Folkestone Invicta 0 Tooting/Mitcham 3

Folkestone Invicta’s final pre-season game ended in disappointment as they lost 3-0 at home to Tooting & Mitcham United in the annual Sid Burvill Cup match at a wet Buzzlines Stadium.

Tooting were promoted to the Ryman League Premier Division via the play-offs last season and won the game thanks to goals from strikers Paul Vines (2) and Ben Abbey.

Invicta have seven days in which to re-group before beginning life in the Ryman League Division 1 South with an away trip to Worthing, the club whom Tooting beat in last season’s play-off semi finals.

Invicta gave a first start to most recent signing Mark Green at left back and a first home start to goalkeeper Naz Jevrons as Charlie Mitten sat it out as a precaution over a calf injury.

The home side made a positive start as captain Lee Gledhill burst forward down the right and hit the cross with a cross-shot.

And it was the visitors who opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a well-taken strike from Vines which beat goalkeeper Jevrons from just outside the area.

Invicta nearly equalised two minutes later when a James Corbett shot fell into the path of James Dryden and his strike was headed off the line for a corner by Jamie Byatt.

But Tooting soon went 2-0 up in the 40th minute when Vines struck again as he beat goalkeeper Jevrons to brother Joe’s cross and headed home.

Striker Vines had proved to be the difference during the first half but did not come out after the interval.

And it was Abbey completed the scoring in the 70th minute when he headed in from close range after Jevrons had partially saved when Byatt got in on the end of substitute Jon Henry-Hayden’s cross from the right.