Folkestone moved 16 points clear at the top of Ryman League Division 1 South on Tuesday night.

The champions-elect took a step closer to the title as goals from Frankie Chappell and Ian Draycott proved enough to see off Whyteleafe at the Fullicks Stadium.

The last time these sides met here was in a play-off semi-final which required extra time at the end of last season but the rematch was far more straightforward for Neil Cugley's long-term league leaders.

It will take an almighty collapse for Invicta to miss out on promotion now and they show no signs of taking their eye off the ball in the final weeks of the season.

They remain unbeaten in 2016 and this was a 10th straight win on their own ground.

Folkestone's team bore just one change from the 2-2 draw at Faversham on Saturday with Ronnie Dolan taking Phil Starkey's place in midfield. Right-back Josh Vincent made his 350th appearance for the club while striker Draycott brought up his Invicta century.

The visitors, beaten 3-1 by Carshalton at the weekend, brought in Jensen Grant, Shawn Lyle and Ike-Robertson Feehi for Dean Hamlin, Roscoe D'Sane and Sam Clements.

Folkestone were ahead inside eight minutes. Leafe's Tom Pratt did well to hook a right-wing cross off the line but from the resulting Dolan corner, Chappell scored with a close-range header.

The visitors tried to respond, and forced several corners, but failed to trouble Tim Roberts in the Invicta goal.

Scott Heard rifled a low shot wide and then went close again when Folkestone put together a terrific flowing move. Ashley Miller spread play wide to Dolan and he fed Heard with a neat slide-rule pass but the midfielder's low shot was blocked.

Whyteleafe failed to clear their lines, though, and a terrible defensive mix-up presented Draycott with an open goal and he tucked the simple chance away.

Cugley's men began to turn on the style at 2-0 and some of their attacking play was simply too good for Leafe. Micheal Everitt planted a shot over from just outside the box after Invicta had toyed with their opponents by switching play from one flank to the other.

Heard and Draycott combined cleverly to work an opening for Harry Smith, although the big striker was flagged offside as he prepared to pull the trigger.

Smith missed a great chance to make it 3-0 moments before half-time. He met Dolan's left-wing corner at the near post but headed over from inside the six-yard box.

Folkestone kept the pressure up and Miller, picked out by the industrious Draycott, lifted the ball over goalkeeper Adam Highsted but saw his effort narrowly clear the crossbar.

Whyteleafe created the first chance of the second half. Ryan Fowler's floated ball from the left picked out Lyle and he was only thwarted at the last second by an excellent Callum Wraight tackle.

At the other end, Heard picked out Vincent in space down the right and got himself into the box to meet Vincent's low cross. Heard saw his shot blocked and when the ball was delivered back into the danger zone, Vincent volleyed into the side-netting.

Folkestone were guilty of some real wastefulness moments later. They cut out a Leafe corner and broke at pace, easily outnumbering the visitors who had committed men forward. Heard sprinted into space down the right and sent over a deep cross but his team-mates, who were queueing up at the back post, couldn't organise themselves sufficiently to force the loose ball home.

The chances kept coming. Heard, a constant threat from midfield, sent Vincent clear down the right and his low cross was blazed over by Draycott.

Miller then tried to catch Highsted off his line but the goalkeeper back-pedalled and plucked his chipped effort, from all of 30 yards, out of the top corner.

Leafe were all at sea now and only more profligacy saved them from falling further behind. Draycott slipped the ball through to Heard but he failed to hit the target.

Moments later Miller turned smartly on the edge of the box and unleashed a brilliant curling effort but Highsted was equal to it, diving to his left to pull off a fine save. Vincent then fired over from Dolan's corner as Invicta continued to pummel their beleaguered opponents.

Toby Heydon came off the bench for the last six minutes and forced a low save from Highsted with his first touch. Highsted's opposite number was finally called into action when Leafe broke, Roberts making one spectacular save and then a more routine block to make sure of his clean sheet.

Folkestone finally scored the third goal their overwhelming dominance merited, Draycott touching in Vincent's low cross with a minute remaining.

Folkestone: Roberts, Vincent, Wraight, Friend, Chappell, Everitt (Heydon 84mins), Dolan, Heard, Draycott, Smith (Rook 64mins), Miller (Wright 78mins). Subs not used: Edge, Sparks.

Whyteleafe: Highsted, Pratt, Simpson, Francis, Grant (Wilford 61mins), T Smith, Clayton, Coleman, Lyle, Feehi (Clements 61mins), Fowler. Sub not used: R Smith.

Attendance: 245.