tim Roberts’ net.

Ebbsfleet doubled their lead less than five minutes later after an impressive period of build-up play, John Paul Kissock found Aaron Mclean, who was able to play in his strike partner McQueen, allowing the Fleet’s newest signing to get around Roberts before calmly placing the ball into the open goal.

With time running out in the first half, Folkestone pushed forward, looking for a goal before the period was over, and they found it after a defensive mistake. The Ebbsfleet defence failed to clear the ball, only for Aruwa Kamara to slide in, missing the ball and allowing Ian Draycott to hit a fantastic strike past Jonathan Miles, meaning his side went into the dressing room at half time with a one goal deficit.

Substitutions slowed the pace of the second half, and it took a while for the match to regain its original pace. Folkestone’s Scott Heard hit the bar early on, but the next incident occurred with time running out.

Ian Draycott turned past two Ebbsfleet defenders before firing a shot straight at Miles, and soon after Jon Pilbeam ended an impressive passing move from the hosts by dinking a shot past Jonathan Miles, only for the ball to clip the top of the bar.

Ebbsfleet extended their lead with two minutes remaining as Stacy Long, who came on as a substitute, found the run of Darren McQueen who cut onto his favoured left foot to slide an impressive placed effort into the bottom corner.

As the game entered it’s final moments, Jon Pilbeam scored his side’s second of the game by putting a calm finish onto the end of yet another impressive passing move.

With the Ryman Premier season starting a week later than the Conference South, Folkestone still have three more friendlies before their games turn competitive, they will host Faversham on Saturday whilst Ebbsfleet travel to Sutton in their penultimate pre-season runout.

Folkestone Invicta: Roberts, Vincent, Beale, Wraight (Davison), Newman, Dolan (Sahadow), Starkey, Heard, Draycott (Pilbeam), Miller, Wright

Ebbsfleet: Miles, Boulding, Atkinson (Liddle), Holmes (Long), Kamara, Denny, Shields, Kissock, McLean (McMahon), McQueen, Cook

Sub not used: Bonilla

Referee: Mr J Stokes

Assistants: Mr D Doyle, Mr B Wang