Folkestone held off a second-half fightback on Monday to beat Herne Bay and take the derby day spoils in Isthmian Premier.

Goals in either half from Kadell Daniel and Ade Yusuff had put Invicta in control and, despite Bay skipper Kieron Campbell pulling one back, the away team couldn’t find an equaliser.

The hosts had a glorious chance with four minutes played when Nathan Green crossed from the left and found Yusuff. He was thwarted by a point-blank save by Bay keeper Jordan Perrin and somehow also scooped over from close range at the second attempt.

Two minutes later, Yusuff curled inches wide of Perrin’s right-hand post.

But Invicta drew first blood in front of a 926-strong crowd at Cheriton Road on 11 minutes. Perrin passed to centre-half Keano Robinson under pressure and he was quickly challenged, with the loose ball falling to Daniel who stroked home for his second goal of the campaign.

Referee Nick Dunn then waved away penalty appeals from the visiting contingent in the 15th minute as Campbell fell to ground inside the penalty area, trying to latch on to a high right-wing cross.

Soon after at the other end, Neil Cugley’s team nearly doubled their advantage when the club's all-time leading scorer Ian Draycott poked Daniel's low right-wing drive straight at Perrin.

With 26 minutes played, the home side threatened again, however Bay’s defenders twice bravely put their bodies on the line, before Josh Vincent failed to properly connect with Ronnie Dolan’s corner.

Herne Bay were having their moments but they struggled to create clear-cut chances despite a Hamilton Antonio effort bobbling through to Invicta goalkeeper Bailey Vose shortly before the half-hour mark after good play between Jack Parter and Campbell.

Winger Campbell went alone not long after, bending a strike narrowly over.

Campbell once again tried to drive towards goal from just inside the home half and was brought down by Vincent who earned the first caution of the match.

At this stage, Folkestone were struggling to deal with Campbell’s pace and another excellent run in the 42nd minute was only ended by Ian Gayle who earned himself a yellow card.

The away team, backed by a strong travelling contingent, again threatened in the last minute of the first period. Helge Orome drilled across the face of goal from the right, although nobody could bundle the ball into the net, with the interval being something of a welcome break for Invicta.

Inside two minutes of the second period, Ben Smith’s side went close as a Chris Edwards corner fell kindly for Vose after some unconvincing defending.

But in the 51st minute, Yusuff doubled Folkestone’s lead. He did well to hold off a Herne Bay defender and drilled beyond Perrin to find the far corner for his third goal this season.

Kymani Thomas almost pulled one back for the visitors just before the hour mark courtesy of an inventive flick which sent a right-wing cross from Edwards just past Vose’s left-hand post.

Ira Jackson tried his luck in the 62nd minute for Folkestone but sent a free-kick wide before the impressive Campbell - who was putting in a real captain's display - curled wide at the other end seconds later.

Jackson again went close to his first goal since re-joining the club on 65 minutes, as he sent his strike over the bar.

Substitutes Mike West and Zak Ansah had come on for Bay and they made an immediate impact. They pulled one back midway through the second half when Campbell blasted past Vose from distance for his first goal of the campaign.

Folkestone responded well, however, and Vincent could have restored their two-goal advantage but didn’t make a proper connection with his header when he had an open goal to aim at.

Campbell tried his luck 11 minutes from time and, although Vose denied Herne Bay’s skipper, he was far from convincing in doing so.

Three minutes later, two away substitutes combined, with Ansah slotting home West’s through-ball. But Ansah was adjudged to have started his run in an offside position.

Seconds later, Invicta substitute Ibrahim Olutade, fresh from scoring twice in their comeback win at Billericay two days ago, missed the target when the better option looked to be to pass to Daniel.

In the final seconds of normal time, the away team continued to push forward for a leveller and Vose did well to gather a high cross from Edwards under pressure.

Campbell tried his luck one last time from long range in stoppage-time, only to see his effort sail well wide of the target as Invicta held on.

The result leaves Invicta third in the league while Bay are 19th.

Bay had made a couple of surprise changes to their starting line-up. Ansah dropped to the bench, with Marcel Barrington coming in, while Orome replaced Bode Anidugbe.

There was also a change of their own for the hosts, which saw midfielder Scott Heard miss out altogether and he was replaced by Draycott in their starting line-up.

Invicta also had a new goalkeeper on the bench, with youngster Harrison Chamberlain taking the place of Connor Collins.

Folkestone Invicta: Vose, Vincent, Green, Gayle, Davies, Rogers, Draycott, Ronnie Dolan, Jackson (Olutade 69mins), Yusuff, Daniel. Subs not used: Atherton, Robbie Dolan, Everitt, Chamberlain.

Herne Bay: Perrin, Edwards, Parter, Robinson, Beeden, Antonio, Barrington, Campbell, Thomas (Saunders-Henry 75mins), Orome (West 63mins), Jalloh (Ansah 66mins). Subs not used: Johnson, Anidugbe.

Referee: Nick Dunn.

Attendance: 926.