Frustrated Folkestone joint-head coach Micheal Everitt felt a poor decision by the officials on Saturday potentially cost them a place in the FA Trophy Fourth Round.

The Isthmian Premier outfit were already 1-0 ahead at Cheriton Road against Leiston when a goal from a free-kick by midfielder Ronnie Dolan was ruled out.

It seemed the linesman disallowed the 55th-minute effort for offside after defender Ian Gayle attacked the delivery. But footage later showed the set-piece had gone straight in.

Southern Premier Central high-fliers Leiston levelled nine minutes later when midfielder Finlay Barnes found the target before they won 4-1 on penalties.

Everitt said: “I definitely would say that we were the better team. That’s why it probably hurts a little bit more.

“We’ve dominated against a good side, who are flying in their league, and we had enough chances to win the game. I think the second goal [Invicta could have had] kills us, really.

“It goes straight in. I don’t know why the linesman has taken an age to make that decision.

• Report: Folkestone 1-1 Leiston (Leiston win 4-1 on penalties)

“It’s a poor decision and, ultimately, it’s probably cost us the chance to go through to the next round.

“When you go 2-0 up, with around 35 minutes to go, they have to really come out then and we can pick them off a little bit.

“But the lad’s scored a good individual goal from their point of view, to be fair.

“Then the game changes so it’s disappointing.”

Leiston had seen a 16-game unbeaten run ended the previous weekend but it was Folkestone who looked the more likely to get a winner in normal time before the Kent club were beaten in the shoot-out.

“It’s a hard pill to swallow,” reflected Everitt, in charge alongside Roland Edge.

“In the first half, I thought we were the better team. To be fair to them, I think they came out after half-time and they were the better team for 15 or 20 minutes.

“We made a change, changed our shape slightly, and then we got back on top again.

“I thought we dominated the game and had a lot of opportunities that we didn’t quite take.”

That all happened after striker Ade Yusuff had put Folkestone in front in the first half, rounding 17-year-old away goalkeeper Sonny Wright - the son of ex-England keeper and Man City goalkeeping coach Richard Wright - after a fine run for his 21st goal of the season.

Everitt said: “It was a brilliant run and finish by Ade, but he’s been doing that all season.

“We had enough opportunities or chances to create opportunities to finish the game so that’s the thing we are a little bit disappointed with.

“Performance-wise, I thought we played well. We dominated for large periods of the game.

“We maybe lacked a tiny bit of composure but the pitch wasn’t good so that didn’t help.”

Folkestone return to league action on Boxing Day with a derby at second-bottom Herne Bay.