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Folkestone Invicta went down 2-1 in Tuesday night’s friendly at home to Maidstone United, with all three goals coming during the second half.

Richard SINDEN scored the winner from the penalty spot in the 75^th minute after Drew Watkins was adjudged to have fouled Jimmy Strouts.

Former Dover Athletic player STROUTS had himself opened the scoring after 65 minutes when he stabbed the ball home after Simon Austin had nodded down Aaron Lacy’s cross from the right.

Centre half Adam FLANAGAN equalised when he headed in a John Wallis chip in the 71^st minute following a free kick from the right.

Wallis had been recruited by Invicta from Gillingham’s Under 19 side who had won a friendly 6-0 against Invicta’s reserve side at the Westbourne Stadium last Thursday night. The potential deal is said to be similar to the one which brought James Millar to Invicta from Gillingham two years ago.

Alan Walker and Lloyd Hume have assembled an experienced side at Maidstone as they bid to win the Kent League this season.

And the visitors had some early chances as an Austin shot flashed wide of the post in the ninth minute and the much-travelled Lyndon Rowland shot over across the face of the goal from the left hand side after 20 minutes.

At the other end, young Wallis used his pace to burst through down the right hand side after 22 minutes but his attempted ball across to Simon Glover was intercepted.

Sinden shot low across the Invicta goal after 28 minutes when Jason Barton slid the ball through to him down the left.

Glover couldn’t quite force the ball past goalkeeper Tony Reynolds when given on-side to a Scott Lindsey ball after 32 minutes.

Martin Chandler then hit a snap-shot at Reynolds when the ball ricocheted to him inside the penalty area after 35 minutes.

Maidstone had a chance early in the second half when Austin shot over following Sinden’s ball in from the left after 46 minutes.

After Maidstone had established their 2-1 lead, Wallis shot over from a central position just outside the box and Watkins sent a deep ball in from the right just wide of the far post after 84 minutes as Invicta chased an equaliser.

But there was to be no way back.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Kessell, Walker, Lamb (Watkins 45 mins), Flanagan, Guest, Lindsey, Chandler (Standen 45 mins), Everitt (Blackman 78 mins), Dryden, Glover (Hogg 53 mins), Wallis.

MAIDSTONE UNITED: Reynolds, Miller, Barton, Rowland (Buglione 62 mins), Hume (Hemens 45 mins), Royston, Lacy (Hogg 78 mins), Overton, Sinden (Sallis 78 mins), Austin, Strouts.

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