Goals from Martin Chandler, James Dryden and a Nicky Dent penalty gave Folkestone Invicta victory as they came from behind to beat 10-man Newport County at Cheriton Road on Saturday afternoon.

The statistics make happy reading for an Invicta side who have now lost just one of their last ten Premier Division matches. Neil Cugley's side scored three goals at Cheriton Road for the first time this season and the game was played in front of a 436 crowd, Invicta's highest home league attendance since September 8.

The game's major talking point was the dismissal of former Cardiff City player Jeff Eckhardt after 27 minutes for an off-the-ball headbutt on Invicta midfielder Chandler. It was spotted by a linesman whilst most people's attention was focused on the Newport goalmouth where goalkeeper Pat Mountain was turning a Dent shot round for a corner.

Newport had opened the scoring after 23 minutes when Matthew Rose picked his spot to curl the ball into the corner of the net when Chandler allowed a Michael Fowler ball to slip under his foot.

Chandler was involved in all the first half's major incidents as it was the 19-year-old midfieider who equalised just a minute after Eckhardt's dismissal. Chandler burst down the right hand side of the box and his shot deflected in off Billy Clark.

Chandler did not come out for the second half as he was suffering with blurred vision after his clash with Eckhardt. Former Ashford Town team-mates Dent and Lee McRobert were linking cleverly in the Invicta attack and Dent headed just wide from McRobert's right wing cross after 32 minutes.

The introduction of substitute Ricky Reina for James Virgo left Invicta with four forwards and the home side went ahead after 71 minutes when Dryden got the decisive touch after Reina had gone up for McRobert's right wing cross.

It was 3-1 after 90 minutes when Dent beat Mountain from the penalty spot following a foul on Reina by Darren Robison.

Folkestone Invicta face a big weekend, as they travel to meet championship-chasing Kettering Town on Easter Saturday and then play hosts to Welling United on Easter Monday aftemoon.