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FOLKESTONE INVICTA paid tribute to Paul Sykes on an emotional afternoon just four days after the striker's tragic death after he had collapsed on the pitch during the club's ill-fated Kent Senior Cup semi final against Margate.

Floral tributes had been laid at the ground since Wednesday and supporters continued to bring flowers and pay their own respects.

Both sides stood in line prior to the game for a minute's silence alongside Paul's father Peter, brothers Peter and Patrick and Conservative Party leader and local MP Michael Howard. 

But an Invicta victory was not to be as Heybridge Swifts took their chances with three very well-taken goals to take all three points as the home side were left to rue numerous chances that went astray.

The Ryman Premier League's top goalscorer Carl Griffiths scored the visitors' first and third goals, whilst Invicta's own record marksman James Dryden could easily have had a hat-trick on another day.

But the result was never going to be the most important thing on a day which Invicta will have been relieved to have got through for what was always going to be a difficult cathartic experience.

The home side started well and Heybridge goalkeeper Darren Placid made the first of many good saves when he saved with his feet to deny Simon Glover after Micheal Everitt had played the striker through in the 12th minute.

And Everitt himself shot at goalkeeper Placid following a move involving Dryden and Glover two minutes later.

But it was Heybridge who opened the scoring in the 24th minute when GRIFFITHS drove the ball into the far corner of the net from the right hand side of the box.

Invicta were close to putting the ball into the net three minutes later when an offside Glover headed wide when it seemed easier to score from Paul Lamb's left wing cross.

Mark Munday was also close from right in front of the goal after 28 minutes when Micheal Everitt played a corner over from the left hand side to Glover.

But Heybridge struck again after 38 minutes with a good header from Adam GILLESPIE when Ian Cousins played the ball in from the left.

Invicta themselves continued to create chances as a Micheal Everitt shot was deflected for a corner after 39 minutes and Munday curled a shot wide in the 43rd minute.

Joe Neilson and Stuart Myall replaced Munday and James Everitt at half time and Myall cut in and forced a save from Placid after 51 minutes following a free kick on the edge of the penalty area when Paul O'Donoghue checked Dryden after the striker had turned inside.

Invicta did have the ball in the net after 55 minutes when Myall sent over a free kick, but the 'goal' was ruled out by a linesman's flag for an infringement by Adam Flanagan on goalkeeper Placid.

Yet it was Heybridge who scored again courtesy of a great volley from GRIFFITHS in the middle when the ball came in from the left after 58 minutes.

And the visitors could have increased their lead further when Dwayne Edwards shot against the post when strikers Cliff Akurang and Griffiths created the opening after 63 minutes.

It was a toss up between Placid and Griffiths as man of the match and the former saved with his feet to deny Dryden again after 69 minutes when the striker blasted the rebound wide following a Tony Kessell clearance to Glover.

Heybridge's O'Donoghue was booked for fouling Myall on the edge of the penalty area after 71 minutes and Placid tipped Dryden's subsequent free kick over the crossbar for a corner.

Invicta finally scored after 73 minutes when Lamb played the ball down the left hand side to Dryden and GLOVER was there to score in the middle when the subsequent cross came in.

A stretching Dryden headed over in the middle when John Guest played the ball over from the right hand side after 76 minutes and the unlucky Dryden fired against the post after 81 minutes when he turned his man in the box again from another Lamb ball.

Glover then shot inches wide after 86 minutes when Dryden took the ball of Gillespie down the left hand side of the box and played the ball across.

And Dryden forced one last save from Placid with a low shot from outside the penalty area following a Myall ball in the 90t minute.

As well as O'Donoghue, Invicta captain Scott Lindsey (88th minute challenge on Akurang) and Heybridge's Griffiths (late challenge on Guest after 83 minutes) were both booked.

But there were more important issues than mere footballing details to be overcome on this occasion. 

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, J. Everitt (Myall 45), Lamb, Flanagan, Guest, Lindsey, M. Everitt, Glover, Dryden, Munday (Neilson 45), Norman. Unused subs: Walker, Watson, Tanner.

HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS: Placid, Artun, Cousins, Shinn (Hudson 63), Barber, O'Donoghue, Edwards (Marks 84), Gillespie, Griffiths, Abbott, Akurang. Unused subs: Barker, Statham, Rutherford. 

Attendance: 454.