FOLKESTONE INVICTA 1STAFFORD RANGERS 2

Folkestone Invicta put up a creditable performance but went down 2-1 at home to third-placed Stafford Rangers at Cheriton Road.

Invicta, chasing a third successive home win, had opened the scoring after 15 minutes thanks to a Martin Chandler penalty.

But Neil Cugley's side were again to concede a goal just before half time and the visitors took all three points as former QPR striker Dennis Bailey headed in a second-half winner to keep Stafford's faint hopes of catching runaway leaders Tamworth alive.

With Andy Morris withdrawn late because of his long-term knee injury, Micheal Everitt playing with a broken nose and both John Guest and Scott Lindsey also struggling, this was always going to be a daunting fixture for Invicta against a strong Stafford side who had thrashed them 6-0 in January.

And it was the visitors who made the better start as Bailey headed just over when the dangerous Robin Gibson played the ball across from the right after seven minutes.

Big centre forward Daniel Davidson then missed from close range after nine minutes when little Gibson played the ball in again, this time from the left after appearing to foul Everitt.

But it was Invicta who opened the scoring after the game's major talking point.

There appeared to be little danger when centre half Anthony Henry played the ball hopefully forward, but Stafford captain Lee Barrow's weak back pass let Allan Tait in, only for the Invicta striker to be brought down as he went round goalkeeper Ryan Price.

The big Stafford goalkeeper was lucky to escape with just a yellow card, but Chandler hit his spot kick to Price's right to score for a third consecutive home match.

Both sides had to make first half substitutions. Stafford's player-manager Phil Robinson was replaced by Lee Downes after 28 minutes and Invicta's Guest made way for Kristian James on the half hour mark.

James has been re-signed on a second month's loan from Dover Athletic and the Welshman came on at left back, with Dan Larkin moving across to centre half and enjoying probably his best performances of the season.

Barrow's free kick just eluded Robert Heath as Stafford threatened after 40 minutes.

And it was 1-1 after 43 minutes when Gibson won the ball with a two-footed challenge on James and Davidson laid the ball into the path of Craig Lovatt who buried it into the net.

Invicta went close to restoring their lead during first half stoppage time when Price touched James Dryden's shot round the post after a Chandler ball.

Home captain Lindsey cleared off the line against one of his many former clubs after 52 minutes when former Wrexham winger Gibson's free kick from the right was headed back across goal to Davidson.

At the other end, Dryden shot just over from the edge of the penalty area after running at the Stafford defence.

But 38-year-old Bailey was to win the game for Stafford when he headed in substitute Downes' right wing cross after 64 minutes.

Bailey retains the distinction of being the last visiting player to score a hat-trick at Old Trafford when QPR won 4-1 away to Manchester United on new Year's Day 1986.

Invicta lasted the pace even after losing the influential Lindsey, something they had not down when the sides met back in January, and Tait headed just wide in the final minute.

There were bookings for Invicta's Guest, Lindsey, Tait and James.

FOLKESTONE INVICTA: Munden, Everitt, Larkin, Lindsey (Towse 69 mins), Henry,

Guest (James 30 mins), Chandler, Millar, Dryden, Tait, Ayling (Blackman 89

mins).