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Striker Ade Yusuff’s maiden Folkestone home hat-trick led them to an Isthmian Premier win over Canvey Island on Saturday.
Yusuff, 30, bagged a first-half brace to ensure they were 2-0 up by half-time at Cheriton Road despite Invicta boss Andy Drury being forced into an early change as defender Marvel Ekpiteta came off.
Midfielder Dean Rance got Folkestone’s third with Canvey having been reduced to 10 men and, although captain Ian Gayle put through his own net, Yusuff then completed his treble on 69 minutes.
Emmanuel Adebiyi netted the away team’s second with 11 minutes to go but Invicta had already done the damage.
Isthmian Premier play-off occupants Dartford held on with 10 players for a 2-1 win at Wingate & Finchley that extended their victorious run to seven games.
A goal from young defender George Whitefield and playmaker Samir Carruthers’ penalty had Ady Pennock’s troops in control before Camilo Restrepo pulled one back for the home side.
The Darts then had defender Sam Okoye sent off - receiving a controversial second yellow card for perceived time-wasting on 62 minutes - but Dartford were not to be denied.
It’s now an impressive 16 league matches without defeat for Pennock’s team.
High-fliers Dover suffered their first away Isthmian Premier loss of the season, going down at Hashtag United.
After a goalless first period, the hosts’ two goals came in a nine-minute period.
Substitute George Wilkinson got one back in injury time for Jake Leberl’s team but it came too little, too late, leaving them two points behind leaders Billericay but with a league match in hand.
Third-placed Cray Valley beat basement boys Bognor Regis 4-0 at home.
Goals from Kurtis Cumberbatch and Tom Beere had Steve McKimm’s men in control inside 11 minutes.
Kenny Aileru extended Cray’s advantage and substitute Adam Coombes claimed a late fourth goal to add some gloss.
It is four straight Isthmian Premier victories for much-improved Cray Wanderers, who earned a 2-1 victory at third-bottom Hastings.
First-half goals from Nyren Clunis and Nathan Jeche had Neil Smith’s Wands side in control at The Pilot Field and, while Hastings pulled one back through Ben Wells, there were no second-half goals.
A four-goal haul from defender Jack Steventon guided second-placed Isthmian South East side Sittingbourne to an 8-1 victory against Lancing.
Steventon netted once in the first half and three more times in the second period for Ryan Maxwell’s men.
Henry Sinai also bagged a first-half brace for the Brickies and Joe Boachie struck before the break, too, while forward Mitchell May rounded it off in stoppage time.
Play-off occupants Margate left it late to see off Isthmian South East strugglers Hythe.
Substitute Tyrone Sterling bagged a 100th-minute winning goal in their 3-2 triumph, with forward Ben Allen having only made it 2-2 in the 92nd minute at Reachfields.
Nick Davis’ Cannons had appeared on course for a surprise result, forwards Javaun Splatt and Anthony Adesite converting in either half, to seemingly leave Margate midfielder Max Walsh’s second-half strike to be in vain - until the late turnaround from Ben Greenhalgh’s men.
Isthmian South East pacesetters Ramsgate beat fifth-placed Beckenham 5-0 at home.
Midfielder Benny Bioletti gave Ben Smith’s side a great start on eight minutes and Rams captain Joe Taylor doubled their tally when he converted a second-half penalty.
Home midfielder Roarie Deacon then bagged a second-half double inside four minutes and another midfielder, TJ Jadama, rounded things off in front of a crowd of 1,056 at Southwood.
Sixth-placed Sheppey are only two points outside the play-off places, having snatched a stoppage-time home 3-2 win against Broadbridge Heath.
Midfielder Eitel Moumi Goueth won the game for Ernie Batten’s team in the 95th minute after forward Victor Aiye and Sheppey skipper Dan Bradshaw had found the net in either half.
Sevenoaks continued their perfect start to 2025 as they saw off Ashford 3-1 at Greatness Park.
In-form Oaks striker Warren Mfula put Marcel Nimani’s men into a 2-0 half-time lead.
Rodney Eruotor added a third for Sevenoaks and, although Gary Lockyer pulled one back shortly after the hour mark for the Nuts & Bolts, Danny Kedwell’s side had been well beaten.
Striker Harry Taylor claimed a perfect hat-trick in Erith Town’s 5-1 victory at Isthmian South East basement boys Steyning Town Community.
He struck once in the first half for the Dockers alongside Arezki Hamouchene and twice more after the interval, his last two goals coming after Thomas Ash had earned Erith’s third goal of the game.
Deal were edged out in a 2-1 defeat at Three Bridges.
Winger Ashley Miller put Steve King’s side in front following a goalless first half, only for Reece Hallard to equalise just before the hour and Bryan Villavicencio claimed the game’s all-important third goal with 13 minutes to play.
Both goals came in stoppage time as managerless Herne Bay drew 1-1 against play-off chasing Merstham.
Young winger Josh Reid thought he had won Bay’s first Isthmian South East game since the departure of ex-Gillingham boss Steve Lovell when he struck in the 91st minute.
But even later on, a Lee Lewis free-kick netted for the Moatsiders.
Second-bottom Isthmian South East side Phoenix Sports went down 3-0 against promotion-chasing Burgess Hill at home.