FOLKESTONE Invicta suffered a poor start to the new Dr Martens League Premier Division season as they went down 2-0 at home to newly-promoted Grantham Town in glorious sunshine at Cheriton Road on Saturday afternoon.

Invicta paraded new shirts and five new signings in Saturday afternoon's curtain-raiser, but this was to be no carnival for the home side, who badly under-performed in the stifling heat.

Grantham dominated the game from the start, but had to wait until midway through the second half to seal the points when they scored twice in as many minutes. Striker Rick Ranshaw opened the scoring after 64 minutes when he curled the ball home from the edge of the penalty area. And substitute Dominic Hallows headed home a Steve Wenlock cross from close range to make it 2-0 after 66 minutes.

The game had simply not followed the script for Invicta as they created very little in front of a 378 crowd. Grantham made chances from the start.

Invicta's best moment of the game came after 29 minutes, when a moment of invention from Chambers saw Ziccardi tip over the midfielder's 25-yard strike. But a minute later, Wietecha had to come out and save bravely from Ranshaw when the Grantham striker was put through down the middle.

It looked as though Invicta might survive with a point before Grantham's two-goal salvo saw the scoreline reflect the balance of play. Invicta responded by moving James Dryden from his left wing role to a more familiar attacking role alongside new boys Restarick and Allan Tait. But not a lot was happening for the home side.

New Invicta captain Dan Larkin had to clear from substitute Jamie Clarke after 80 minutes when the ball sailed ominously over Wietecha. There were late bookings for Invicta's Steve Hafner and Grantham's Wenlock, both playing at number two on their league debuts for their respective new clubs.

FOLKESTONE Invicta Reserves were beaten 4-2 away to Ashford Town Reserves in their opening G0-Ahead Travel Kent League Division 1 South game of the season on Saturday afternoon. Dan Fisk and Lee Blackman were the Invicta goalscorers. The reserves are at home to Hythe United Reserves this Saturday afternoon.