Boss Andy Drury conceded Eze Ebuzoeme’s early red card wrecked Folkestone’s chances of progressing through from their FA Cup first qualifying round tie at Ramsgate on Saturday.

Ebuzoeme was given his marching orders by referee Josh Langley-Fineing in the first 10 minutes for a last-man challenge on fellow midfielder TJ Jadama as Jadama bore down on goal.

Isthmian Premier Invicta initially held out well against their promotion-chasing Isthmian South East hosts - only for Lewis Gard to send them behind shortly before half-time at Southwood.

Winger Alfie Paxman doubled Isthmian South East side Ramsgate’s advantage and, although Dan Smith got one back for Invicta, Paxman swiftly made it 3-1 late on against his old club in front of a 1,016-strong crowd.

On Ebuzoeme’s dismissal, Drury said: “I thought it spoiled the game but, at the same time, it was a red card. We have kind of killed ourselves there, which is disappointing.

“I fancied us today. But you cannot keep going down to 10 or nine men and expecting to get results.

“It can’t happen for such a long period.”

Report: Ramsgate 3-1 Folkestone

Drury refused to be overly-critical of the summer signing from Chatham but would have preferred to have had 11 players on the pitch, even if that had meant Jadama had gone on to score in that move.

“I can’t say it any other way - it is a red card,” he said.

“Eze, I’m not going to hammer him because he’s been very good for us for the last few games. But he has been caught in possession and the lad, Jadama, has gone through.

“He’s better off not touching him.

“I’d rather go a goal down and have 11 men on the pitch because we then have 80-odd minutes to get a goal back - or win the game - so it’s a poor decision from Eze.”

It was the second time in a week Folkestone had played large parts of a game with a numerical disadvantage, albeit the red cards issued to midfielders Dean Rance and recently-signed Amadou Kassarate - banned for the clash at Ramsgate - had proved controversial in last weekend’s 1-0 league defeat to Cray Valley.

Drury explained: “From when we went down to nine men, we have looked back at the video and everything - and we have heard the reasons for the red cards - so we know they’re not red cards.

“The actual discipline there isn’t really a problem. It’s more the decision-making.

“We’re not going in recklessly and risking breaking people’s legs, it was just spur of the moment from Eze today.

“We’ve got to learn from it as a group and put it behind us and concentrate on the league.”

Invicta found themselves short on numbers to the extent 40-year-old Drury named himself on the substitutes’ bench.

Asked if he would have been tempted to bring himself on, he replied: “I could have - but I haven’t trained for nine months! I couldn’t register anyone on Friday.

“We had a couple of players injured from Thursday, which killed us, and you only have until midday on Friday to register players. That was a blow.

“But to have five out and then go a man down, the lads have still given me a good performance, really. I cannot complain.”

Invicta originally looked well-organised with 10 men, forwards Tom Derry and Smith doing good jobs for the team, but always knew they would have a mountain to climb after the restart, having gone behind on the stroke of half-time.

Drury said: “The team-talk didn’t really change. We just had to make sure that we had the right shape because, at times, we were run a bit ragged in the first half.

“I thought our shape was actually better in the second half. But there were times where we had to press, which we did and you’re going to get picked off every now and then when you press. They have always got that extra man.

“It was disappointing that we didn’t see the first half out. Someone has to engage with the man (Tom Clifford) when he’s shooting - but I cannot fault anyone’s work-rate out there.

“They gave absolutely everything and it just comes down to that you cannot get away with playing with 10 men for 80 minutes of the game against decent opposition.”

Drury’s team are at home to Billericay in the league next weekend.